Bath, UK
So, the town is called Bath, as in "bath." There's nothing more to it. Just a city for bath. No, it's actually full of history and I really really really loved it.
In my previous post, I mentioned how we decided to take a train from Bristol to Bath because the locals told us parking would be a pain. And we did. We left the rental in Bristol Station and it was a breeze. There were many other travellers did the same as well. The ride was only 11 minutes and cost about £10. There's many shops to see from the Bath Station to the Roman Bath. I think we had lunch in one of the small restaurants.
Bath is in the county of Somerset, about 2 and a half hours car ride from London. A lovely drive, by the way. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the history of Bath began in 1st century AD by the Romans on the way to concur the world. So, they discovered the natural thermal spring water coming from the ground and decided to build a Roman style bath (because they were Romans) and a shrine dedicated to the Goddess Sulis, Minerva.
The construction took a couple hundred years and the result was nothing like it is today. The photo on the left is what it's like today, but according to historians, it should be like the photo on the right, which was extremely colorful and decorative. You know, it's okay to click on the photos to enlarge.
Ticket is about £21-23 per person depends on the day of the week. Each person is given an audioguide headset for self-guided tour. There is also free guided tour available once inside.
After the entrance, we walked into the outdoor terrace overlooking the Great Bath in the centre. Around the terrace, 9 Victorian statues of Roman Emperors and Governors of Britain lined up as part of the history. When the Romans left, the building was taken over by other rulers. It has witnessed many Emperors, Kings, and wars.
I mean, look at the walls. The beige colored walls are the original walls. Even the dust is historic.
Passing through the terrace, took the stairs or lift down to lower level where artifacts were displayed. It explained the history of the Roman Bath and how the Romans lived at its prime.
Then we entered the Great Bath area, where the water is still warm but no longer bath-able. There were characters dressed up as Romans for tourists to take photos with, but not that many. People were able to sit close to the water but not allow to touch. There were 2 other sections on the East and West side of the Great Bath, featured more baths, both hot and cold, plus a sauna. The Romans really knew how to enjoy life.
If you are interested, at the end of guided tour or your walk, there is a spa water fountain and some paper cups for drinking. My experience was not so pleasant, so I'll leave that up to you.
Once you are done with the Roman Bath, go walk around the city of Bath and the Bath Abby, next to the Roman Bath exit. We happened to be there in time for the last mass of the day to listen to the choir sing. It was a perfect way to end the day like that.
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