A Day Trip to Bath

For Jane Austen fans like us, the necessity of a trip to Bath is undeniable. So we woke at 6:30 a.m. and said good-bye to Luke. We booked tickets for a train to London, then took the tube to Paddington Station (yes, we bought the bear), and then boarded another train to Bath. Luckily we have an audio book of "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" and enjoyed our 3 hour's ride together. It's tempting to quote that book, but I shall stick to the goal of the day: All things Austen. We posed with Mr. Darcy in front of the Jane Austen Centre. And we enjoyed the film and narratives they offer about her life and novels. Jane's home at #4 Sydney Place is on the far eastern side of the town. So we stopped for a little pastie at lunchtime overlooking the River Avon. Then we hiked uphill to see The Royal Crescent, as seen in "Persuasion" and other BBC adaptations of Austen. No running Anne spotted today. Our final stop in the afternoon was the Pump Room, complete with "taking the waters" and a full Afternoon Cream Tea. Of course, we wore our hats! That would be the proper, British thing to do. And the pianist in the Pump Room did a very fine job.