oxford: day 2

After spending an entire day in and around Oxford, we decided to venture out a bit for day 2 of my trip and headed down towards Bath. I did have lots of avenues to choose from but Bath sounded the best since I knew Jane Austen once lived there and if I ever were to return with the husband, I was unsure Bath would be his first choice. Plus I knew so little about the history and wanted to learn more. I knew the Romans had conquered this area way back when but I didn't realize the extent of their power.

Our first stop was the actual Roman Baths. The museum was well worth our time. It was set up very well and educational to boot. When we were there, a lot of work was being done to expand the tour and maximize one's experience there. It was a self-guided tour with a phone looking device to dial in a number, shown to you around the different exhibits, and then you place it up to your ear for the information. The Romans were advanced in their use of waterways and architecture. So I'm sure you can imagine how fascinating it was to see it all up close.


This museum was built around a giant natural water source which the Romans worshipped because they thought there were healing powers in the waters and would even bring offerings to this place. The Romans built a giant bathhouse around this water source, which the original wall was discovered in the 1980's and has been excavated since. The Romans would spend hours here, bathing and enjoying other activities provided at this place.






After the tour, I couldn't help but think how much time they wasted worshipping that water source. The time and effort they put into building this bathhouse, or essentially, a temple around this watering hole. It just boggles the mind. We have most certainly come a long way.
After the Roman baths museum, we walked around the city and even stopped to eat some excellent Thai food for lunch. We also stopped in at a Jane Austen museum to see what they had to offer. To be honest, after spending a whole day at Chawton house, this other museum seemed very weak in comparison. Needless to say, we didn't spend much time there. The city is just beautiful and we spent quite a bit of time just walking around, enjoying the sites.


Another must-see on my list was a castle. I honestly didn't mind if it was a large one or not, I just really wanted to visit a castle. A quick search online led us to Nunney Castle, just outside of Bath. For me it was perfect because 1) it was free, 2) off the beaten path and 3) there was a mote.









My friend's little boys were more than overjoyed to be at a castle where they could run around and let their imaginations take over. So it came as no surprise when I was instructed to take on the role of the "enemy" and "storm the castle". I was caught a few times and put in "jail" but managed to escape a couple of times while my captors were "sleeping".
Here I am standing on the "mighty drawbridge", gearing up to "storm the castle":

Here I come. Storming. Raging. Ready for battle. Can you sense my rage?? ;)



I was very taken with the town of Nunney. Sorry for the lack of descriptive words but it was very old and British. It was just awesome. We noticed a very old church across from the castle and had to check it out.

A warning when traveling to Bath: there is one road in and one road out. So if you don't leave until close to the rush hour, you will be stuck. As were we. It wasn't a huge problem but it did take us quite a while before we even got out of the city and on our way. There were even Jane Austen movie sites in the area that we didn't get a chance to see because of the inclement traffic. But in all, it was such a perfect day, capped off by playing a quick game of, "Guess That Jane Austen movie tune" so beautifully played by my friend's wife. She is just awesome. You really must meet her.
The next day takes me back to London and the worst traffic I have ever been caught in. Get ready!!