We can’t believe that our trip is already half-way done! This has been an amazing trip, and tomorrow it only gets better as we reach our final destination of London. Today, though, was spent exploring the beautiful luxury of Bath. The weather promised rain, and this time, it did not disappoint. It was fortunately a light rain, and it didn’t damper our spirits (though it did dampen our clothes a bit). We all are getting pretty good at using these things called umbrellas. :)
We started the day off with a tour of the city on a double-decker bus. Part of the top was enclosed, so even though there was rain, most in our group was able to enjoy riding at the top of the bus. The girls got off at the Fashion Museum, while the boys continued on their way to see the rugby field. The girls enjoyed trying on various clothes and learning about the fashions that make England (and Bath) a fashionable place in the world.
While the boys would have probably enjoyed running around a rugby field, the rain pretty much put an end to that, but we were able to still get a photo op under the goal posts.
The boys met up with the girls at the Assembly Rooms. These three ball rooms were (and still are) the centers of important events. In the past, anyone who was anyone would have wanted to be seen at these events. While we did not attend a ball, we did take a moment to strike a pose as though we were ready to dance a round or two.
After all this fun, we were definitely ready for lunch and so we headed off to Jane Austen’s house for tea with Mr. Darcy. The tea, sandwiches, scones, and sweets were all delicious, and I think many had seconds and thirds. We all think it would be appropriate to change out nutrition break at school for tea. :)
While this would have been a full day as it was, we were not done. After tea we took another bus ride to Bath Abby (some chose to ride on top with no cover and enjoyed getting a little wet).
The Abby is a beautiful building architecturally and is really awe inspiring. It is always fun to see our students marvel at the beauty this country has to offer them.
Right next to the Abby is the remains of the Roman Baths and Temple built by the Romans when they conquered Britain. These ruins give a glimpse into a time of English history shortly after the life of Christ as the Roman Empire reached its furthest boundaries. The Victorians discovered these springs and the city of Bath sprang up from the belief that the springs had healing powers. Besides touring the ruins, the students had a chance to taste the mineral water that comes from the spring…not everyone’s favorite.
The rest of the afternoon was given to the students to break up into small groups with a chaperone and shop before dinner. Bath is now a thriving tourist destination, and is one of the best places to shop if one wants to really go shopping. It was a much needed break from all our activities from the day.
We now head off for a quiet night’s rest before heading off to Stonehenge and London in the morning.
Please pray that…
we would have eyes to see the needs of others and a desire to be the one to meet them;
we would find several people today to give demonstration to what sets us apart from the selfishness of the world; and
we would desire a deeper level of less of us and more of Christ.
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