Easter 2019 I held a very rare 4-day London trip. London is normally a 3-day trip, so this extra-long layover was a luxury. As soon as I held it, I booked an all-day tour to Stonehenge and Bath, two Unesco World Heritage Sites in one day!
Our group wisely met at 7:45 am. Good thing because we were among the first to arrive at Stonehenge. Seeing the massive stones standing silently amid the lush English countryside was just as I’d pictured it: ancient, quiet, mysterious, holding all of its secrets. It wasn’t to last. Swarms of tourists descended within a half-hour after our arrival and the country road leading to the remote site was bumper-to-bumper by the time we left. But, for about 25 minutes, I got to experience the 4,500-year-old monument in relative peace. THAT was definitely worth the early wake-up call!
After Stonehenge, we set off for Bath, What a charming town. And did I mention what a beautiful day? It was one of the warmest Easter’s on record at 76 degrees! The locals packed the parks toting lawn chairs and wearing bikinis. A lovely day to sunbathe, but I had no time for that.
My only frustration with an organized tour is the set schedule. But how else am I going to get around? Luckily, our tour guide was great. He gave us a little background information, a map, and then said, “Meet back here at __.” Perfect, we were on our own. Not wanting to waste time with a sit-down meal, I grabbed a few pasties to eat on the go. “Pasties” is such a funny name for an American, but they mean something completely different in England. To them, they are delicious savory meat pies. I don’t know how the English got their reputation for not having good food, because I love it.
Anyway, with warm pasties in hand, I headed over to the Jane Austen Center. But after paying for my tour, I realized that Jane Austen actually had no history in the house what-so-ever. She did live and write in Bath, just not in that house. And while the house was decorated in period-specific furnishings with period-specific dressed guides, it did not house any of Jane Austin’s personal effects. It was more like a celebration or costume party than a museum. I can’t recommend it, at least, not the tour. However, the center did have a nice gift shop and a lovely tea room on the third floor. That would have been a much better use of my time.
So, off I raced to the Roman Baths. Now, these were the real deal, dating back 2000 years. The main bath is full of water. The pool is sealed watertight from Roman times and hot water is still delivered through the original Roman channels. There is a wing in each corner with various rooms and baths, unearthed treasures such as coins and jewelry, a temple with a crumbling alter and the still rushing natural hot spring kept flowing by an eighteenth-century pump room. Visitors are invited to taste the spring water, which tasted warm and velvety and not very good. But it’s supposed to have healing powers, at least, according to Queen Anne who often found relief from her gout here after a swim. Visitors are no longer allowed in the water, but the baths are a beautiful and fascinating glimpse into an ancient empire.
Cute picture of you!