Another Exhausting Weekend

SATURDAY
Our English Legal System final behind us, H and I traveled to Bath. I remember visiting Bath during a previous visit to England, but I had forgotten how gorgeous the city is. I almost gasped as the train rounded the corner and the city came into view.

Our first stop was the ancient Roman baths. It's always amazing to see something that's survived for so long. If only they could do more excavations.

I had visited the baths when I was younger, but nothing seemed familiar until I saw the caldarium (specfically, the stacked stones at left). These stones were used to create space beneath the floor of the caldarium so that hot air could circulate and warm the floor. Wooden shoes had to be worn in this room so the bathers didn't burn their feet!

We were positively starving after exploring the baths for two hours. On the advice of the trusty "Best Day Trips from London," we went to a local tearoom, Hands. We ordered the special tea, which included sandwiches, scones, and various biscuits and came on a cute two-tier tray. It was a very satisfying meal, though the teapots were smaller than one would hope.

After lunch, we headed to the Jane Austen Centre, a permanent exhibit about how living in Bath influenced her writings . It was a miracle we ever got past the front door, where Mr. Firth Darcy was keeping watch. The Centre has a wonderful gift shop that's also wonderfully tiny; we managed to resist the rare editions in favor of more affordable souvenirs.

Next, we strolled up to the Royal Crescent--a semicircle of lovely Georgian townhomes--before heading to the Museum of Costume. I really enjoyed the exhibit, which traced English fashion from the 17th century onward. Half-way through, H and I enjoyed trying on modern replicas of the corsets (see my Flickr page for the a photo). They weren't so bad until we tried to bend over! One of the last pieces in the museum was the infamous J-Lo Versace dress, which was really quite impressive.

We strolled around Bath a bit more, making a special stop at the local Waitrose to pick up brownie mix (which is difficult to find in central London), before catching our train back to the city. I really loved Bath. I think it's one of the places in England, along with London and Oxford, where I would could live.

SUNDAY
I caught an early bus to Oxford with H and Jen. Our trip had two purposes: visit infamous The Trout and shop. The former was a tremendous success, while the latter had mixed results.

The Trout is one of H's favorite places in Oxford. Actually, it's a pub a few miles north in Wolvercott. After falling in love with The Rose, I shouldn't have been surprised to find The Trout as good as advertised. We arrived (via cab) just in time to get a table, saving us from having to stand around like vultures to get one. Our food was wonderful, and we all splurged for some dessert as well.

Instead of cabbing it back to town, we walked via a popular path along the Thames. It was gorgeous day, and we took our time, enjoying the fresh air. I could see why H did this--the Trout and the stroll--nearly every Sunday during her year at Oxford.

Our next stop was Debenhams, where we hoped to find Jen a dress for a wedding she's attending...tonight back in Georgia. Unfortunately, she didn't find anything, but I did find a jacket, something I've been searching for since I got here. We shopped along Cornmarket Street until it started to drizzle, which "forced" us to take refuge in The Rose. We enjoyed tea and the delicious scones and then caught our bus back to London.

MONDAY
On Monday evening, H and I hosted an Oscar party. It was another successful gathering, if I may say so myself. We served wine and had various supplies for ice cream sundaes--brownies, sauces, fruit, etc. Our version of the Oscars consisted of a two-hour highlight show, which I actually preferred to the full broadcast. We saw the most important bits: the red carpet footage (Reese looked gorgeous), John Stewart's opening (hilarious), the cowboy movie montage (even more hilarious), and all the major awards. I was thrilled for all the winners, especially Reese, George (great acceptance speech), and Ang Lee. I was surprised that Crash beat Brokeback, but it certainly deserved to win.

SPRING BREAK
I'm heading to Italy for my break with my friend Laura. We're planning to see Florence, Siena, Rome, and Naples/Pompeii. All the hostels we're staying at have Internet so I will try to make a brief update at some point. Until then, arrivederci!