15 July Salisbury - Bath - Cheltenham

We have had a few days of non internet coverage so the updates will all come in one posting. We have not disappeared off the face of the earth

Left Salisbury mid-morning, destination Bath, an hours drive into Somerset. The country is changing around us with farmland and rolling country. Everywhere we go we discover something new. Bath is situated in a valley with the Avon River running through it. The first photo you see is the breathtaking vista that we had to immortalize. The city looked so old. The uniqueness of this area is that every building is constructed in Bath limestone. A very light colour and very beautiful. If you wish to clean this particular limestone, the cleaning job is horrendously expensive, as when cleaning it, you have to spray a mist of water every 3 minutes to loosen the soot so it literally falls off the building. Too much water turns the soot to sulphuric acid, which tends to eat things away. Not good for the building I have heard. A cleanup up for a terrace house can cost between 10 and 15,000 pounds. The main attraction in Bath is the Roman Baths with the only hot springs in the UK. They are the remains of a spa in the ancient world created by the Romans as part of their worship of the goddess Minerva. Later it was a fashionable resort for Victorian England to experience the waters. The museum tour is a self tour with an audio commentary which you take yourself round at your own pace. The springs still exist but are no longer used as every manner of bug languishes in the water. Buzz impervious to this took a wee dip. This caused a momentary panic to one of the attendants who on viewing the spectacle announced that “Its only a toy” with much relief thinking I had fallen in. After the photo opportunity, she told me about the nasty bugs in the water so I decided that Buzz required sterilising. A quick visit to the ladies set off yet another alarm via my audio set, so decided that maybe Buzz had outstayed his welcome. After returning the offensive audio set, Buzz was dipped in hot water and dried under the hand drier. He was returned to the backpack in disgrace. Be aware that none of this is my fault. Other highlights were the Pulteney Bridge, an ancient bridge with 3 arches and shops built on the top, the house of Sally Lunn (yes the same one who made the famous Sally Lunn Bun). There is of course a café that you can sample the wares. We didn’t. . Bath is also the home of Jane Austen.Despite the fact the Roman spa is just an attraction where you can’t soak in the waters; a new spa was opened in 2006. Horrendously expensive with all the treatments you little heart desires if you so choose. It was then off to Cheltenham, which is in the centre of the Cotswolds. We were reunited with John and Marion, but stayed with their good friend Verena and boyfriend John. Tonight we were entertained with a wonderful home cooked meal with much fun and laughter. A late night again.