More Bath by Margot Justes

I don’t want you to think that I covered everything about the Roman Baths Museum-that is by no means possible in a short blog-the exquisite museum has much, much more to offer-I hope I whetted your appetite just a tiny bit.

As promised, there is more. Right next door to the Roman Baths Museum is the Pump Room, and what a room it is. It was the center of the ton-the social glittery whirl of the best English society-since 1706. It is, for lack of a better explanation a tea room, albeit very grand, it is still a tea room and to this day the wait staff will greet you in appropriate period garb and serve you tea, scones, Bath buns and much more. The room is truly magnificent, huge and elaborate with daunting chandeliers hanging from the very high ceilings above you.

If that is not enough, you may be entertained by the Pump Room Trio, the oldest musical ensemble in the country. The tradition of the music has continued through the ages, so while sipping your delicious tea and munching on the scone covered with clotted cream and strawberry jam, you may feel you have traveled back in time and Jane Austen is sitting at the next table, maybe even James Boswell, or the many other great literary figures over the centuries.

On one side of the room there is a fountain that still to this day spouts the sulphurous water and for a fee you can sample its unique warm taste, unique as in really bad. The fountain standing on a pediment with an inscription that reads ‘Water is Best’ is still a popular stop by visitors, before or after the elegantly served tea. It was considered a very healthy drink, and people would come to Bath ‘to take the waters’.

The Pump Room is a stop not be missed in a town that has been designated a World Heritage Site in 1987.

More Bath next week, yes of course there is more, but I’ll cover just the ‘must see’ the rest you will have to discover for yourself and maybe buy A Hotel in Bath when it comes out, but first I have to finish it.

One more thing, when I’m done with Bath, guess what, I’ll write a bit about Paris. Well, after all it is the very early beginning of the travel planning season, I probably should have started in Paris first, but my center of concentration at the moment has been on Bath.

Till next Time,
Margot Justes

A Hotel in Paris ISBN 978-1-59080-534-3
Art brought her to Paris, then a stranger’s death changes her life.
Missing ISBN 978-1-59080-611 1- coming February 2009
www.mjustes.com
available on amazon.com