Bath & Sailing to Ireland

Writing about Bath and sailing in the same paragraph brings back childhood memories of toys in the tub, but there have been no toys and no tub, just the beautiful city of Bath and a mini-cruise across the Irish Sea to Ireland. We enjoyed three days staying in Bath, and I think I have walked more in the last three days than in the previous two weeks. It’s been good walking weather, and Bath is sufficiently compact that walking makes good sense, though it seems that since kicking the Romans out 1500 years ago, the British have avoided anything resembling a straight street. We spent Friday exploring Bath, including a short break in one of the many pubs that was showing the royal wedding on large screen tv. There is no good US equivalent to a British pub. We have enjoyed everything from steak pie to a latte to congenial conversation. Friday also included the obligatory stop by the Jane Austen Center in Bath. Though she lived in Bath and it shaped her later writing, it was not her favorite place.

Bath, of course, is known for its Georgian architecture and much older Roman baths, natural mineral springs that some some claim to be restorative. Personally, I don’t think the water in the Roman baths looks inviting (though I hear it’s a different story in the recently opened, privately operated, and exorbitantly priced thermal spa).

Saturday we were on an all-day mini-bus tour to the Cotswold village of Castle Combe, the stone circle at Avebury (much larger than Stonehenge and with no restricted access), Lacock, which exists much as it has for 150 years and has been the site of a number of movies (
Pride and Prejudice or Harry Potter anyone?), and Stonhenge. I’ve been to Stonehenge three times, and it always leaves me wondering.... That evening we took in a concert in Bath featuring a local choir and jazz pianist Jamie Cullum (whose mother sings in the choir). It was a good evening, but a strange mix of musical styles -- very strange.

This morning we bid farewell to Bath and took a taxi into Bristol. It being Sunday, the first train out of Bath would have been too late to connect to the train taking us to the ferry to Ireland. The train connections worked well, and I am writing this as we are crossing the Irish Sea on a Stena Lines ferry. However, when we planned this trip, I didn’t know that today would be part of a long holiday weekend. The trains were on time, for which we are thankful, but they were as crowded as cattle cars, for which we were considerably less thankful (I know, I know -
in everything give thanks...) The ship, however, is comfortable, and we opted for a quiet, private cabin for the 3+ hour crossing. We prayed for good connections, and so far, they have gone well. We have one more connection to make today when the ferry gets in to Rosslare Harbour and we meet up with my brother and his wife who arrive on an earlier ferry from France. Arriving from different countries at different times and meeting up in Ireland will hopefully work out as simply and smoothly as we expected when we planned it.

Pictures will be posted eventually -- when I get a decent high-speed connection. Stay tuned.... Happy
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