We took a train on Friday afternoon from London's Paddington station for the 90-minute ride to Bath Spa. We had a warm welcome at our hotel/B&B and it was a very comfortable place; the only disadvantage was that it was about a 10-minute walk into town, and the walk itself was not very scenic (and I think the next day was trash day.) After settling in and unpacking, we took that cold, dark, un-scenic walk and were quite surprised once we got into the village as it seemed almost deserted. Shops were closed and not many people out on the streets. We managed to find a pub (no surprises there) and had a pint before walking a bit more, then hailing a cab for our dinner destination that had been recommended by a colleague of Chris's. This was one of the highlights of the weekend for sure. We went to the Bath Priory and it was a fabulous place - we had a drink by the roaring fire while we looked over the menu before we were seated, and the food & service were fantastic. It was definitely a splurge but worth the visit.
After our "full English" (breakfast that is) Saturday morning, we walked back into town and were relieved to see many more people out on the town; things were bustling. We did a bit of shopping (mostly looking) then headed for the Roman Baths. A bit of background (*this is the history lesson portion of the blog so skip down to the next "*" if you tend to get bored by my ramblings):
Several milleniums ago, a dude named Bladud, son of the Celtic king, got leprosy and was banished to the countryside, where he herded pigs, which were similarly afflicted. Bladdy noticed that when the pigs rolled around in the wet mud, their skin healed! So, he smartly found the source of the water, took a swim (or a "bath", if you will), and behold, he was healed too. He was, of course, taken back in by his dad, and later became king himself, not to mention the father of King Lear, but that is another story. Needless to say, this became the founding and the naming of the city. A thousand years or so later, the springs were re-discovered by the conquering Romans, who channeled the waters into an elaborate bathing compound and called their community "Aquae Sulis". They also built a temple to Sulis Minerva (combination of the Celtic goddess of Spring and the Roman goddess of wisdom.) As all good things must come to an end, the Romans fell, and although the baths went into decline, the area waters continued to attract visitors who believed in their healing powers. Throughout the centuries they've been visited by Bishops, Royals, physicians & lepers alike. Excavation of the temple began in the 1700's, and the Roman Baths eventually became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There!
*We had fun at the Roman Baths. We then walked to the very nearby Bath Abbey, which was getting ready to close due to a BBC Radio live recording, so we unfortunately could not do the tour of the Abbey Tower, which allegedly has great views of the area. But now we at least can be assured that the Bath Abbey must have awesome acoustics. After an uphill, un-scenic walk back to the hotel, we rested, freshened up, and went out for a nice, although much less posh dinner back in town (after which we took a cab uphill back to the hotel.)
Sunday morning had us packing up and checking out early, then after leaving our suitcase at the hotel we headed to the Thermae Bath Spa. You are not able to book ahead unless you are having a spa treatment (ie: massage) and we had tried to get in on Saturday afternoon but the line was much too long. We were both glad we opted for the second try on Sunday morning - it was another highlight. For £25 each, we got 2 hours of soaking in warm, mineral-rich (?) waters, first in an open-air rooftop pool, then an aroma-infused steam room, then the largest (but most boring) "Minerva Bath" - basically an indoor pool. But oh, so nice! A great start to our final day. With our hair mostly dry, we left the spa and headed to a landmark of Bath, the Royal Crescent, built in the 1700's and now supposedly one of the most distinctive examples of Georgian architecture in the world. We also walked through the Royal Victoria Park and Botanical Gardens that held their own charm despite the grey weather. After a nice lunch and a bit more walking and looking, we cabbed it back to the hotel for our bags then headed for the train station. Bath is an absolutely picturesque city with an amazing history, and I hope to have the time to go back in some nicer weather.
Exactly one year ago today, Chris & I were in London, anticipating a big job offer and deciding whether or not to take it. The weather was almost identical - cold, grey, and gloomy. But we said yes anyway, and boy, are we glad we did.
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