Bath Day 2

Saturday 5 September

Bath
We visited the Roman Baths – the whole set up is fantastic. The Romans established the baths and a temple to Minerva in about 50AD and used them for about however long they were in Britain. When the Romans left, the baths fell into disuse. They were rediscovered in the 1700’s when the cellar of a house that had been built over the baths area began flooding. Investigations revealed the ancient baths. The complex is quite large, but they think that there is quite an extensive area that spreads over Bath and will probably not be unearthed. The Romans had bathing pools, saunas, Turkish baths, healing pools and incredible plumbing. Amazing. The displays were well set out, with interactive, and CGI as well as static displays. Most of the museums we have visited are well set out, and flow through so that you see everything without doubling back.
There are hand held audio guides to assist the visitors, these were very informative, and Stephen Fry and Bill Bryson provide commentary. Bill had some amusing comments, and doesn’t think the depictions of Minerva make her look very friendly or welcoming. Bill, she is a goddess – she doesn’t need to be friendly to mortals.

A group of Morris Dancers were demonstrating their particular talents. Groups of men aged from teens to 70’s, wearing white shirts and trousers, black hats covered with flowers and ribbons and bells tied around their legs, did a series of dances that were a mix of line, folk and made up moves dancing. Strangely compelling.

The ticket to the baths included a visit to the Fashion Museum – there were displays on corsets, crinolines, swimwear, and Regency, Georgian and Victorian fashion, some accessories. It’s the first of all the places we have been that we haven’t been wowed.

Bath was really busy – thousands of people walking around all day. It’s a bit like a huge movie set, living museum, except that it’s a real city where people live and work and go to school etc. They must get fed up with the thousands of tourists swarming the streets on the weekend. Think of the Show on Show Day. There is quite a large shopping precinct, hundreds of bars and restaurants and of course the beautiful buildings. We wandered up to where Johnny Depp and Nicholas Cage live, but sadly did not see them. Very sad, especially about JD.

Our friends, Michael and Karol, were on a bus tour to Bath and we met them for a G & T before they returned to London. We revisited the Abbey with them.