took a big bubble bath on Thursday!! actually, we couldn’t touch the water because it was untreated and would probably infect us – but just seeing and learning about the Roman Baths was enough for me! Wowowow. I had no idea what these were before getting to them in real life, and I had no idea how extensive and well designed and beautiful they are. It was shocking and stunning and all of the above.
Something that really enthralls me when I see historical sights, especially something so old, is thinking about the people who really lived and walked in this place. They were people just like me, and they all came to the Baths for a different reason. I thought it was so interesting how the museum showed projections of what would go on in the different rooms, with real actors and placed at the level of the floor where it would have take place. In one part of the Baths, there was a projection for the women’s steam room, where they would get warm before getting into the cold baths, and they would use oils to open up their pores. They mentioned how some of the ladies would take this chance to pluck out all of the hair on their body. This brought me into thinking about beauty standards for women in this era – clearly body hair was not considered attractive, but I know in other cultures at this time, it was considered incredibly feminine and attractive. It was so interesting to think about how these women (and men) conformed to different standards and ideas just like we still do, and in some ways, the baths were part of that. I also found it so interesting how the baths were mostly a health/self care ritual for those who used them. Ive heard a lot recently about cold plunges, and everyone knows the hot sauna/cold shower routine, but I guess I didn’t realize how far these trends, and this knowledge of the body, went back. The audio guide was incredibly informative and provided so much background into everything we saw, and overall te experience at the Baths was incredible.
Tea at the Pump Room could not be forgotten!! How cool to sit in the same room where many famous people once sat, but especially Jane Austen and Charles Dickens, that was amazing to hear! For this experience, besides a couple pictures of the room and the treats, I put my phone away and tried to be as present as possible. Honestly, I spent the first 20 minutes just sitting listening to the music and looking around the room, imaginging what it must of looked like 200 years ago, with the dresses and the chatter and the status of it all. It must have been quite a scene! I love daydreaming like that. The coffee (not a hugeeee cream tea girl, so coffee it was for me) was amazing, and so were the little treats! The scones and raspberry shortbread were my personal favorites. I was so glad we got to experience this room in all its glory!
I could have spent at least 3 days in Bath. I thought the town was so charming and quaint, but still packed with great shopping and restaurants and of course amazing sites to see. I wish we had more time there, but it was so great to go for the day that we did! It was the perfect break from London. Still a little busy later in the day, but was so much quieter and smaller than the big city, and definitely felt so relaxing. I would 100% return to Bath, and I cant wait to see what I find next time Im there!!
xo, jo
Theatre in London U of A 