Well, our first two days were really focused on getting out of the US and getting into the United Kingdom. Also dealing with Jetlag and trying to deal with a change of 8 hours different from home.
We now have several days in the old Roman city of Bath. It was here there were the hot springs with waters that people would come for “the cure”, and we were ready for exploration.
For many years through the Mayor of Bath’s office there has been a free walking tour of the city. We definitely wanted to take advantage of that and met with a group at 10:30 to hear from a local tour guide the history of the town. We always enjoy these tours and learned quite a bit. There were so many people gathered that they divided us up into five groups.
Our tour guide was named Catalina and she led 14 of us through a two hour tour of the city. She started with summarizing 2000 years in four minutes. Quite a job! We learned so much about how Bath is the only place with natural hot springs in all of England. And it has been known for the hot springs since there were people there. But about 2000 years ago, soldiers from the Roman Empire came and helped to establish a town here focused around the hit springs. It was a very complicated story about how that springs area grew and the town went up and then declined over many years. Through the middle ages, through the Georgian time (from 1714-1837) to the Victorian era, and eventually into the 20th and 21st centuries. This town is definitely got some serious history to it.
Our enthusiastic guide told us stories about the beautiful Abby church that was there, the Roman baths, and the many architects who designed very stylish for the time buildings. There was lots of drama and intrigue. And we covered about 4 miles walking.
We got a chance to see a lot of beautiful gardens and flowers during the day. Mid June is really starting to be beautiful flower time and England and we look forward to seeing more flowers through our travels.
The whole city of Bath is considered world heritage site. We stopped into the center to find out more about this and had a delightful half hour discussion with a volunteer there, Julie. She not only told us about the historic site, but also shared many other fascinating details about the city of Bath and many other tours that she also does as a volunteer. History loving volunteers are some of our favorite people to talk to.
Julie shared that in World War II, the city of Bath was severely bombed. This was part of an effort of the Germans to find beautiful cities with historic gems in them throughout Europe and to bomb them in order to try to break the will of the people. Some really important places in Bath were destroyed. And many of them were later reconstructed.
We found a wonderful place after our tour to go sit outside and eat quiche and carrot cake for lunch. The morning has started out quite cloudy and windy, but by afternoon it was warm and sunny. The beautiful type of day to enjoy outside.
On many corners and squares there were street musicians, including a very fine, opera, singer, as well as a wonderful violin player that we listen to.
Mid-afternoon we had tickets tour the Roman baths. There we really had a chance to see this massive complex that had been used over hundreds of years in various ways, giving thermal baths to both common people, but specially to the rich and famous. We learned that Bath actually became quite a fashionable place for Victorian, wealthy people to come in see and be seen. We were told it became the Las Vegas of the day. People would arrive by stagecoach and stay for the season from October or November through March. There would be balls and parties and lots of opportunity to soak in and “take the water” cure.
Following the Roman baths, we were able to catch the evensong service inside the Abby church. Both the teenage girls choir and choir of primarily adult men had soaring voices and sang so beautifully in the large church . It’s one thing to tour and take pictures of these beautiful old churches. But experiencing them in a worship service with choir is spectacular.
After evensong, we strolled back along the River Avon enjoying watching people enjoy the beautiful day. There are so many beautiful paths along the water, and it was a joy to look at the boaters and the people soaking in the sun.
While we were walking, we went by a big rugby stadium, as well as saw a field where a cricket game was being played. We’re definitely not in San Diego anymore.
By the time we got back to our little apartment, we knew it was another warm food up in the oven and stay in for dinner night. We had picked up a cheap frozen fish and chips with mushy peas as well as a mashed root casserole. Having not particularly fancy food was just the ticket for the night. We’re still very tired, and spent much of the rest of the evening working on photos and working on writing the blog and following news and social media. It is a blessing to be able to keep track of things even when we’re far from home. So many good things and so many memories already.
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