I mentioned yesterday that I’d bought three books while meeting a friend in Bath. If you haven’t been to Bath then you really ought to visit – and if you’re visiting from overseas and haven’t been to the UK before, then definitely this small city should be on your itinerary. Apparently it was named Bath because of the Roman baths – the Anglo-Saxons who had captured it in the sixth century, called it Baðun.
Back to my trip there yesterday. It all happened through my being on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/loiselsden/ ). There was a fellow Instagrammer who posts the most lovely and interesting photos, and over the last goodness knows how many years, we have been in touch, getting to know each other through the comments we make on shared photos. We decided to get together in person and Bath was the perfect place to rendezvous, which we did!
It was a beautiful sunny day when I arrived at Weston station to catch the train, it seemed a bit chilly despite the brilliant blue skies, but the train arrived and before long, I was getting off at Bath. Would I recognise my friend? Well of course I did! She had arrived a little before me and we decided what we needed first of all was coffee. There is so much choice in Bath, and after a quick stroll, chatting all the time and catching up on all the things we hadn’t learned by our on-line “conversations” we found the ideal place. Having coffee-ed the next thing on the agenda, without even discussing it, was a bookshop.
We plunged into a marvellous place, and even though I have resolved to buy no more books except on Kindle, and dispose of many of those I already have, I had to buy one. My friend also succumbed to temptation, after which we decided it must be time for lunch. She guided us to a pub I didn’t know, although I had walked past it several times –
Welcome to The Raven of Bath. The Raven is a traditional old English pub tucked away near Queen’s Square in Bath’s city centre. We’re known for our hearty pies and sausages, perfectly paired with a rotating selection of real ales, ciders, and wine.
https://theravenofbath.co.uk/pages/about
It’s a wonderful place, inspirational for a writer, and no doubt it will enter one or other of my stories in some form or other! We were on the top floor for our pie and a pint, in a room like an abandoned bookshop or library, or a bibliophile’s snug. Books on the overflowing shelves could be bought for a donation, and we each acquired a couple. Refreshed we returned to our ramble and guess what? We found another bookshop which led to another purchase… or two. Exhausted, we needed more coffee, more chat and conversation, before heading downhill back towards the station.
My train was almost due, and with a quick hug and a promise to get together again soon for more adventures, I dashed through the barriers and leapt into my allotted carriage. What a simply splendid day I’d had, and am now looking forward to our next adventures together!
Lois Elsden 