London doesn’t feel at all like Bath. Bath feels intimate and quiet without as much bustling. The car horns and sirens were replaced with music from many performing street artists. The beige/tan of the buildings and sidewalks made the city feel small and warm. Even from the 20th century, I could see how some would flee Camden for Bath way back when.
I loved how many cultural uses the baths provided for ancient Bath. There was all sorts of mingling and exchanges. It was fascinating to learn of its restoration and history. People used the baths as a place to heal minds and bodies. They also used it to socialize, exercise, worship, and curse those that did them wrong.
The Romans practiced many spa practices that we use today. They had a sauna room for the men and a gym to exercise. There was the giant communal bath for relaxation, play, eating, swimming and socializing. There were also cold pools where people could plunge their bodies in freezing temperatures. It is extremely healthy to expose the body to extremes like this to increase blood circulation. It is a practice still preformed today by many athletes, including myself.
I loved the dedication to Sulis Minerva. Sulis Minerva is the name of two goddesses that became one. Sulis was the local goddess that was responsible for feeding hot springs water to the baths. These waters were believed to hold magical healing properties that alleievated suffering, physically and mentally. However the Romans dedicated the temple to the goddess of justice, wisdom, and decisions, called Minerva. With the cultural combination of these two goddesses into one central idea/personage, people could make sacrifices and curses for problems/people that have wronged them. I believe this to be a therapeutic process as people wrote down names or mishaps and cast them away from themselves and their minds. People also destroyed items to send them on the same plane of existence to the goddess, but had to smash, puncture, and take out emotion on objects. In modern days, we call these therapeutic smash labs.
I loved how open and tall it all was. I really wish they restored the roof and it’s arches. I would have loved to see the baths in their full glory with domes and natural light pouring through windows. I feel like the restoration of the ceiling would have resealed the intimacy of the space as it was hundreds of years ago. Calming and sacred, it was a place to dedicate time, energy, and hope to self care. It provided opportunities to meet people of both similar and diverse walks of life. I am really curious what it would have been like to meet new people in that fashion. I can picture people sharing stories and perspectives. I wonder if that was therapeutic or life changing to share and hear new perspectives. I think I would have loved to do that had I been born in that time.
I took a personal adventure to the Jane Austen Museum. It was beautiful and amazing to walk through Number 25 Gay St. Austen’s character’s come to life in an extremely charming and hilarious way as interactive tour guides. Learning about her life in depth, Jane Austen was a wonderful and complicated novelist that believed in true love rather than proprietary. She believed in honesty and being true to heart. Happiness, freedom, and love are greater than any salary. Villains always meet a deserving end as they cannot understand the value of these morals. Walking through her museum, I often thought about the love of my life. I find so much understanding and solace in Austen’s works as they always set my heart ablaze, much like Jayden does for me. Falling in love with Jayden everyday feels like living one of Austen’s novels of love. The experience furthered my knowing that Jay and I are on a beautiful adventure through life that includes writing our own love story together. Here’s a picture of my gorgeous girl just cause I miss her so much and I already talked about goddesses previously on this post, don’t get too jealous (Yeah I’m dating that, fist pump).
Drinking high tea in the Pump Room was so regal and an important cultural experience to this trip. This has been my favorite part of the trip so far. The foods were delicate, colorful, artistic, and absolutely delicious. It was prepared with care and balance. The flavors of sandwiches were savory and light. The scones were moist and flaky, smeared with clotted cream and strawberry jam. The desserts were smooth, fruity, and chocolatey. I can see why taking the time to enjoy tea was and still is a cultural practice. Tea time has an atmosphere of self care, but with good company and friends. I will definitely bring this experience and event back home with me for my friends and family.
Theatre in London U of A 