Bath

Yes, I will have to agree with my cousin, Brant, that Bath is wonderful. However, personally, one really must be psychically up to it to go during Christmas Market season -- it is absolutely MAD!
Note: 4 1/2 hours of sleep are not adequate preparation :)

Today, I went on the Graduate Centre trip as a coach monitor. This meant that I got to talk on the public announcement system on the bus! The bus driver was really funny and was so frustrated with the traffic (going into Bath and going out -- totally out of control, did I mention?) that it was kind of like being with my Daddy in Dallas rush hour -- hee hee.

It was spitting rain this morning and quite cold, but blue sky ventured forth (even though the 9-day forecast for Bath is Rain, Rain, Rain) and it was really a lovely day. See, to L?

Yes, so in addition to two coaches from Cardiff University who were dumped in the centre of Bath, oh, about 13,472 other people drove, railed, walked, biked (?) their way in. There was no striding walking going on in the market area or in the streets immediately surrouding; it was the group shuffle.

First stop was the Vaults of Bath Abbey and the Abbey itself. Also www.bathabbey.org.

To R was taken in the vault and is a re-cast of the statue of Henry VII, which is over the Western Door of the Abbey. Should have re-taken it with the candle setting on my camera as have discovered that makes pictures have a cool glow. even without candles.

Inside the Abbey Church, the Gethsemane Chapel.

This shot is from the Northern Aisle of the church facing west, which includes the ceiling detail. Amazing. There are loads more pictures that will be put on flickr when I get time. Quite a few of them include monuments of death, yes, indeed. They are so fascinating! It makes me sad that the gravestones on the floor are worn away and fading out, because then the tangible memory of persons is wiped away. So it is my duty to try to document them. Yes, that sounds good. I'll keep that.

Once outside again, the Group Shuffle just doesn't do it for me, so instead did my favorite thing -- yes, i was being a loner today. sometimes loning is necessary. plus you don't have to worry if someone else is bored -- and toddled off the beaten path to test my directional problem solving skills (as much as one can do in Bath, that is. it is by no means London or anything, but still).

This sign sums up the reason for the fields that I noticed flooded on the way in to town. The riverside park where the angel picture at the top was taken (along the River Avon) was closed due to the flooding, but there were some excellent pictures to be taken from street level. Unfortunately, none of those pictures were taken my me....

Except this one.

So sorry, but this is going to have to be finished tomorrow, because I am really tired.... why is that? (Don't worry, there will be LOTS more pictures. I took only 200 today.)