B2B Day 17 A Roller-Coaster Rest Day in Bath: Lows and Highs

Although the blog has recorded what sounds like a generally idyllic trip (except for Ken's being sick, Ken and Sara's being bitten by ticks, dealing with some rain, and having to climb the occasional gate), it's sometimes been tough. In 2013, after our forty-day walk, Sara just wanted to keep walking and was sad to come back to Canada. On this walk, we are both questioning whether this is a type of walking we want to continue doing. Ken especially is ending each day with foot pain (especially his left toe joint which had the most gout attacks in the 1990s), and Sara has had off and on foot pain in the arch of the right foot. Honestly, sometimes it's just been a slog to finish the walk, get to the B&B, collapse and watch TV. Mind you, on our other trips there have always been days like that. But this trip, we're wondering at (and kind of grieving) the fact that we're not enjoying the actual walking as much as we expected.

This morning, Ken was quite sad about this change in our experience of walking. It didn't help that it was pouring rain outside. We got a slow start. Things looked up when Sara went to the hotel front desk and asked where to purchase an umbrella: the clerk found an umbrella in their lost-and-found and loaned it to us for the day. It was large, and worked well.

Sara at the Pump Room

We decided first to go to the Pump Room near the Roman Baths. We've been there twice before, and Sara has cried each time because it's so beautiful. Not that it's anything flashy. There is beautiful live music, good food, and a quiet and happy feeling pervading the room. Jane Austen mentions it--need we say more? 

Both Ken and Sara felt that they immediately recognized their server today as Matthew, the man who served them the first time they came to the Pump Room in Bath in 2004. Ken took the picture at right which happened to include him! We later asked him if he was working there in 2004, and he said he was! We told him he served us then, and he joked that he might see us again in 2034. Ken had eggs Benedict, Sara had crumpets with local honey, and we shared the Victoria sandwich and a pot of tea. The food was delicious, as always.

There was an older couple (maybe in their 80s?) at the next table who had given each other cards and were holding hands. At one point we could see a server go and talk with the pianist, and then stand near the kitchen with a cupcake and a lit candle. We didn't recognize the song that the pianist played, but it was obviously a favourite of the woman's. Everyone saw the cake and candle brought to her table, and we all clapped. It was truly sweet, and made Sara cry some more.

The wonderful pianist (Note for Dad--he had piano mouth)

We were at the Pump Room from 11:00 to 12:00, and went to Bath Abbey, which we hadn't really "toured" before. They are undergoing a major renovation called the "Footprint Project." Some of the floor was falling in because the bodies buried under the floor were making it uneven and subsiding (!); the project is helping to make things more stable and also adding under-floor heating using the natural hot water that flows constantly from the Roman Baths--an energy efficient and effective way of heating. They were just completing the first phase, restoring the floor in the choir, today.

Men working on the under-floor heating in the east end of Bath Abbey

We chatted with the Chaplain who did the noon prayer, Peter, about history and books and other things. He was delightful to talk with.

A flower arrangement Sara watched a woman create (Peter in background)

We spent about two hours in the Abbey, sitting, resting, praying, looking at this outstanding example of 16th century Perpendicular Gothic architecture. A steward named Mark brought us a binder that described all of the scenes in the stained glass windows, which we appreciated being able to use.

Bath Abbey: Choir & Fan Vaulting

We left at 2:00 to go to Sally Lunn's to experience a classic Bath culinary item: the Sally Lunn Bunn. We decided to have half a "bunn" each (which apparently must be toasted to maximize its flavour) with lemon curd on it (Ken also had clotted cream), and some tea (this was turning into a fantastic day for Sara, drinking delicious tea twice in one day). As we sat there, we were reminiscing about music we had heard, including a concert at Boston College where an Italian student sang "Mio Babbino Caro." Just after that, the music in Sally Lunn's played that same song.

Then we went back to the hotel to rest for awhile before heading back to Evening Prayer at the Abbey. It was a good service, and at the end we were all invited to enjoy looking at the East End, all cleaned up and empty because the project for that part of the church had just been completed.

We picked up dinner, ate in our hotel room, and added two days of text to this blog because we had only half an hour of free wifi, and we had spent all our money on tea and cakes (just joking!). We've now added photos to those days.