Bath was originally a Roman settlement, the fact that it is the only place in the UK where there are natural hot springs which made it attractive to the Romans, who also assigned religious connotations to the spring and called it 'Aquae Sulis'.
Most of today's Bath is Georgian, built in the 18th century, when Bath fell in favour with well-to-do Britons, again because of the springs.
It is a fascinating and beautiful town, with a 14th century Abbey on the spot where an earlier, Saxon church was already built in the 10th century and where in 973 King Edgar, the first effective King of all England was crowned (or so the brochures say). But there are many more interesting and good looking features. After visiting the Abbey yesterday, we took a guided walk through the town this morning (we have never been disappointed in these guided walks, be it in London, Stratford u. Avon or even Cape Town!). This afternoon, we visited the old Roman baths and the temple which the Romans built around it. And then this evening, we actually 'took the waters': "when in Bath do as the Romans do!" Now I realise why Lyn brought our swimming costumes from Cape Town ;-). By the way, the word 'SPA' is associated with the Latin phrase 'Salus Per Aquam' or 'health through water'.
The bridge over the river Avon. Shops on both sides, like the Rialto bridge in Venice and the Ponte Vecchio in Florence but the only one of its kind in Britain.
Bath Abbey
You can drink the spring water, it has been brought up to this fountain in the Pump Room restaurant for 100's of years (but everyone who drinks from it pulls a face, so we did not try it!)
The old Roman Bath, with the Abbey in the background. The water in the current facilities is NOT green!
Of course Paddington station is where bears are found.......
No comments:
Post a Comment