Bath: The Pump Room

Upon returning from my trip to Italy, my family came for a visit, and I found myself once again in Roman times. Our destination, Bath. We did visit other areas around England, but I won't go into those as I have already covered most, such as London.

On our way to Bath, we stopped at Stonehenge and pondered their significance and how they came to be. Was it great engineering, aliens, or the talented Dr. Who? We had lunch, toured the interactive museum, and then walked to see the mysterious stones. We continued towards Bath, but stopped for a rest in Bradford-Upon-Avon. I cannot say enough as to how lovely our stay was. And the food at The Swan, was delicious! The next morning we drove the remaining way to Bath and our next adventure.

Just walking the city of Bath, it is apparent the Roman Empire once greatly dominated the area. The natural hot springs played a large role in the Romans interested in Bath. The hot spring's temperature is around a toasty 46°C or 115°F, making it ideal for bathing. Bath was known to the Romans as Aquae Sulis, or "waters of Sulis". Sulis was the Celtic mystical goddess (Roman goddess Minerva) responsible for gifting the natural spring waters. Around 70 A.D. the Roman Baths were built in the heard of the city as a grand bathing and socializing complex. The baths today are still intact and one of the best preserved Roman remains in Europe. After the Roman withdrawal in 5th century A.D. the baths and complex were abandoned and said to be lost due to flooding. 

The baths were once again brought back to life around the 12th century and played an important part in the social life of people during the Victorian era. It was believed that the natural spring waters held curative properties for those that bathe and drank the water. At the end of the tour, a sample of the natural spring is available for tasting. The spring water comprises of some 42 minerals (take that Dr. Pepper and your 23 flavors). I will say the water has a very distinct taste and is pretty warm! 

The site allows you to walk around and through the various baths and steam rooms, as well as an interactive museum. The museum houses some interesting histories, some dating back to the Romans. There are over 100 cursed tablets that have been found. Cursed tablets were used to inform the gods of wrongdoings. An accuser would write the manner of crime committed against them, the name of the wrongdoer and send it off to the gods to punish as they see fit. 

Rising above the Roman Baths is Bath Abbey. The first king of England was crowned here and since, all other kings and queens have followed suit. The abbey has been a place of worship for over 1,000 years. Three churches have occupied the site over its history, the present church built during the 15th century. With the dissolution of the monasteries under King Henry VIII, Bath Abbey fell into ruins until 1616 when repairs started. The fly buttresses were added in the 1800s, and the west side boasts angels ascending and descending to and from the heavens as inspiration from a dream that came to the Bishop of Bath, Oliver King.  

The last thing place we visited on our adventurous Bath tour was the Jane Austen Centre. I will say I was a little disappointed in the size of the centre, it's small. However, I think they did a fantastic job telling about Jane Austen's life, especially her life in Bath. Bath held many memories for Jane Austen, some good and some bad, like the death of her father. However, Bath is a main focal point in 2 of her novels, Persuasion and Northanger Abbey. I didn't know that the popular portrait of Jane Austen is based on a watercolor of her sister Cassandra in which the family insist has little likeness to Jane's actuality. A visit for Jane Austenites, but it doesn't take long, about 45 minutes. 

There's more to Bath to experience, another time. However, just walking (and driving) around Bath was quite picturesque. We did drive up one hill that I didn't think my poor car was going to make it, but luckily it has SPORT mode that helped, a little. Bath is right on the edge of the Cotswolds which, to me, is some of the most beautiful countryside. The river Avon runs through Bath, and walking along the river is very pleasant too! We stumbled upon a garden that is celebrating the Queen's 90th birthday via landscaping. 

Italy: do as the Romans do!

A month ago, I took off to Italy for a softball tournament. Our team came in second place, Woohoo! What's especially neat is that I can casually talk about how I played softball in a dormant volcano and watched a fireworks show... from inside a volcano! Such a fun weekend! And we did some site seeing in Rome, Naples, and Capri, making sure to fill ourselves with history, pizza, pasta, and sangria!

photo credit: J.M.

Rome

When we landed in Rome, I thought it was going to be this beautiful and clean city, but it wasn't. It was kind of dirty. Not Paris dirty, but definitely not as clean as the UK. Still, the city was pretty spectacular. Rome is one of the oldest cities in Europe and is known as the birthplace of western civilization and may even be the first metropolitan area. It is sometimes referred to as Roma Aeterna "Rome Eternal". Throughout the city evidence of its history flourishes from the early Roman Mythology to the Medieval times and the Renaissance. The Roman Empire (Republic) stretched far and wide throughout history. Much of Europe and other parts of the world, at one point in time, has felt its influence.

The first evening, we walked from our super cute airbnb to the Trevi Fountain. Fontana do Trevi, as it's known in Italian, is the largest fountain in Rome and perhaps the most famous in all the world. Many people come to toss a coin into the fountain in hopes that a wish will be granted in return.

The following day, we made our way to the Colosseum. It was quite remarkable to behold, and breathtaking to think that the site has been in use for over 2,000 years! It's Latin name is Flavian Amphitheater, as it was constructed by the Flavian dynasty emperors. 50-80,000 spectators could be in attendance for any event held in the Colosseum. Some events throughout history included gladiator fights, public spectacles, markets, animal hunts, plays and re-enactments, and other religious events. 

The Colosseum suffered a major fire and was left to ruins until the Medieval period when it was revived. An earthquake in 1349 caused major damage to Colosseum. A religious order moved into the Colosseum in the mid 14th century and remained through the 19th century. In 1749 Pope Benedict XIV declared the site to be holy and installed the Stations of the Cross.Today, the Colosseum is a major tourist attraction in which millions of visitors come to see. 

Just a cautionary note: There are all kinds of people that will approach you trying to sell items or quick passes into major tourists sites such as the Colosseum. We had several try to sell us fast track tickets as a "group" for €30pp when we purchased our individual for €13 (and there was no line). Peddlers will also approach you while eating! 

We didn't have time to see the Vatican. Will have to save that for another trip. However, we did check out the Pantheon (not to be confused with the Parthenon in Greece). The Pantheon is free to enter; however, it is an active church so remember to be quiet and if you feel inclined, give a donation. 

The Pantheon was commissioned by Marcus Agrippa and completed by emperor Hadrian. The Pantheon remains an impressive piece of ancient Rome as it has been in continuous use. Originally, it was built for the gods of Roman Mythology; however in the 7th century, converted to a Christian church dedicated to Saint Mary and the Martyrs. The inside has a wide open oculus and is the world's largest unreinforced dome, Inside, what I found interesting was the various crosses around the room and stories each depicted. Renaissance painter Raphael is buried here. 

Pompeii

Pompeii was a short drive from Naples, where we were staying for our softball tournament. The short amount of time we had wandering through Pompeii, seeing the ruins and even bodies, was not enough. Fascinating and eerie are the two words I would use to describe Pompeii. The oldest evidence of Pompeii's existence dates back to the late 7th century B.C. An earthquake shook the area in 62 A.D. and 17 years later on August 24, 79 A.D. Mount Vesuvius erupted, burying Pompeii under a ton of ash, about 13-20 feet. The city lay buried and quiet for 1500 years when in 1599, the city was uncovered. Another 150 years later, in 1749, major excavations were done revealing more of it's history and has continued since. Pompeii is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

Capri

After a softball tournament, the best thing to do is relax. And what better way than to relaxing touring the island of Capri in a boat! We went around the island, stopping for swim breaks and scenic views. It was fantastic to get to go swimming! In England, the weather is definitely too cool for that, although some people still do. However, Italy was around 90 all week. The water was pretty salty, but such a beautiful blue! We even went inside the Blue Grotta (Grotta Assurra in Italian) cave. There were many scenic views from the lighthouse to the Heart of the Sea. 

After Capri, it was back to England for even MORE VACATION! Read my trip blogs on Bath and Hay-on-Wye coming soon!