Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Bath Spa










Not the greatest two weeks of our life.  We're muddling through. Took a trip to Bath Spa to visit the Jane Austen Centre (that's us with sad, sad Jane) where we learned that Jane Austen really didn't like Bath at all.  Say whaaaa!?  It tries as a little museum but really doesn't deliver as it reveals her life as happy and productive before and after living in Bath, but not while living there. The tour guide describes the family's literal fall from grace down the hill of Gay Street (down the hill, down in one's station in life and so on), after Mr. Austen's death, to the less expensive streets at the bottom of the town. She eventually moved away from Bath and her fortunes turned around, leading me to wonder why oh why they put the Jane Austen Centre in Bath! The highlight of the tour was the gift shop where there were lots of delicious pictures of Colin Firth.

We also hit the Fashion Museum where like at the V & A in London, the fashion is organized for viewing by its artfulness and themes, rather than by era.  It's a fun way to look at fashion as garments from the 1800s sit next to garments from 1986 and contrasts and similarities are exposed.  The vaulted ceiling pictured above is in the Bath Abbey.  My dad says he has visited churches all over Europe because they are excellent places to sit down and rest.  Spoken like a pro.  And so we did.

3 comments:

  1. So, besides Bath, what's not perfect? The lodgings? The weather? The fact that nothing at sainsburys looks fresh and honest?

    ReplyDelete
  2. It is true that Sainsburys leaves me wanting, if not altogether without an appetite by the end of the shop. I have decided to buy toilet paper there for sure, but beyond that I will be sampling the other markets. Covered Market looks promising!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I know it's perfectly okay, but I can't deal with the fact that they keep their eggs unrefrigerated. I know, it's just me, but still.

    On a political note -- you would have been so PROUD to hear your guy speak tonight. I know I was.

    ReplyDelete