English Travel

Today we were in the middle of a three-day excursion through the English countryside to two other cities beyond London: Bath and Stratford-upon-Avon. It's been such a treat to have a bit more room over the past two days, as we're staying in hotels during our little trip instead of hostels. What I think I've enjoyed most is the absolute beauty of the scenery as we travel. The city of Bath in particular is absolutely gorgeous. Much like Duluth, it's built on a hill, so from many parts of the city it's possible to look upon expansive views of the buildings as well as the landscape. I think I could vacation there for weeks, just taking in the beauty of the riverside or the magnificent limestone buildings.

We started our day touring what remains of the ancient Roman baths in the heart of the city. Bath, of Aquae Sulis as named by the Romans, is a site of hot springs rich in mineral water. For this reason, a temple and the baths (almost like a modern-day spa) were built by the Romans in honor of the goddess Sulis Minerva in the latter half of the first century. It is amazing to me that something created so many centuries ago still has sections standing. The tour us absolutely worth the chance to stand among so much history.

After lunch in Bath, we had almost a two hour bus ride to Stratford, meaning time for more countryside views and a nice nap! (I think I could get used to the activity in the morning, nap on the bus, and another activity in the afternoon life.)

We took a walking tour in Stratford-upon-Avon (the birthplace of William Shakespeare; see the house where he was born below) and saw a play, The Jew of Malta, that evening at the Swan Theatre of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

I loved seeing the old timber-framed houses. Since they are so flammable, none of the model in London survived the  1666 fire. However, there are many still standing in Stratford, as well as many other original buildings.