googy morning

Everyday we learn something new- Sime bought a small container of Old Cotswold Legbar
eggs.  They are pale blue  coloured shells and we used the castle and horses (egg and toast soldier ) containers Rochelle had bought.  A googy morning.

With sunshine cuddles.

Bath Abbey

The inside roof alone is spectacular- each church is covered with memorials like lichen over the years and has a crypt and a leaflet in many languages for the constant stream of visitors- and tourists are a great revenue raiser.  The elderly gent on the door told us that Admiral Arthur Phillips was a name associated with Australia- of the First Fleet fame explorer- who died in Bath- he actually commited suicide from the pain of a spear wound.
So consequently wasn't buried in the church precinct.

We left Bath for London again this afternon- a wonderful city, a great stay.  Next Monday- Cornwall.

Assembly rooms, Royal crescent

Today was steps and more steps and walking in drizzle- but the power of the Royal Crescent and Circle were amazing- we visited the Number 1 Royal Crescent Bath, set up as a furnished museum of Georgian high society.  Built by John Wood between 1767 and 1774, we watched as several tours trecked up the steep hill, took photos then trailed away.  But we went into the museum and viewed the rooms-

Details that stood out: patches on the lady's dressing table to cover small pox marks on lead painted faces, the culture of gambling, tea was very expensive and leaves dried out to use again, the mouse traps in the kitchen, the dog powered roasting spit and the pattens to put over shoes to wear outside in the muck and filth of the streets.

We went on to the Assembly rooms and fashion museum- the Assembly rooms were fabulous- unfortunately the battery ran out on the cameras- so two photos only today.(although no photographs were allowed in the Crescent Musuem)

Were we all hunting for Jane Austen?
We did go to the Jane Austen centre- the tea rooms were great but the tour itself was a bit ordinary and ad hock.  But it was very atmospheric to realise that Jane walked the same streets- best to re- read Northanger Abbey.  What came through was the precarious reliance of the women on the men to provide- still saying that the Austens still could afford servants to look after them.

Today the museum in the Number 1 Royal Crescent took first class honours.
And of course today the UK nation was invloved in voting day!

Roman Baths

We spent several hours in the Roman Baths building.  Such a sense of great engineering feats.

 The Romans believed that the spring was a goddess- so it was with religious fervour that they bathed in the hot springs of Bath.  Aquae Sulis was the Roman name for Bath.

This site became the pilgrimage for many people from Europe- in fact the sick may have stayed the night in a special temple and next day recounted their dreams to a priest who then worked out a cure!
The tour took several hours- there were so many incredible pools and engineering to view- and numbers were posted at different spots to listen to the audio commentary.

Bill Bryson's extra commentary was pertinent - in fact he summed up the site in this way- my paraphrase:  if the Romans could do all this marvellous engineering, how come they took such primitive steps and examined the entrails of sacrificed animals to predict the future!

And then the final part of the tour looked at the Pump room- the Georgian taking of Bath mineral water- and we tasted a sample too.  The Pump room is now a restaurant.

A comment from a Roman bather in 1st centrury AD is worth reporting:

'the picture is not complete without some quarelsome fellow, a thief caught in the act, or the man who loves the sound of his own voice in the bath- not to mention those who jump in with a tremendous splash'   Seneca 
                                            Epistuae Morales 56


And for me I had a sudden revealtion of how I should add more intrigue and another layer to the fantasy I am still toying with...


 

Inbetween day and on the way to Bath!

Near West Kensington there is an open space and cemetry called Margravine Gardens.  Squirrels are tame and people stroll, sit for a bit of quiet, children play- lungs and a bit of wilderness in a density of population.  Here I am fascinated with tall and full trees of blossom and when the wind blows the blossoms collect along the edges of the pathways- delicate pink petals.  There is so much blossom around London streets and gardens. 
Beautiful.

Squirrels!

Today we caught the train from Paddington station to Bath- here are a few window shots.

We shared a table and window seats on a train with few passengers.

After Reading a nuclear power station.  We saw paddocks of canola, sheep and cattle.

Then booking into our  bed and breakfast and a walk around Bath- how big is it!  How many school groups, how many laneways and the architecture.  Tomorrow we will visit the Roman Baths.

 We had dinner at Sally Lunn's- oldest bakehouse in Bath c 1482. 
Plenty of jobs for kitchen/waiting staff in Bath- one establishment quoted 6 pound an hour...

Tomorrow- the Roman baths.

Sunday Roast

The temperature dropped with rain- about 8degrees.  Sime booked us in to a pub in Pimlico for a roast lunch-loved the roast parsnips!

This is our journey there- a first outing for Madeliene on the tube.

Leaving home- an umbrella each- can't remember when the last time I used an umbrella.

Waiting at the tube station

And the roast menu:
  The Orange Sunday roast

Trafalgar square and May Day

The sun came out in patches after rain last night and there was a festive atmosphere at Trafalgar square- as well as a May Day rally.

We went to Charing Cross( oh how Monoploy comes into London streets) to pick up rail tickets for Bath on Tuesday and went to the National Portrait Gallery.

There was entertainment inside and out.

 We enjoyed the Impressionists like Monet, Seurat and Renoir.  There was an exhibition called 'take one picture'- school children's impressions of the Renoir painting 'The Umbrellas"  Very imaginaive- centering on felt making, print making and bright colours.  I enjoyed this section.






Of course the planes didn't disappoint.  Can you see the plane below?