Thanks for everyone's helpful tips! We got back home last night - although the rail journey there didn't seem so long (3 1/2 hours to Bristol, then a 10 minute train to Bath), the journey home seemed
interminable - maybe that's always the way? Plus it was late & we were all holiday'd out!
Surprisingly, I didn't find Bath nearly as crowded as I thought it would be - though it is most definitely full of American tourists! Maybe it wasn't as crowded because I am used to the crowds in Leeds city centre? And also the weather was a bit crap which may have stayed the hordes? In any case, the crowds were tolerable! Steve and I had a laugh about how
most of the American tourists appear to stay down south, because it fulfills everyone's ideals of what 'jolly olde England' is supposed to be. Not venturing up north, because 'thar be dragons!' - 'er no, that's Wales, isn't it? Ha ha - oh well!
We stayed at a lovely B&B -
The Henry, which was clean, well-located (near rail station & near city centre sights) - pretty much everything you want it to be!
Despite the on/off rains, we did lots of walking (just our own self-guided kind of rambling) around the city, admiring the beautiful buildings. We went to the Roman Baths & that was really cool!
(sorry neither of us are big Jane Austen fans, so we didn't go to her museum, nor did the costume museum hold any particular appeal for us) We were going to go to the Holborne Museum and walked there in the rain on Saturday afternoon, only to find out it was closed!
We did go on one of the free walking tours & that was really good too! I think one of the highlights for us (which we had planned all along) was a trip to that Thermae Bath Spa, which was amazing! We did the 3-hour twilight package, but we didn't eat there although the price includes a meal if you want it - we just stayed in the baths the entire time. I wish we could go there all the time! (although the steam rooms seemed to bring my occasional rosacea out, so had to calm that with some hydrocortisone cream afterwards) It makes me want to go check out the Turkish Baths here in Harrogate as soon as we can! I wasn't sure how I'd feel about the baths, because I do tend to feel quite self-conscious in a swimming suit being big like I am - but it wasn't any big deal. There were people of all shapes, sizes, ages, etc there & everyone does their own thing, is in their own world...which only confirms that one should just relax and enjoy oneself because other people really don't care about you (how you look, etc) as much as you tend to think they might do.
Food - well Bath is certainly spoilt for choice! The first night was a bit of a washout though (not only because of the rain - lol!) but we had set our hearts on going to that Yak Yeti Yak (Nepalese restaurant). Steve was convinced we would not need a reservation...(you can see where this is going). And of course, they couldn't take us, nor had we booked at any other popular restaurant in town.
Which ended up with me being one very unhappy camper - and we went for curry at that Eastern Eye place, which was like (IMO) eating in a gymnasium, versus the kind of intimate restaurant experience I had hoped for. Plus I don't like menus with a thousand selections on them either - boo!
From thereon, it could only get better! We had a lovely pub lunch on Sunday at The Raven - with yummy pies sourced from the Pieminister in Bristol, and there Steve had the best beer of the whole trip. Plus the cider was nice too. We also drank in the Salamander as well. And Sunday evening, we went to Demuths!
(who knew vegetarian food could taste so good?!!!)
On Monday, we went to Sally Lunn's for lunch, which was okay & I'm sure should be an essential part of a first trip to Bath - but I probably wouldn't eat there again. I'm glad we did once though. The cinnamon bun was delish! (just wasn't crazy about the food otherwise, or the atmosphere--bit too twee, or the scatterbrained & grumpy waitress) We got some provisions for our evening meal (which would be on the train) at the Guildhall market & some San Francisco Fudge Factory fudge to go! Now that is what fudge should taste like (like what QG once sent me too!)...not the tough, chewy filling-pulling stuff that I've seen passed as fudge up here anyway.
All in all - a great weekend trip! (just sad that we couldn't go to as many restaurants as we'd like to have done!) And I'd say that 2 days (give or take) was about right to spend in Bath.
