Sometimes you just have to love the literal. Like a city named Bath because it houses an ancient roman Bath house. Now I knew I was in the right place to see a bath once I got to Bath, I was not prepared for such a gorgeous city.
This day trip to Bath occurred this past Saturday, and was sponsored by the university’s student union. Really all that means is that a handful of students all share a discount bus that the university organizes. We left the university at about eight in the morning, and took the two hour ride to Bath. The city is located in a valley in the middle of some rolling hills towards southwest England. The city was first constructed by the Roman Empire sometime around the year 70 A.D!! As an American, it was really amazing to see history 1,400 years older than the discovery of our country!
The town is filled with classic Roman inspired architecture. From the Bath Abbey to the Royal Crescent, which is a large apartment complex and hotel built in the middle 18th century. The town was just so incredible to walk around with my eyes up, seeing all I could see.
However, when you’re in Bath, you go see the Roman baths. A few other Americans and I decided to check out the Roman baths pretty early on in the day, and we were all blown away with what we saw. The baths were built during the founding of the city, along with a temple for the Roman goddess, Minerva (the Roman equivalent to the Greek goddess Athena.) The baths are automatically filled and heated by a natural hot spring. The Romans created an intricate and frankly incredible system of drains and water ways to utilize this hot spring and fill multiple large baths around the temple. Imagine multiple large hot tubs, filled and heated to perfection by nature.
The baths are accompanied by a museum that walk you through the ruins and foundations of the temple and the under workings of the construction of the Romans. I was truly blown away by what the Romans were able to create in their time. It was a showing of human ingenuity in its purest form.
The rest of the day was spent checking out different things around the town; the Bath Abbey, which was built in the 1400’s, the Royal Crescent, eating free fudge samples, and walking around different stores and markets.
By the time the day winded down and we got back home, everyone was exhausted. After making some pizza for dinner, I crashed early and hard. I woke up early the next morning, with a notification that it was Mother’s Day. So like the good son I am, I sent my loving Mom a text! She replied, saying thanks and she loved me too. I went on with my day, and later asked my girlfriend if she wished her mom happy Mother’s Day. She was quick to tell me it was not Mother’s Day, and that’s when it finally hit me. Mother’s Day in the UK is a different day than it is in the U.S. After texting my mom again, she admitted to knowing it wasn’t Mother’s Day where she was, but she was more than ok to have two Mother’s Days.
Her, my Dad, my little sister, and my aunt are coming this upcoming week for a visit actually! We have plans to visit London, Ireland, and Italy! I’m sure I’ll have plenty of stories and photos to share of all of that the next couple of weeks!
Until then, just know that next time you take a hot bath or feel the need to take a hot tub, know the Romans did it first and did it bigger!
Cheers!
Ben
Stories From Swansea 
Looks amazing Ben,so happy that you have this opportunity!
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