Dee and I travelled to Bath yesterday. I had basically had the option of London or Bath, and based on comments by a couple of people (including both Dee and Andrea) I knew that if I didn't visit Bath I would regret it. In addition there is a literary link there too - Jane Austen.
What a beautiful city and what tales could be told by the cobblestones and many of the walls of the city.
One of the first sights that we had was of two women exiting a place wearing fuchsia pink jackets. The one woman had a part of her fringe of her hair black, a dash and flash of fuchsia pink and then the rest was grey - and the best thing about it was that she just looked stunning with the whole look. As Dee commented, whether it was the fact that the jacket complemented it or whether it was that it just worked for this animated woman we will never know, but there you are.
We "shuffled" through the traffic in comfort in Dee and Dan's car, and eventually settled on the "long-term" parking, which suggested a "park and ride". Well, we parked, and then walked. The plan of attack was that we were going to go and find one of the tourist open-top buses, climb aboard and see what there was to see from the bus, the jump off and go to places we identified.
So, we worked our way back, and eventually I think Dee thought she had a mad person with her as I was crossing streets in a relatively unsystematic manner as I hoped I was going towards what was signposted as the "Information Centre". In retrospect, I think that was actually the map of Bath that stood on a post outside the loos just off the parking, but, we thought it was an actual place - and it may well have been - but we never found it.
Then I spotted a stationer, and reckoned they MUST have maps - yip. Map purchased, handed over to Dee and she was back in the "driving seat" - I think much to her relief. In the mean time the camera was whipped out, and I became a "tourist" with Dee saying - "Yay, I love being a tourist" as she headed our foray into Bath centre. At the stationers she had found out that if we just went here, there and there, we would arrive at a bus stop and could catch the open-topped bus.
So off we headed, and on the way passed this shop!
I could not believe it - and there is poor Dee far right hand side looking around for her errant cousin - yet again!!! We actually went in to the shop after the bus journey and Dee bought me the most gorgeous Christmas decoration as a reminder of our time together in this beautiful city - two snowmen, arms around each other and "Bath" splashed across their bellies. As I said to Dee, I intend keeping it in my office as a forever memory of a wonderful day that has formed part of a wonderful holiday!
Well, we made it down to the Abby and as we arrived the bus pulled up, there was a chaos of people being ordered about in a very "jolly" manner by the bus conductor, the tour guide and various other official looking people. In fact, I have just realised who our tour guide reminds me of - and I really hope that neither are following this, as I am sure they will not like that one little bit - but he reminds me of Bruce Fordythe (sp? - the Saturday evening presenter on "Strictly Come Dancing"). a little "doddery", but ever so enthusiastic about things.
Dee and I occupied the seats at the back of the top of the bus, plugged in the ear phones and had a thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable tour of the city. The guide describes himself as one passionate about history (and he certainly was on Bath's history), but also an English teacher - so much to entertain me with - and a whole load to inform me about!
Before I forget! As we started off on the journey, we came round the corner and went to turn at another corner and Dee tapped me on my shoulder and pointed out the "Father Christmas" sitting atop one of the buildings waving to anyone who was there to see him - mechanised, but a fun touch by someone with a sense of humour no doubt!
One of the main things that I recall of the tour was all the crescent shaped buildings. Evidently, some influential man in Bath (and I am afraid that my attention slipped here and so I cannot even begin to tell you the link - and am too lazy to look it up just now on the internet!) allowed people permission to build homes and such like in Bath, but they had to come to him in order to have the facade designed by him. Hence the fact that most of the facades in Bath look similar - with odd variations that were "permitted" by this chappie. Once one had done the facade, the rest was entirely up to the builder and owner - he couldn't care less.
We travelled past the back of his palace, and what a higgildy-piggildy mess. He was obviously one who reckoned that if one had a strength, you played to that and forget the rest!!! Quite sensible I think - but then I wonder whether he oughtn't have allowed his ego to shift aside and call in someone to assist him with the rest of his home so that it did not look like one of my early lego attempts - as opposed to my brother's (he always insisted that houses had to be built with the white and red blocks, and in a particular manner - and heaven help us if any of us took one of the white or red blocks we needed! Dave, you were born at the wrong time my wonderful brother - but I am so pleased you were ! :-)).
Bath was just beautiful. We spent some time at some of the various markets, we bought fudge at the fudge shop that sells the most divine (and surprisingly un-rich) fudge, we took a tour of what Jane Austen's house would have possibly looked like (the house they currently occupy was not lived in by her or her family, as the one that they did occupy is now a dentist's practice - which I am sure some students I have taught over the years would suggest that that is preferable to reading her books, but, having walked the streets of Bath, felt the atmosphere and seen the various sights and places mentioned in her books, I think it is time for me to revisit those and get an insight into the various elements of her satire and voice.
As you may have gathered, I am feeling a tad tired, and frankly am ready for bed.
Tomorrow it is off to Somerset to meet Mum's cousins who have kindly agreed to put me up (and put up with me) for the next week - and to show me about some of the parts of England that my maternal grandmother used to live in! Gonna be interesting!
And a special message to Mum - thinking of you and my bruvver and sisters tomorrow and sending loads of love as we remember a special person!
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