Bath the playground of England for the last 2,000 years.

Our trip is rather short today, as it is only 70 miles from Winchester to Bath.

Errol has our accommodations in the elegant Francis Hotel. Oh! What a delight is the warmth and quaintness of the Francis Hotel......totally cool.

Before Dottie's nap, I was successful in getting her to pose for this photo in our uniquely styled room. When this hotel was reconstructed, after WWII, the historical zoning required it to be rebuilt with all sections remaining original. Thus, the charm of the Francis Hotel remains. This manner of construction was quite evident, as one walked down the hall and the floor transitions from level to level. Very, very British!

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We enjoyed a brisk morning walk to the Bath Abbey and then on to the Roman Baths. Of course, they call it the feminine experience.

Norman Chandler took a particular interest in this street artist's work of the Bath Abbey. The charcoal rendition was quite excellent.

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The spectacular Abbey of Bath. We were spellbound by the magnificence of this structure, our guide mentioned as did the previous one in Winchester, just wait till you get to Wells Cathedral.......... So you'll just have to wait too!..

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The symmetrical design and depth of the recess made this entry exceptional.

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Notice the columns supporting this beautiful ceiling. Architecturally it is absolutely amazing.

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Our next stop was to the Roman Baths. I mentioned earlier that Bath has been the playground for Southern England for many, many years. In all probability it is the natural hot mineral waters creating a wonder of healing aspects, that has drawn people to Bath for the last 2,000 years.

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The Romans came in the first century of our BC Calendar, They called this city Aquae Sulis, water of the God of Sulis Minerva, which they occupied for 350 years from 60AD to 410AD. It was most interesting to learn that over time the presence of the Roman baths in Bath were buried, lost or forgotten. It was only in the early 1800's, that these baths were discovered and excavated as we observe them now.

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Smile, Dottie, smile as Theresa and Rosemary are taking our photo from across the pool.

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Three Coins in a fountain, Oh, I wish upon a Star and wonder where you are. I know, I know that song was about the fountains in Rome; but we are close, being we are in a Roman Bath.

(At first glance one notes the clear water on the right as it falls.) Then in the second photo you'll see the copper ducting that the Romans manufactured to convey the hot flowing mineral waters. The Romans mined, refined and exported copper from the surrounding areas of Bath.

The Roman Empire map of 400 AD. What amazed me about this map was the extent of the Roman Empire existing for 500 years from 27 BC to 476AD. The Romans occupied what was then the known world.

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We enjoyed a brisk and rather lengthy stroll about the City, with Errol again securing us a most excellent guide. We are standing in front of the Circus. The Circus is an apartment complex completed in 1745; and it is still a most desirable place to live today, 275 years after being constructed.

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Nicolas Gauge had recently purchased a Circus Unit at a cost of over 3.5 million US. We estimated that each apartment had to approach a size of 4,000 square feet. Elegant!

Too, if you will count the number of smoke stacks in each chimney you will know the number of fire places in that apartment.

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The Beautiful City-of Bath on the River Avon.

Now, after two delighful days we'll now say good bye to Bath. Tomorrow we are traveling to Wells via the sea port of Bristol.

Come on Willie sing us another verse, and we’ll move on down the road to Bristol.

Norm & Dottie