We Needed (a) BATH

In late April, Szonyi and I spent a long weekend in the Cotswolds, primarily in the Ancient city of Bath on the River Avon. We stayed at the Three Abbey Green, a pricey but elegant and centrally located B&B. The Ancient Roman hot springs, after which the city was named, are truly spectacular. They are the best Roman ruins I’ve ever seen (including Israel and Rome). A beautifully preserved Gorgon’s head, from a temple that seemed to mesh the Celtic and Roman Gods was found near the Baths. The whole set-up was luxurious, involving lots of slaves, schleppers and people to loofa the dead skin off of you. (Dead skin from famous galdiators was sold as souvenirs to ardent fans). As I understand the process, first come the hot baths and steam rooms, then the cold plunge, and then the tepidarium (our new nick-name for our shower in London).

In addition to its ancient history, Bath had a splash (as it were) of fame in the time of Jane Austen, when all of Georgian society went to take the curative waters. Jane Austen hated Bath and used it as a locus for all the phonies and bad girls, but the modern city is not above capitalizing on her unhappy four year stay in the city, hence our visit to the Jane Austen Centre.

We had a very interesting scholarly tour of Bath by a resident teacher (who coordinates elementary ed exchanges with IU). One night I went on a very clever tour/ stand-up/ magic show entitled Bizarre Bath. It involved no history, just chatter and gentle ribbing of the assembled crowd punctuated by moments of lunacy (involving, for instance, throwing a Houdini-like, chained stuffed rabbit into the Avon river and watching it escape). I recall that Debby went on the very same one ten years ago and recommended it. Good call, Deb.

Finally, we took a day trip to Stonehenge and three small villages, one of which contained another stone circle. I was prepared for Stonehenge to be just another pile of rocks (which it obviously was) but there was an feel to the place of peace and energy combined that was indescribable. The rest of the Cotswolds look like a parody of itself, or an attempt to look like its own postcard -- bubbling brooks, abbeys, sheep. It was quaint to a fault. We went to Castle Comb and Lacock where the Hogwarts scenes from Harry Potter were filmed, and one of Camilla’s kids is soon to be married.

Great food. Gorgeous scenery. Small town feel. Bath is definitely a worthwhile trip – an easy train ride and a century away from London.