Today is the 4th of June, 2010, and also our second day in the United Kingdom. We spent most of our day in Bath, a major tourist attraction site.
Many buildings in Bath are built in a very "ancient" fashion, and mostly Roman architecture is observed in the crowded little town. They are all constructed of similar material, sandstone - the locals call it 'Bathstone' - which gives the buildings a very uniform, yet characteristic pale yellow color.
Like the building above, most structures in Bath
are made from sandstone.
First, we went on a guided tour in the Pump Room. It was a beautiful sight, and the various rooms were furnished lavishly. Each room had a unique function, but the Pump Room was the main social center back in the 1800s where people who arrived in Bath would announce their arrival by writing their address and date of arrival in a book. It would have been a bustling area as everyone would have gathered to see which of their friends where in town. It certainly makes one appreciate sms-es and facebook!
The pump room used to be a vast open space; now
it is filled with tables and chairs where visitors can
have tea and listen to some live music.
After leaving, we walked along the streets of Bath, taking in the unique sights and sounds of the town. How fortunate we were, to be able to appreciate the immense culture and history of England.
Our tour guide, Dicken, walked us through Bath, explaining its history and significance.
In the heart of the Roman Baths lies the King's Bath, the source of the natural hot springs. Being the only natural source of warm water in the U.K., Bath developed into a recreational centre that attracted many tourists starting from the 1700s. We then experienced an audio tour of the Roman Baths, and got to understand the history behind these magnificent springs.
The Roman baths
Other than the baths, we also toured round the town, visiting many sites related to Jane Austen, a British novelist, such as the Royal Crescent, The Grand Circle, Bath Abbey as well as the Jane Austen Centre. Jane led a humble life, using her novels and writings to express her emotions and feelings toward society, as we had learnt from the tour in the centre. Jane's works were mostly inspired from her experiences in Bath, especially those based on the place, such as "Northanger Abbey" and "Persuasion".
The author of 6 novels, Jane Austen lived in Bath for 5 years and 2 of her novels feature this town.
The Royal Crescent - built for the rich members of the Queen's court centuries ago,
today each of these townhouses cost around 10 million Singapore dollars.
On a whole, the trip to Bath has definitely widened our views toward Jane Austen and her works, as well as providing us with a priceless and unique experience in Bath that will last a lifetime.
Written by: Leighton
