Busted Flat in Bath
Of Ducks and Bath
18.07.2011 - 20.07.2011
19 °C
Our first stop of the day was Glastonbury Cathedral. It was unbelievable. We visited Arthur's grave, and looked around for the Holy Grail. We didn't find it, but we did scarf down yet another of the ubiquitous cream teas--my bloodstream now contains 30% clotted cream--the area is famous for. We enjoyed a glorious ramble around the ruins of this place, and then we were off.
Just outside of Bath, the bus broke down. If you have seen the movie Alive, you know how distressing this can be; there were some lovely, plump passengers, and many of the older folks, although armed with sticks, would have been quite easy to bring down (although they would undoubtedly prove quite stringy-). In the end, however, we chose cabbing over cannibalism, and we spent an amazing afternoon in Bath. The history of the place was awe-inspiring, and we all really enjoyed the lively street-scene of the city. 
Next we sped off to Stratford for a quick look at Shakespeare's birthplace. It was a great tour, and Stratford is a truly fun town. I could spend a week there, certainly. We had a wonderful meal at a 700 year old pub--it had been remodelled a bit, but not much--and then spent a great night at the Shakespeare Mercure, a really old, but totally cool hotel. In the morning we visited Anne Hathaway's place, but she wasn't home so we checked out some ducklings instead (see photo).
As I watched the boys feed these tiny ducklings, oblivious to Anne Hathaway's cottage in the background, it occurred to me how important it is to never forget the living things around you because their existence is all too fleeting: these old castles and cathedrals have been aroundfor hundreds, even thousands of years, and they aren't going anywhere. When we visit ancient places, we can see the incredible power and ingenuity of those who have gone before us. But they are gone. It is in wild, untamed places we can find ourselves, and discover who we are as individuals.
Anyway, back to the crabby old people on the bus--apparently we missed an altercation between Nick, our tour guide, and an unnamed member of our tour; she apparently swore at him so much that the manager of the Mercure complained. Most of us voted to leave her behind, but cooler heads prevailed, and off we sped.
We took a little jaunt into Wales--another place where I would love to spend more time--and then we drove to Liverpool. I must admit that I wasn't keen on visiting Liverpool, but my preconceptions were totally wrong. This is a cool place with a really rich history.
Well, the boys are bugging to use the computer--although Matt claims he isn't--so I'm signing off.
And so to bed.
Posted by thecarsons 20.07.2011 12:44 Archived in England
