Today (in Bath still) we left the hotel and went to the Bath Abbey, where two people gave their reports (we have to give reports on the topics our papers were on), and then we toured the Authentic Roman Baths, where the Romans tried to heal themselves in the hot mineral springs and thus gave the town its name. We then traipsed to a Palladian architecture site (not all that exciting), where the indomitable Laura-Ann gave the final report of tour (always very exciting)!
After that--prepare to be jealous--Chandler, Hailey and I ate at.....(drumroll please)........ the CADBURY COCOAHOUSE!!!!!!!! The only reason they even have real food is so that people like us won't feel like complete bums because, hey, even though I drank a Classic Chocolate Chiller (60% pure cocoa) and had a slice of Chocolate Tart (read: pie) with vanilla ice cream, I got some food food too, so it's okay! But really, if you're ever in Bath, you must go.
Now a couple more of you will be jealous, and a couple of you won't even care about where we went next, which was the Jane Austen Centre, located in a house where JANE AUSTEN ACTUALLY LIVED AND WROTE! Very exciting. It had an exhibit, tea room, and store, which I admirably resisted buying a 35-pound glicee print of Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy. It took a lot of willpower. If I did buy it though, I would have had to hang it over my bed in a fit of girliness so I could look at while I go to sleep. Of course I'm sure Colin doesn't much appreciate their selling his portrait to potential stalkers like myself, but so goes life.
I did buy a Making of Pride & Prejudice (the BBC miniseries) book for myself, which is wonderful, and a copy of Persuasion (set partially in Bath), which I hope to get to read a little tonight after I finish typing this for the second time, and in spite of the fact that I really should be reading our assigned London novels.
Here is a picture of me with the Jane Austen statue outside the Centre:
Meanwhile, trying to pack up all the books I've bought should be an entertaining dilemma tonight. It's gotten fairly out-of-control, although most of them are from Ireland, and I feel like I'm really less likely to buy English-ish books than Irish books, because Ireland is the homeland baby!
It's been ridiculously hot here again today. Thank goodness I bought 3 Oxford t-shirts! (This is me justifying my buying 3 Oxford t-shirts due to the fact that I couldn't choose among them.) I am currently wearing the one that says "Oxford Football" and has a picture of a soccer ball on it, because of course they do call soccer 'football.'
Also in Oxford (Thursday night) we saw Peter Hall's production of Waiting for Godot, which was interesting, though I don't recommend it for an exciting night out. After the show we went to the Eagle and the Child, the pub where C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and all their literary-minded friends used to hang around. That was pretty amazing.
Side note: I gave my report on Oxford and the Medieval University System on Thursday, and it went splendidly.
Tomorrow we leave at 10:00 am for Stratford-upon-Avon! This means that tonight all the Stratfordians are gloating over the Pilgrims, who have to be ready to go at 5:20 am. Over the next two weeks, while the Pilgrims are hungry, sleepy, and 3 days without a shower, I will be laughing it up with Patrick Stewart at the Dirty Duck and enjoying a charming B&B residence. Now seriously, which sounds better to you?
So now I intend to go pack (maybe) and read (much more likely), but before I go, here are a few pictures:
This is the Bath Abbey, as seen from the South-West side.
A really beautiful figure inside Yorkminster
Me conquering Hadrian's Wall!
Inside the old, delapidated Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh. I found it very inspiring and took a massive amount of pictures here.
1 comment:
I always enjoy reading what you have to share. It makes me smile.
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