Bath - By a surprise guest author (Steve)
Sarah did not feel well after waking up—upset stomach, tired, headache. We decided that she would rest and I would go to breakfast and do the tourist things by myself today. At breakfast, I was given the meal that Sarah had ordered since her choices were in column 1 and our hosts apparently assumed that the man was always #1. Fortunately her choices were nearly identical to mine so I did not complain. I chatted with a Cambridge CS professor during breakfast. He was in Bath for some type of conference.
After tucking Sarah in, I began walking toward town. There were quite a few people headed the same direction. A big hill (downhill), a pedestrian tunnel, and 35 minutes later I was perusing a grocery store for a lunch snack and a drink. I purchased some Coke for my caffeine habit and a couple of granola bars. I left and found some public restrooms. The sink was rather inefficient—it was a hole in the wall with three buttons above the opening for water, soap, and hot air. Yes, you had to wash your hands and dry them using a single apparatus. I shuddered as I imagined the long lines that would form for these over the lunch hour and the numerous unwashed hands of the impatient.
I proceeded on to the abbey and Pump Room which is where the free walking tours started. A gentleman in his late 60s guided a group of about twenty of us all around Bath. He had been a Bather all his life and even learned to swim in one of the hot springs (Cross Spring, which was later covered over and closed after being blamed for some kid’s case of meningitis). We walked across busy roads and quiet alleyways, seeing such sites as the Circus, the Royal Crescent, and the River Avon (literally, River “River”). The tour guide filled us in on all kinds of Roman and obscure Georgian Bath history. It was a fantastic hour-and-a-half tour worth every pence.
Fortunately, I was able to find a free spot on a park bench on the south side of the abbey where I ate my meager lunch. Then, I was off to the Roman Baths which were fabulous. This was my first taste of how Britain is just filled with amazing ancient history. Notable preserved Roman items from ~100 AD that were on display: “curse” prayers which were written on rolled paper and cast into the spring (e.g. “Goddess Minerva, curse the fool who stole my towel from the locker room.”), jewelry and gem stones that had fallen into the drains, and amazingly preserved sculptures.
I hit up the same grocery store and a pharmacy on the way back to the B&B. I bought some biscuits, cheese, juice, Coke (for Sarah’s habit), and cold medicine. Lugging all this stuff up the hill was not fun. I also passed a fresh produce store and bought some raspberries. I figured that if Sarah did not feel well enough to get out of the B&B to eat, we would have a fine picnic in our room. Thankfully she felt well enough for us to walk the half mile to the Bear Pub. This was our first pub meal and was actually quite lousy compared to future ones. I ordered a grilled chicken breast that must have been from the runt chicken of the flock. It was puny! We also got our first taste of local long-handled lukewarm ales.
Sunday, November 28, 2004
Tuesday, November 02, 2004
Day2 part 2 – Tuesday September 14 - European Vacation
So, back in the car to find our b&b to get some rest. We got turned around a couple more times. Besides the confusing road layout, driving on the wrong side of the road and the signposts, we ran into a construction detour. After a couple of lucky turns we were headed what seemed like the right direction, but after a few more twists and unmarked intersections we weren’t so sure.
About this time I was tired and started to get really cranky with Steve. I didn’t think he was giving me very good directions and he kept telling me to slow down. The road we were on was narrow, plus there were cars parked on each curb. There was really only one lane for traffic and you had to pull over in a driveway space to let cars pass. It was tough. Right in the middle of trying to navigate this tiny street and being very frustrated with Steve and letting him know it, and trying to drive from the right hand side of the car, I hit a parked car. Yes, I hit the wing mirror of a parked car. Steve told me to pull over, which I tried to do. I was totally flustered and in the process of trying to pull over I hit the bumper of a delivery van. Yes I hit two parked vehicles.
We finally got safely pulled over and started to inspect the damage. We saw that we had a big scratch on the passenger side rear door. Before we even looked at anything else two cars driving down the road hit each other. Yes, 45 seconds after I hit a parked car there was another accident on the same block. They picked up the piece of plastic from my wing mirror and took it with them before Steve or I could think to go find it. Oh well.
see the pictures
We left a note for the owner of the first car I think I hit. An old Ford station wagon. It very well could have been hit some other day, who knows. We didn’t bother leaving a note on the van as it was impossible to determine if we had caused one of the 20 scratches on its bumper.
We got back in the car, to find the hotel and try to get some phone calls made. It ended up we had been only 2 blocks from the b&b (to add insult to injuryJ). Steve made the phone calls to Avis and the credit card (who we were insured under). The proprietor of the b&b was very kind and helped up make the collect phone calls, as well as giving advice on how to handle the situation.
He told us that no one ever leaves a note about a wing mirror in Bath, that it hardly is even considered a car accident. You can get new glass in a mirror for 12 pounds and anyone who is smart turns their mirror in while they are parked on the curb. We decided it was only honest to leave the note. (they never did get in contact with us)
I finally just had to go to bed, I was so tired, and Steve finished up with the calls. It was 2 before he got to bed. That was 26 hours up for him. We were so glad the day was over.
We forced ourselves to get up around 7 to go get dinner. We walked to a nearby pub, The Bear. There was no way I was getting back in the car so soonJ For dinner and had our first fish and chips. The food was nothing special, but it sure was good to have a beer and eat some real food. Back to bed to put an end to day 2. What a way to start a trip!
- Sarah
About this time I was tired and started to get really cranky with Steve. I didn’t think he was giving me very good directions and he kept telling me to slow down. The road we were on was narrow, plus there were cars parked on each curb. There was really only one lane for traffic and you had to pull over in a driveway space to let cars pass. It was tough. Right in the middle of trying to navigate this tiny street and being very frustrated with Steve and letting him know it, and trying to drive from the right hand side of the car, I hit a parked car. Yes, I hit the wing mirror of a parked car. Steve told me to pull over, which I tried to do. I was totally flustered and in the process of trying to pull over I hit the bumper of a delivery van. Yes I hit two parked vehicles.
We finally got safely pulled over and started to inspect the damage. We saw that we had a big scratch on the passenger side rear door. Before we even looked at anything else two cars driving down the road hit each other. Yes, 45 seconds after I hit a parked car there was another accident on the same block. They picked up the piece of plastic from my wing mirror and took it with them before Steve or I could think to go find it. Oh well.
see the pictures
We left a note for the owner of the first car I think I hit. An old Ford station wagon. It very well could have been hit some other day, who knows. We didn’t bother leaving a note on the van as it was impossible to determine if we had caused one of the 20 scratches on its bumper.
We got back in the car, to find the hotel and try to get some phone calls made. It ended up we had been only 2 blocks from the b&b (to add insult to injuryJ). Steve made the phone calls to Avis and the credit card (who we were insured under). The proprietor of the b&b was very kind and helped up make the collect phone calls, as well as giving advice on how to handle the situation.
He told us that no one ever leaves a note about a wing mirror in Bath, that it hardly is even considered a car accident. You can get new glass in a mirror for 12 pounds and anyone who is smart turns their mirror in while they are parked on the curb. We decided it was only honest to leave the note. (they never did get in contact with us)
I finally just had to go to bed, I was so tired, and Steve finished up with the calls. It was 2 before he got to bed. That was 26 hours up for him. We were so glad the day was over.
We forced ourselves to get up around 7 to go get dinner. We walked to a nearby pub, The Bear. There was no way I was getting back in the car so soonJ For dinner and had our first fish and chips. The food was nothing special, but it sure was good to have a beer and eat some real food. Back to bed to put an end to day 2. What a way to start a trip!
- Sarah
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