Bath, Trains, The Pump Room, Assembly Room and pizza...

Sunday, 22nd May - (Catch-up)

It was only going to be a short trip to our next stopover, so we decided to go into Bath, and see some things we'd missed last time.

The staff at the Premier Inn told us the Park and Ride did not run on Sundays, and suggested we go and Park at Chippenham Station and get the train. Good idea, but being a Sunday, many other people had the same idea, and we had to stand up all the way in. It is only a 20 minute ride so no problem. Then, everyone spills out into Bath to take in the many sights.

 We had thought we wanted to see the Pump Room, and the Roman Baths, but couldn't find where the Pump Room was, apart from a restaurant named the Pump Room, and when we then went in to enquire about the Roman Baths, they said we should allow at least an hour, and they wanted 12 Pounds each! Didn't want to see it that much.

Instead we asked at the Visitor Centre and found we could go up to the Assembly Rooms, and the Fashion Museum, both of which were very interesting, and you could imagine people like those Jane Austen wrote about, standing around being seen by others. Lovely place.

Downstairs there was a Museum of Fashion, (no photos allowed), and it was really quite interesting, showing some early costumes from 1660, and then right up through to to the current time.

The plaque outside said these rooms were built by John Wood the Younger, in 1769-71, and were given to the National Trust in 1931. They were severely damaged in WW2, and restored in 1955-63.

On the way back down the hill, we stopped for lunch at place called "Ask", and shared a very simple pizza of tomato sauce, topped by mozzarella and rocket and proscuitto.

Then the train back and standing again, and discovered someone had parked right behind us (see photo), when there were scores of places they could have stopped!! I got his rego plate number just in case.

Next, cousin Colin...

Plumbing...

It is not consistent. There doesn't seem to be any "standard" about the siting of hot and cold water taps on either hand basins and/or baths and showers. Their positioning changes with every bathroom you get.

Have a look at this thing in the picture, it is like something out of Dr.Who!

If you have a bath, you just let the water run into the bath. But if you want a shower, you have to push-a-button / flick-a-lever or turn another tappy thing, so that the water is re-directed up to the shower.

Showers. The next inconsistent thing. Most have gone to 'water-saving' shower heads, with the promise of a good spread of water. Not so, and once you have them started, they can be very weak, indicating low water pressure. This, combined with differing ways to indicate the hot/cold directions, can make it all a bit tricky. A lot of them are also hot water on demand, where you have to push a button, or pull on a long string switch, hanging from the ceiling, to initiate the heating of the water.

Years ago, when Lee's parents came to the UK, her mother Hazel commented on how much she hated showers over baths. Now I really know what she meant. I didn't give it much thought last trip, but they can be fraught with danger! Not all have some sort of anti slip area, and most baths here are VERY deep, so that by the time you step over to get in, then do the shower thingy, and then get out, there is a big step to overcome.

The other one we hate is the bath, with all the tap fittings and controls, but no shower overhead, just a hand-held thingy, which is OK for most things, but you have to put it down to do others!!
Then if you try and sit down in the bath or kneel, it's just as difficult.

Rather nice refurbished bathroom at 'Northcliff', near Edinburgh

Don't get me started on the flushing mechanisms of the loo's!!!


Not really complaining, just pointing out a few "differences".