Being Bathonian for the day…..

It's difficult to travel Europe and come to anyplace that the Romans long before did not occupy first!  Throughout history, Bath has been both the birthplace, home, and an escape resort of sorts for many notable literary figures; most well known among them, Mary Shelley, Charles Dickens and Jane Austen.   The latter two used the setting in literary novels such as, The Pickwick Papers, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion respectively.  Before traveling there I didn't know that royalty had also found the  baths to their liking; Queen Anne, Edgar of England, Queen Elizabeth I, Mary of Modena, Queen Victoria, Princess Claire of Belgium and a Stuart or two all visited on various occasions as it was believed that the water possessed unique health benefits.  That may be what's changed most; a close look at this water did not convince me of such benefit!

Jane Austen lived here from 1801 - 1806, beginning at age 26.  The City of Bath at that time was a meeting place for the who's who of high society where one went to see and be seen; it was the hub of all things fashion, and urban development thrived with elegant and spectacular Georgian buildings and Palladian architecture.  Surprisingly, today's Bath remains more or less the same as it was in Jane's day.  The buildings have all been so well preserved that a visitor to Bath today can actually walk the paths Jane walked and view the same sites; utterly romantic!

Nicole: several of these photos are her's!

Jane chose Bath as the setting for the aforementioned novels, which were both published posthumously for her satirical critiques.  According to various sources (specifically Claire Tomalin's biography Jane Austen: A Life, and a blogger named Arti at wordpress), she did not like Bath, as she felt the superficiality and frivolity of high society were unbearable.   Perhaps her disdain was caused by the very purpose she suspected of her parent's decision to move there: opportunities to meet favorable suitors for their daughters, of course!

I never tired of this group's smiles (though they likely tired of my camera!); I could take their pictures all day….
and did!!

Emilie

Mother/Daughter Moment…had to take 'em when I could get 'em! 

As we did nothing less throughout this whole adventure, we continued to learn as Miss Schroeder had so much to share with us about this compelling oasis which has transcended British history as thee place worthy of spending one's leisure.  The Romans had such a knack as destination trendsetters!