Bristol 3: Thursday

Today I went to Bath and it was great! What a beautiful city. I'll try to explain it in words but I think you need to go there to really appreciate it...

I was trying to decide this morning whether I should spend another day in Bristol or 'do' Bath. I was held up by a couple of things in the morning (an expensive lesson at the Post Office being one... mental note: do not post things back to NZ unless you are prepared to take out a mortgage).

I finally got on the X39 to Bath around 10.30am. It's only half an hour there so it wasn't too late when I arrived.

It drizzled and rained all day but somehow, this seemed to fit the city well. The rain-washed cobblestone streets and the grey skies only added to its beauty in my opinion.

Again, I spent ages just wandering! I seem to be doing this a lot, then losing track of time like some demented tourist. But who cares? The city is exquisite and I was warm and cosy in my coat and scarf and didn't mind the rain at all.

I walked for ages but I managed to do one touristy thing: the Jane Austen Centre! This is a small museum dedicated to Jane and her life and work but it is very pleasant. It contains not only things from her time but also various 'artifacts' from the various movies and TV series' produced over the years! Strange seeing photos of Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman and Colin Firth amongst the tapestries and portraits from Jane's time. I was interested in how Jane, her sister and mother coped after her father's death. If the estate was entailed away from the female line then the women were often left with a very small sum of money with which to live out their days. The Austen women ended up renting rooms in a house when they couldn't afford to rent a house of their own.

I decided to have lunch in the tea rooms in the Jane Austen Centre which was really lovely. Menu items called 'Bingley's Biscuit' and 'Darcy's Tasty Toastie' were on offer - lots of fun.

Because of my wanderings I ran out of time to see the other things on my list! But I really enjoyed what I did see and do. Having said that, you guessed it: I'm going to come back, probably on Saturday.

Well, this is my last night in Bristol and my last time in this internet cafe. Tomorrow I catch a train to Castle Cary and a cab to Glastonbury. I'm in Glastonbury for four days then up to London and Southport to meet John. I have no idea if there is an internet cafe in Glastonbury so I have no idea when I'll next update this blog.

My time in Bristol has been an interesting one, and some feelings have come up that I wasn't expecting. But I am very glad to have come back here and lay a few ghosts to rest! Now onto that sacred place that is Glastonbury!