J and K Adventures: Tuesday July 22--Taking a (train to) Bath

Today we decided to use our BritRail passes to go to Bath, an ancient city just a 15 minute train ride from Bristol. Our goal was to see the Ancient Roman Bathhouses and other sights of this historically significant city. We were tired from our long walk seeking money yesterday, so we took a taxi to Temple Meads Station and soon were on the rails with a lot of other travelers. It was a short but scenic ride. When we got off, we saw a spire in the distance and were told it was Bath Abbey. The Roman baths were right behind it, so we set off on a nice stroll passing old brick and stone houses, walking over cobblestones and avoiding buses filled with tourists. In seeing Bath, I was grateful to Kathy for having us stay in Bristol rather then Bath. Lots of tourists is an understatement, paying for the privilege of hanging out in Bath, ludicrous.

OK, yeah, just too easy

The Abbey is an awe inspiring building, The spire soared into the blue sky and the thick walls of stone surrounded giant stained glass windows. It was my first experience viewing such an ancient church. The Abbey was built in the 1400's and is still being used in modern times. I can't begin to describe it, so here are some pictures.

Beautiful Bath Abbey

Volunteers polishing the woodwork, I later found out that these two women are affectionately called, "The Dusters"

Amazing stained glass wherever you looked

Crypts and plaques commemorating people, some gone for 600 years


The roof of the Abbey was also an amazing sight for the eyes

The thing that amazed me was the Abbey is a working Church, not just a museum for antiquities. All the people we met working there were volunteers who had a genuine love of the Abbey. There was humor and whimsy mixed with the spiritual. Having had the opportunity to visit was a privilege and an honor and I say this in all sincerity.

After being inspired by the beauty of the Abbey, we decided to take a tour of the ancient Roman Baths. We paid our money and were given an audio guide that had information about all the sights we were about to see. We pressed the buttons and a woman's voice with a distinctly British accent told us details about Baths. They contain the only natural hot thermal springs in England and were built and rebuilt starting in about 900 AD by the Romans who invaded England. Fascinating sculptures and buildings were excavated through the years. The water is green because of algae in the water, but in ancient times, the baths were covered and the water would have been clear. They were built so well that the main bath does not leak after all these years.

The happy travelers

Looking down on the baths from a walkway built in the 1800's for viewing

The hot springs emerging

Some of the ornamentation that decorated the entrance to the Baths

Solid gold statuary

After viewing the Baths we were tired and hungry, but all the restaurants nearby catered to tourists and were too crowded and too expensive. So we took some back streets and came to a Pub, Sam Wellers, that promised good food and drink and went inside. The food was great as promised and the bartender was really friendly. Jeff talked him up and was soon invited behind the bar for a picture......Jock made a joke that he would be willing to sell the pub for a couple hundred thousand quid and he could stand back there on a regular basis, Jeff declined the kind offer.

My new best friend Jock

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We made our way back to the train station doing a bit of shopping and just enjoying the glow of a day well spent. We made our way back to Bristol, washed up, washed clothes and washed down dinner with some of Britain's finest. Below, a few more pictures of the day....