Our first overnight adventure was to Bath, a two hour train ride west of Woking. (I now quote time in terms of train travel.)
In order to sound like a local, you have to pronounce Bath as the locals do...... Don't pronounce the "a" like in "apple". Instead drag out the "a" like you do when you open your mouth for the Dr and say "aaaaaawwwww". Make it sound like "Baaaaaaaawwwwwwth".
I would say we North Americans struggle with it. Our faces do weird things when we try to say it like the locals. We lower and extend our jaw and voices, and try to look very serious as we say it. I don't think we do a very pretty job of it. But that's just my opinion.
Bath is a beautiful old historic city set among rolling green hills.
I will not embarrass myself by pretending to be a history, engineering or architectural expert.
But I will say that the Romans, back in BC time, did some amazing engineering works diverting the water of the natural hot springs and creating the early predecessors to our current day spas. Except, they built their spas to last! Centuries!
For me, it is mind boggling to think how many centuries and generations of families, from around the world, have relaxed around the hot springs that bubble out of the ground at over 40C (104F).
If the walls could only talk...
The history then fast forwards to the Abbey, where construction commenced in 1499.
It is made of stone and the size of it is immense.
John's engineering mind found it fascinating to figure out how they got it so TALL, with the arches peaking at 161 ft, all supported by stone. No cross beams. Amazing.
It took 40 years to complete the project.
My mind calculates that more than an entire career would have been spent working on the same construction project. Many of the workers that started it would have never seen it completed. And those that completed the construction could very well not have even been born when the building started. Amazing.
We took the highly recommended tower tour. It includes climbing up a narrow spiral staircase of over 200 steps.
At the first stop we walked on the roof of the nave and then got a behind the scenes look at the clock, and a peak down below through a small hole in the floor. (Or ceiling, depending on your perspective.). No matter your perspective, it was waaaaaay down below.
We then climbed another narrow spiral staircase to the top and checked out the bells and walked on the tower.
Not good for those afraid of heights.
The tour provided GREAT views of the city and surrounding area.
With the natural hot waters, Bath continued as a resort destination used for relaxation and healing. As an affluent resort town, houses are stunning.
Houses are made from the local limestone and are a brilliant beige yellow.
From centuries of coal use for heating, the homes became black and lost their sparkle. Coal is no longer used and the city subsidized a clean up to restore the homes to their original sparkling limestone colour.
RESIDENTS OF NOTE: Jane Austin, Thomas Gainsborough, Charles Dickens, General James Wolf (who died a hero's death on Canadian soil in the Battle of Quebec, during the Seven Year War with France), and Sir William Edward Parry (arctic explorer and namesake for Canada's Parry Sound.)
VISITORS OF NOTE: William Shakespeare, John Kealey and Linda Frederick.
I would say we North Americans struggle with it. Our faces do weird things when we try to say it like the locals. We lower and extend our jaw and voices, and try to look very serious as we say it. I don't think we do a very pretty job of it. But that's just my opinion.
Bath is a beautiful old historic city set among rolling green hills.
I will not embarrass myself by pretending to be a history, engineering or architectural expert.
For me, it is mind boggling to think how many centuries and generations of families, from around the world, have relaxed around the hot springs that bubble out of the ground at over 40C (104F).
If the walls could only talk...
The history then fast forwards to the Abbey, where construction commenced in 1499.
It is made of stone and the size of it is immense.
John's engineering mind found it fascinating to figure out how they got it so TALL, with the arches peaking at 161 ft, all supported by stone. No cross beams. Amazing.
My mind calculates that more than an entire career would have been spent working on the same construction project. Many of the workers that started it would have never seen it completed. And those that completed the construction could very well not have even been born when the building started. Amazing.
We took the highly recommended tower tour. It includes climbing up a narrow spiral staircase of over 200 steps.
At the first stop we walked on the roof of the nave and then got a behind the scenes look at the clock, and a peak down below through a small hole in the floor. (Or ceiling, depending on your perspective.). No matter your perspective, it was waaaaaay down below.
The tour provided GREAT views of the city and surrounding area.
With the natural hot waters, Bath continued as a resort destination used for relaxation and healing. As an affluent resort town, houses are stunning.
Houses are made from the local limestone and are a brilliant beige yellow.
RESIDENTS OF NOTE: Jane Austin, Thomas Gainsborough, Charles Dickens, General James Wolf (who died a hero's death on Canadian soil in the Battle of Quebec, during the Seven Year War with France), and Sir William Edward Parry (arctic explorer and namesake for Canada's Parry Sound.)
VISITORS OF NOTE: William Shakespeare, John Kealey and Linda Frederick.
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