Hello again! As promised in my previous post, it is time to talk about Bath!

Yesterday, we ventured out to the beautiful city of Bath via train, and it was an incredible experience! It was also a nice change of pace from the craziness of London. The views of the English countryside were so peaceful, and it was nice to have time to just soak in some views and relax along the way. I got a lot of photos from the train before we even entered Bath, and I would love to take a train ride again! I wish that they were more popular and accessible in America because it was such a nice way to travel. 

Now to the good stuff… Bath!! Bath is a beautiful city with architecture that transports you back in time. The ancient buildings are incredible to gaze at, and the lack of modern buildings set it apart from London right off the bat. It is true what they say in London Tide about the air in the city because I was amazed at how much cleaner the air in Bath was. It was not without its fair share of pollution and smoke from tourists, but it was a great improvement. The general atmosphere in Bath was different as well. People were not in the same kind of rush to get places, and I felt as though everyone was taking their time to enjoy and appreciate things more (something that is not as common London). I get overwhelmed by the sheer amount people in London, and I often fall into the trap of being unable to enjoy things or take them in because of that. However, in Bath, I felt free to simply wander the streets with Kaylee. I wasn’t as worried about time, exactly where we were, following strict plans, etc. Instead, I was going with the flow more, finding things along the way, and stopping when something sounded interesting. It was so nice and peaceful, and it was a much needed change of pace for a day. 

I do want to clarify when I talk about all of this that I am discussing the city of Bath and not the Roman Baths. I will get to the absolute nightmare that was navigating and trying to enjoy the Roman Baths later.

In our wandering, Kaylee and I first landed on a Greek restaurant for lunch. However, after realizing they did not have food to accommodate our dietary needs, we circled back to a vegan cafe we had passed earlier in the afternoon. Long story short, IT WAS AMAZING!!! The food was so good, and Kaylee and I split our meals. We also got a slice of vegan mocha cake that was heavenly, and I want to go back just for that. We then wandered in and out of some of the cute souvenir shops before we stumbled upon a TK Max (England’s TJ Max) and finished our shopping there. Then it was off in time for afternoon tea!! (which I should have saved more room for)

Before discussing the incredible experience that was afternoon tea at the Pump Room, it is time to discuss what happened before Kaylee and I wandered the city. – The exploration of the Roman Baths!! 

I know my earlier comment about the Baths probably has you all a little concerned, but rest assured, I did love seeing all the incredible history and preservation work there. The history of the Baths is fascinating, and it is deeply rooted in the religion of the day. The original complex housed the baths and the Temple of Sulis, honoring Sulis Minerva. It also contained room for hundreds of visitors. Ironically enough, room for visitors was my main problem yesterday. Despite ticketed entry and limiting the number of people allowed in, the Baths were immensely crowded, and I could hardly move through the space, let alone read the signs associated with each exhibit. I think some of the emotional and intellectual impact of what I was seeing became lost on me rather quickly, as I was simply trying to find a place to stand and listen to the audio guide without being pushed, shoved, or blocked by other people. I found it difficult to fully enjoy what I was seeing because of this, and I also did not process half of what was said on the audio guide, despite listening to almost every section. While this was very disappointing for me, especially as someone who has been obsessed with Greek and Roman Mythology for years, I was still grateful I got to see the remarkable place. I have wanted to visit ever since my sister went years ago, and I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. 

Exploring the history of the baths as it relates to the religion of the day was definitely what I found most interesting, likely because of my middle school obsession with all things Percy Jackson and Rick Riordan. I was unaware of how deeply important religion was to the baths, and reading about the healing powers of the water, the sacrifices people would come to make, and more transported me back there. To hear those stories and be told what people did back then in the very space where they walked is a feeling that cannot be replicated or described. The baths were absolutely stunning, and I am looking forward to doing more research on them now that I have been there. 

To complete this rather lengthy blog on Bath, I would like to quickly say that afternoon tea is my new favorite thing in the world! I knew we were in for a treat as soon as I heard strings tuning from the hallway outside the Pump Room. Yes, that’s right. We had live entertainment in the form of classical music. It made me feel very fancy, and I also loved the song selections. After being seated, I took a quick look at the menu and landed on the Darjeeling Tea. And let me just say, that was the best decision I’ve made at a restaurant in years! (Is afternoon tea at the Pump Room considered a restaurant setting? I don’t know. Anyway.) I have loved tea for years but have never tried Darjeeling. However, they did not have my personal favorite (Lady Grey), so I decided to try something entirely different, and now I think I have a new favorite tea. I got a whole pot to myself, drank two full cups, and it was wonderful. 

I was also very excited to have clotted cream and scones with jam after the delicious sample Shawn gave us before leaving, and I was not disappointed. I had two scones to myself, and they were amazing! (If any of my family is reading this, it is important to note that British scones are not like the scones you see in America. They are way better and taste more like a biscuit!) While these scones were delicious, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that Shawn’s homemade clotted cream was far superior to the cream served at tea. With the scones and tea also came an assortment of small savory bites and a few other pastry items. I greatly enjoyed the raspberry treat and the chocolate one was relatively good as well. However, I was not a fan of the savory options. The sandwiches were not bad, and I would try them again, but the other dishes were all fish based, and I am not a seafood person. I did try them all, including one dish that had caviar (which I am shocked I actually tried), but none of them stood out to me, as evidenced by the photos you will find below. 

Overall, visiting Bath was an incredible experience, a nice change of pace, and I would absolutely go back just for the vegan food and tea! I also forgot to mention the GORGEOUS church that stood right outside the Roman Baths, but you can see it in the photos below. It was stunning, and much like the rest of the city, it had a unique power to transport you through time. Till next time!

-Emma

I found the Roman Baths quite interesting. I enjoyed going from room to room and listening to the audio guide explain what every room was called and what each one was used for. I was intrigued that the Romans thought they were made of four fluids: blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm. They believed that these fluids needed to be in balance in order to stay healthy and they also thought that quickly switching between hot and cold temperatures helped improve health as well.

The baths were important to Roman culture. In addition to bathing, the Romans used the baths to exercise, relax, improve their health, and socialize. They exercised first then proceeded to the changing rooms to prepare for the sauna and massage. The oil used in the massage was thought to remove dirt from the skin, unclogging pores and preparing the body to sweat out impurities. After preparing their bodies for their bathing experience, they moved between the various rooms which included the cold bath, hot bath, laconicum (very hot sauna), and ended with the cold plunge pool. They did not stay in any room for too long due to the extreme temperatures. After they left the plunge pool, they covered themselves in scented oils. This water in Bath was more sanitary than other Roman bath houses due to the naturally constant flow of the hot springs, which did not give bacteria a chance to flourish.

While the Romans built the baths in 70 AD and they were used for about 400 years, I found it particularly interesting that the thermal water has been used for curative purposes for the past 2000 years. The water contains 43 minerals and was first used in the ancient Romans to bathe in from the first through fourth centuries. The water has always been considered healthy to drink and at one point people were encouraged to drink up to 5 liters of water before breakfast. The museum still allows, and invites, visitors to try the water at the end of the tour.

Bath and London had many similarities but were also different. Bath was similar to London in that the buildings were old, and the streets were cobbled. They both have a large variety of small shops in old buildings. The apartments that we passed in Bath were pretty similar to ones I’ve seen in London. They are both very touristy. Bath felt different from London through the style of architecture. While they both have old buildings, I have seen a lot more buildings with modern architecture in London. The part of Bath I saw had shorter intercity roads that were just big sidewalks. It felt both small but also open. While I can’t remember specific names, there are some smaller areas that I have visited in London where the streets have a very similar feeling to my experience in Bath. Overall, I think London and Bath are pretty similar, London is just bigger as well as also having the usual big city modernization.

The Roman Baths are so rich with history, you can feel it as soon as you walk in. There are so many beautifully preserved relics, like theatrical masks, and preserved pieces of the original structure.

One of the historical parts that stuck out to me were how many people thought it carried Holy value. There were people who thought that the water in the Roman Baths would heal them from any illnesses or other struggles within their lives. I watched a movie based off of this where a mother entered a raffle for a free trip to Bath so that she could bring her nonverbal son there and see if the water would help him to speak. I find it interesting that so many people claimed that this water performed miracles that others poured hope into it.

What I didn’t like was the water. Please don’t drink it. Seriously it tasted like hot pennies.

My favorite part of the day was when we had tea in the Pump Room. We had bottomless coffee and tea which is like my dream scenario. We also had an array of finger foods and little desserts to choose from as our snack. This made me feel so fancy and like I was living out those old period movies that I love.

I loved the small-town feel to Bath, and that’s something I’ve missed a little during my time abroad. The buildings are a little bit smaller than what we’re used to in Russel Square. The street performers were absolutely amazing! I tipped a few of them because they were so impressive. The vibes were a bit more calm, slow, and peaceful throughout the area we were in.

We had lunch at a Mexican restaurant chain called ‘Tortilla’ and ohhhh it was so amazing. I had a burrito bowl with caramelized chorizo on it and it changed my life.

Cheers!

Dear Diary,

WHAT A DAY!! We started with the Sky Garden in the morning and saw a different view of London. It was kind of disappointing since there was not as much garden as I wished. But it was still a cool opportunity to see the city. They also had FREE COLD WATER, and so many sitting spaces, which you would be surprised how rare that is. I did spend most of my time in the queue (AKA British talk for “line”) to use the toilets.

On our way to Borough Market, we walked through different streets and markets. We peeked into the Leadenhall Market, and I was in awe of the architecture and colors of the small area. The reds, and yellows, with the addition of the greens, were such a contrast to most of the buildings in London.  

We continued our way into the famous Borough Market, and it was overwhelming. I am always surprised by every market we go to, because there is always something so different in each one. I walked in and immediately was drawn to the smell of the fresh juice standing beside me. I was so tempted to get some, especially since they sounded like the most amazing concoctions. But alas, I did not. Its expensive out here in these markets, and I had only given myself the allowance of one good thing. So the juice was out of the question. We continued and were welcomed by the smell of freshly baked bread, and beside it was a bunch of cheese stands. CHEESE STANDS PEOPLE. I got a sample later on of a cheese called “Compte”, and it was one of the most delicious cheese I have ever tried.  

The most surprising thing I stumbled into while walking in the market, was the RAW WHOLE fish just hanging from a bunch of stands. Compared to the other markets we’ve been too, this one was more of a farmer’s market. There were a lot of stands with fresh organic fruit, I even saw a cacao bean. I went into a tea shop and got hot chai. It wasn’t the best chai I had ever tasted, but it was comforting in the cold weather. 

After exploring everything the market had to offer, I was disappointed. It was a very cool market, but there was not a lot for me. It was all too expensive, and there was not much variety in food. Anna and I looked up the cheapest food nearby, and we found a restaurant called Brood. I wanted to try something different, so I got the Paella which is a Spanish dish. Anna got a box combo with lamb, halloumi, and chorizo.

The Paella was amazing!! It included mussels, which I had never tired before. I was surprisingly amused by them. The combo with the lamb was not good at all. Which was sad, because I had never tried that dish before and I now have a negative attribute to it. Each item was less than 10 pounds though, and most of the food in that market was 15 pounds and above. There were also fewer options compared to Camden Lock and Brick Lane. 

Which is an amazing transition to speaking about how much I loved those two markets. Brick Lane had so many diverse options, which were all extremely inexpensive and 100% guaranteed to be delicious. I tried Caribbean food from the small country of Grenada, and it was like nothing I had ever tried before. I didn’t recognize the flag at first, and was really happy I got to try food that I would have never found in the US. Brick Lane was also the best market to go shopping in. I found this amazing jacket, and got the best deal.

But alas, it is time for me to go!

FAREWELL FRIENDS

Borough market was one of the most intresting places we’ve visited so far during our time in London. While other markets have given us great opportunities to obtain custom items of clothing, foods from different cultures, and a vast number of intresting items, Borough Market almost feels best appreciated as a local. Between a number of different raw seafoods and meats the market is a chef’s paradise, making me very disappointed we don’t have kitchens. On that same note, the atmosphere draws you in with stalls of all different varieties, greatly decorated with varieties of sweets, pies, and cheeses. 

Of My own accord, I partook in the purchase and consumption of one steak and blue cheese pie. It was a lovely pie and a pretty new experience but alas I had my hopes up for some phad thai my friend Elliot had said was at the market during his last visit. Unfortunately, there was no phad thai so my meat pie and I enjoyed a nice meal without the spicy, peanut delight of the thai noodle dish. Luckily, Elliot quickly made it up to me by sharing some truly lovely Turkish delight. In varieties of orange and lemon one can understand why Edmund would betray his family for such an amazing piece of candy. 

Returning back to my dorm, I was annoyed to realize that I’d failed to take any pictures of Borough Market. On the flipside, today during a trip to Bath that will be referenced far more in a later post I had an amazing bowl of shawarma that I’ve attached a picture for here. Hopefully that suffices until the next update. Overall, Borough Market was phenomenal and, despite losing track of the group I was with many times, I’m very excited to go back before our departure.

Borough Market has become a cultural landmark in London, featuring in various films and TV shows, such as “Bridget Jones’s Diary” and “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.” Its vibrant atmosphere, combined with the historic architecture of the surrounding area, makes it a favorite spot for both food enthusiasts and history buffs.

Borough Market was every adventurous foodie’s splendor. There were so many smells wafting through the air. The food was so colorful and bright that my eyes simply had too much to look at. The desserts were probably the best part of the market. I ordered myself a passion fruit cheesecake that was absolutely divine. I’ve never had a tropical flavor mixed with a classic dessert like cheesecake.  

The market is also committed to sustainability and community engagement. Many vendors emphasize locally sourced, organic, and ethically produced goods. Borough Market has initiatives aimed at reducing food waste, supporting small-scale producers, and promoting environmental awareness.

 I had so much fun walking around this food Diagon Alley. I thought the architecture of the market was extremely interesting. It was very industrial in nature with green metal beams arching over all streets. Edison bulb lights hung from beam to beam giving an artistic atmosphere. The ceiling was made of glass windows, similar to a greenhouse. Between the ceiling and the colorful food, I felt like I was wandering through a tasty garden. The streets were packed with hungry guests. I lost Shawn and Courtney several times touring the streets. People pushed and weaved between a sea of heads and shoulders. People were shopping for hot and ready food but also for fresh farmers market ingredients. There was a shop that sold fresh sea food. There was a monk fish so large it could swallow a small child.

I did want to try something new, so I tried Iraqi food for the first time. I got a lamb and chicken grilled kebab. Inside were veggies such as cabbage, onions, and peppers. Drizzled with chilli sauce on a flat bread tortilla, this kebab had the perfect balance and melted on my tongue. The man who was preparing it put the meat over a rotating bed of hot coals. It spicy savory scent. 

Shawn (my professor) told me how much the market has changed and expanded in the last few years. Extra seating and wooded platforms, stacked like a raked theatre stage, have been added for people to actually sit to enjoy their food purchases. People apparently had to previously stand or squat to enjoy their food while its hot.

After a full satisfying feeling in the belly, Elliot, Killian, Ben and I went to the The Lamb Tavern close to the market. We grabbed pints and ciders in (what is now my favorite) the pub.

Borough Market stands as a testament to London’s rich history and diverse culinary landscape. It offers an unparalleled market experience where tradition meets innovation, making it a must-visit destination for anyone interested in food, culture, and history.

I think one of the best parts of this trip for me so far has been experiencing London’s market culture, a fascinating blend of different nationalities, products, cultural identities, and of course, food. Yesterday’s trip to Borough Market was particularly food heavy, with stalls lined up on every wall, creating an intricate maze of scents that one could almost taste. This market is also one of the most packed ones we have been to yet, to the point where I actually got trapped at a stall selling fish as I could not fight against the current of people moving through. Being stuck between a fish stall and a crowd was not the most ideal circumstance, especially considering the very powerful smell that fish gives, but it was a bit funny to me after about the two minute mark of waiting there. The Borough Market was centered entirely around food, unlike many of the other markets, such as Spitalfields or Camden, which made it feel more like a farmer’s market than the others as well, as more people went there to shop for groceries or a small treat, rather than making a day trip out of the experience. Rather than seeing artists and jewelry stalls, I instead saw massive amounts of stalls selling cheeses, baked goods, fish as I was made all too familiar with, and spices (I also saw a small barbershop tucked behind some larger stalls, which kind of threw me for a loop, but seemed almost natural there). There were very few performers around this market, with the closest thing to a performer being one guy shouting above the noise of the crowd giving out samples of mushroom risotto, which I did not end up trying. 

Now I did end up trying a lot of other things, however. For instance, I tried a meat pie for the first time at Borough Market, which was really good. It had a filling of chicken, ham, and leek which, along with the pie crust, had a really good flavor all around (this meat pie is also the only picture I took while in Borough Market). I had never had a meat pie before, with my only real knowledge about them coming from Sweeney Todd, which is not exactly a great knowledge base for what it would be like. It looked pretty good at the stall, however, and seeing as it was about six pounds rather than the ten I was seeing at other places for food, I decided to take a shot with it, and was not disappointed at all. After my lunch, I walked around Borough Market searching for something sweet to follow my meal with (have to make sure to keep a balanced diet, of course). I found one cheese stall that was also selling ice cream, but I did not end up buying that ice cream for a somewhat stupid reason. You see, at the stall, they had a sample plate for their blue cheese. Being the curious man I am, I, having never in my life consumed straight blue cheese, decided to grab a sizable chunk and pop the whole thing in my mouth at once. It was pretty good.

But it was very

Very 

Very strong.

Strong enough that not only can I still kind of taste it while writing this blog post, I actually walked away from the stand, my brain so foggy that I completely forgot what I originally went up to the stand for. I also lost track of where my friends were around this time and ended up wandering the market for roughly another ten to fifteen minutes before they called me trying to figure out where I was. 

After I joined back up with them towards the entrance of the market, I found another, cheaper ice cream stall selling ice cream made out of goat’s milk, which I happily took a scoop of. Overall, it was a pretty good day for my inner Food Network Judge.

Although I was not able to enjoy the food at the Borough Market I was excited to find Cream Dream, a vegan pastry cafe. The bakery was going to be opened in Ukraine but because of the war they decided to open in London. All the workers are from Ukraine. 

Before I even entered the cafe, pink and flowers were spilling out into the street. When I first entered the cafe, I noticed that there was pink everywhere. They had flowers hanging down from the ceiling and there were fairy lights; it felt so magical. The environment was peaceful. The customers were not very loud and I could hear Ukrainian music playing in the background. On the walls, there were paintings by Ukrainian artists and one wall had pictures and information on different famous Ukrainian women.

The cafe sold many types of food such as sandwiches, wraps, and drinks, like coffee, tea, and lemonade, but my favorite foods were the desserts. The desserts were already made and displayed in a glass case to show off to customers. Everything looked so incredibly delicious I couldn’t wait to try them. I’ve tried 3 of their items and they all passed my expectations.

The first item that I tried was the honey cake with cherries, which is a traditional Ukrainian pastry. Honey cake is a very moist layer cake almost like it had a juice poured over each layer as they were being built. It had relatively large pieces or even whole sour cherries between the layers as well as some sort of cream. The outside of the whole cake was covered in crumbled honey cake. The cake was topped off with what I believe to be white chocolate in the shape of a honeycomb and just for a little extra, honey was put into some of the holes of the honeycomb.  The second item that I tried was the Rhubarb tart with almond, which was a tart with rhubarb on the top. I had never tried rhubarb before but I know people who like it so I was excited to try it. I was expecting something sweet which the rhubarb was not, but despite that I still really liked it. I was also surprised when I realized that the rhubarb had a layer of what seemed to be gelatin. This was quite new to me as I had never seen anything like it before. It made me wonder if it was a common thing to do in Ukrainian desserts and/or food or if it was just some fancy thing I’ve never seen before. The third item was just a tart but it was delicious. The outer walls of the crust were a little difficult to cut though with a fork but it was fine. I don’t see this as a particularly big issue because traditionally you are meant to eat it with your hands. The filling of the tart wasn’t particularly sweet either but I found that I quite liked it that way and honestly would probably prefer it like that rather than it being particularly sweet. The first time I went, I took a friend with me. They ended up ordering the strawberry tart and the magic lavender lemonade. Cream Dream sells lemonades and different types of teas including Ukrainian teas. I didn’t know this at first but the lemonade my friend had ordered was actually a type of tea that changes color when lemon juice is added.

There were no performers at the bakery but I did pass 2 performers in the tube station on my way back to the hotel. While they both sang, one played simple songs on his guitar and the other had an entire amp system set up. They had different styles of performing with the first reminding me of Jamaican music while the other was more pop rock.

I really enjoyed my adventure to the Cream Dream vegan pastry cafe. I’ve been twice and I definitely plan to go again and try a few more desserts!

Today we went to the Roman Bath house and saw the amazing architecture of the city and the ingenuity used in the creation of the bath house itself. I did the walking tour and because I needed something to keep my hands busy I also did the children’s scavenger hunt throughout my walk in the bath house. I did get to drink the water and it tasted like sulfur. Fun for the experience but terrible for a drink. It was very interesting how they utilized waterways and systems to create a bathhouse from a natural hot spring. I also think it’s interesting that the temple in the bath house would be Minerva(Athena for the Greeks out there) as it seems like there would be other gods that would fit better for the purposes of a bath house. I had lunch at a restaurant calleds Bill’s Bath House. It was fine but their cider could use a little work.  After the bath house we had high tea at the Pump House and it was amazing the music atmosphere and of course food and drink. This was the first time I had ever tried tea. I was drinking earl gray, and it was pretty good after three sugars. The scones were amazing and I did have a few of them but the other pastries mostly had some form of fish in them and I didnt care for them at all. I really enjoyed the live music and atmosphere. It made me feel fancy and passing Bath University I was making unlimited puns. The train ride back we were all wiped out and between naps on the ride back I knocked out a few Sudoku puzzles from a local newspaper. Now that I’m back at the hotel I’m ready to settle into some netflix and relax because today was exhausting.