What I Did On My Vacation, Part Two

I know you are all (that's all 3 and 1/2 of you who read my blog) thinking, "No that's part three" - but you're wrong, I CAN do math and it's really part two because what looks like part two is really a continuation of part one if you just leave out the second paragraph of part one and add part two so it's really just all part one and this is part two. Got that?

OK, so first off, my friend Heather's ( I haven't figured out how to do that link thing on the words on the body of the post, so just go to the damn sidebar and click on her there - it's not that much extra work and besides, Heather is one third of my readership, so you "all" know how to get there anyway. And no, Heather, I am not saying you are one and 1/6 of a person - see I can do the math! - you're just one fabulous person) birthday - she didn't warn me, so there are no British birthday presents for her. See, you should have told me Heather because I have a little secret - the chocolate in England is soooooo !@#$!@^%& good! What were you thinking? Tell me next time - OK? And hey - Happy Birthday! But, you are younger than me, so I kind of hate you (but just for a second - OK?), 'cause you're not that much younger than me. Only 11 months and 2 days - see if I care. Spring chicky.

OK, on to the vacation. Now, I realized that I am writing about my vacation and posting photos and it's kind of the equivalent of, "Hi, come to dinner and see our slides....all 40,284 of them" (especially with Geoff and me - we're a little trigger happy with the cameras), but then I realized something else: it's my blog and I can do what I want - don't like my art? Bored? Hate London? Great! Go read something else then.

As my quest for softer toilet tissue continued, we widened our search to outlying areas of the countryside. We took the train to Bath and although our search turned up some more decorative paper with feathers sort of jaquarded (I know, it's not a verb - but maybe it should be) into the squares, it was not, alas, any softer than the London variety of bum wipes (don't ask me what the feathers were all about, aren't feathers SOFT????). While we were there, we decided to go visit the ancient roman Baths as well. Pretty cool, definitely touristy - but worth seeing at least once. Too bad we couldn't actually use them - they were warm (built around a natural hotspring). It was pretty interesting to see all of the Roman influences so far north - after the sight seeing in London, they seemed really out of place. I have to say though, there is something amazing about being able to touch a piece of tilework or a statue and realize that is it thousands of years old. Thousands. Whoa.

Here is my photo of the Great Bath in the bathing house. Please note the absence of tourists - this was not easy - I crouched in a slightly uncomfortable position for what seemed like hours waiting for them all to move out of the area. Two gabby people would step out and another would come in. None of them seeming to realize what an inconvenience they were being. Sheesh. People. Anyway, I felt like a National Geographic photographer, except instead of waiting for my subject to come into view, I was waiting for those people to move out. In the end I succeeded though. Who says I have no patience?




After our long day of walking and sight seeing and drinking warm spring water (oh yes I did, it came with the tour and it tasted funky - but I was thirsty) we were HUNGRY. We found a not too smoky pub and settled in for some fish and chips and steak and ale pie. Yum. While waiting for dinner I took some photos of my Sweet Babboo - I think they turned out rather nice.

I also found a present for John in Bath. There was an antique book dealer and once we stopped looking at the beautiful books - old copies of classics like Peter Pan and the like - that we couldn't afford (SB found an edition of Treasure Island for 1420 SP (sterling pounds - no symbol on my keyboard) - that's like $2500 - the look on his face was pretty funny when he saw the price), we went downstairs to the "bargain basement" (trust me, in Britain, there is no such thing). I found this really great volume on natural history from 1897. I was pretty excited to give it to John as he loves the outdoors and creatures of all kinds and it turned out my instinct was good - he started reading it to me when he opened it. I love it when I've found the perfect gift for someone and they are excited when they see it. What a great feeling.


We close our day with a lovely evening photo of some chuch spire in Bath that we saw as we were walking to catch the train back to London. Don't remember which one - just enjoy the way the last light catches the very tip of the spire, OK?