Bath, England

The weather is chilly, but not cold. My short purple dress with tights keeps me warm enough for now. The streets have very few cars. There are a few bicycles here and there. Right now, we are next to a paved road. It seems as if no new buildings have been built since the 1800’s. All of them are close together with plenty of windows. Old churches stand in the middle of the towns. People on the side walks push strollers, walk dogs, and laugh with friends. There are old fashioned black lamp posts on the street, ivy curling up the sides. They still use gas. I laugh at Michal as she poses next to the Jane Austen mannequin. Jacob, Lola, and Mom are anxious to get to the baths though, so we move on down the street. Then, we find the Roman baths. The building is large with a sandy stone as the walls. The gargoyles are in strange shapes, I can’t tell what they are. The sharp edges of the stone gargoyles have rounded over the years of rain and wear. The windows look new, but you could tell a hole in the wall was not knocked out to put them there. Sadly, they are closed and we got there too late. We walk around in some of the shops. The stone here is cobblestone, and a medieval wall stands just a few feet away. Other shops around sell souvenirs for the baths. The open doors, the chilly air smelling like herbal salts and autumn all mix to create an inviting, and soothing aura. It’s quiet, and with the lovely smells, you feel as if you have just run a mile, and your prize is complete relaxation. I am loving the whole town, but I am tired from days of walking, so I sit down and read a book in the shop. Mom continually sniffs the bag of natural lotion she bought. Finally, she says it’s time to move on. All six of us, Mama, Papa, Michal, Jacob, Lola, and I all keep walking. This is the historical district of bath, and considering the whole town has been there since the roman occupation, that’s saying something. Farther down the street, there are no cars. The streets have beautiful canopies built in the middle with flowers all in them. There are all different colors. We look into some of the open shops who’s windows are open, the fresh, cool air coming in. The doors are all open too, and it’s like everything is outside. There are some tea shops, some shops for different dishes or utensils, shops for everything. Every few shops, there is a courtyard with musicians playing flutes, guitars, and different instruments. Music floats in the fall air, and the smell of flowers and trees mixes with it. We walk and buy a few small things, and enjoy the peace and leisure. The sky begins to darken a bit and fades to a light orange. As the sun goes down, the cold temperature reaches us and we put on our jackets, shoving our hands in our pockets. We decide it’s time to go. We find the car easily and all pile in for the ride home, glad of the heater.

I’ve had a lovely day, and even though it included miles of walking, I feel relaxed and calm. My face feels colorful and happy from all the lovely smells of Bath. I close my eyes gently, and begin to drift off, thinking of what a wonderful experience we had.