Exploring Bath (Take Two)… :)

Any trip to England would not be complete without two of my very favorite places in the entire country: 1) the gorgeous city of Bath and 2) the pub. And thus we made sure that Lizzi and Kaitlyn experienced both whilst in this lovely country!  

First, the pub. A classic, if not atypical, hangout comprised of characters from all walks of life. Acceptable (and even expected sometimes) at all times of the day. Ages from 16 to 101 welcomed. Drinks, absolutely necessary. :) And enter the most important accessory of any British pub (I mean there are several, not the least of which are the townies, the scholars, and the drunken youths): The handsome, Bristish-accented bartender. And that’s exactly what Lizzi got for her first pub-experience… An adorable, very handsome, very British (well Welsh actually, but that’s a different story) bartender with all the personality to do the title justice! He introduced Lizzi to a rather potent Cider, and then later convinced her to drink a bit too much of it (as any good bartender would, of course).

The night was made overall complete when, after about 3 hours of the girls sitting around gabbing, we were accosted by a rather hilarious fellow-pub-goer… Who upon witnessing the good humored banter between us and the bar tender declared that we should and could not trust him , “For he is a WELSH!” The rant which followed can only be described as monumental, for it was my favorite pub-memory of my entire tenure at Oxford… She proceeded onto the most intelligent, impressive, yet drunken rant that I have ever heard… Citing the Welsh as inferior based on everything from their general disposition to lack of proper constitution/government. The rant covered everything from stereotypes and outright exaggeration to British history and constitutional law… And it was epic (and perhaps even somewhat accurate). Haha :)

All in all, Lizzi and Kaitlyn had the most amazing, and quintessential British pub experience ever. It was everything the night should have been.

And onto Bath we went the next day… This was my second journey to Bath, but I have to admit, I would go back a third time because it may very-well be my favorite city in all of England. I sent the Coverts off for a tour of the amazing Roman Baths, and then     afterwards we spent the afternoon exploring the city and all it’s marvelous highlights.

In front of the Pump Room, near the Roman Baths… The site of so many wonderful scenes in Jane Austen’s novels! :)

And, of course, this meant a trip (my second!) to the Jane Austen Centre! :) Outside the centre (just as he was last December) was the nicest man, complete with period-garb to match his perfect manners…  In our obvious excitement, we (like typical tourists) asked for a picture with him… And being a proper British gentleman, he readily complied. But upon learning that we were Americans his face lit up with clear excitement at the brilliance of his next suggestion. He looked at us and enthusiastically declared, “Lets take a Charlie’s Angels photo!” You could have knocked me over with a feather. We literally stood there in shock… All of us thinking, “Did he just suggest what I think he suggested?!” Which was quickly followed by the thought that “This is clearly the best day of my life.” So that’s exactly what we did. We took a Charlie’s Angel posed photograph with the gentleman from the Jane Austen centre. And we drew so much enjoyment and hilarity from the entire situation that I am certain I will always remember that man (top hat and all) as the best thing to ever happen to Bath, Jane Austen, or I. :)

In the Jane Austen Centre in Bath!

In front of one of Jane’s former homes in Bath!

Later Lizzi found a Disney store (typical) and I reverted back to my childhood love of Tigger!

The Covert Family in Bath! :)

With Love from Bath… <3 Mary Elizabeth

The Jane Austen Pilgrimage <3

So the day had finally come… The epic and long awaited pilgrimage to Jane Austen’s home! Lizzi and I spent most of our youth dreaming about just a few of her choice characters… Like, oh I don’t know… Mr. Darcy, Captain Wentworth, Colonel Brandon, Mr. Knightly, Edmund, Edward Ferrars, and Henry Tilney… <3 (ie. every single one of Jane’s time-less male protagonists!) We were so excited to be there that we literally seemed to revert to girlhood at the mere site of the house… Lots of giggling, pictures, and intense moments of quiet, attempting to savor every sensation (as if we might somehow will Jane herself to walk through the front door) ensued. So excited were we to finally be living out a journey that was dreamed up when we were 14 years old, that the little old ladies in the gift shop were actually in laughter at the site of us. They seemed thoroughly delighted that two young women had such stars in their eyes over their own favorite author… :)

And here is where the magic happened… The quaint home of Jane that facilitated her best years of writing… Nestled in the quiet, if not picturesque little village of Chawton. It was even more endearing to Jane than we’d imagined when we ‘d pictured her sitting by the window-bay scribbling our favorite literary characters into life. 

 

Once inside Lizzi and I savored everything,… Read every snippet of history, memorized every smell… Lizzi even rolled in Jane’s grass... Attempting to gleam some nugget of literary inspiration from her garden, where we were just certain Jane sat herself, dreaming up Mr. Darcy!

 

When I walked into Jane’s home the first thing I noticed was the piano-forte… And I was literally struck speechless when the very sweet lady monitoring the house, gestured towards it and asked if I would play something (I gather she assumed I played given the way I was drooling over the gorgeous instrument!)  And so I gingerly sat down, at which point a book of Clementi’s Sonatinas were found (as if Jane just knew that I also loved Clementi)… And I played. In Jane Austen’s home. Filling the room with the same tunes that (according to the lady there) Jane loved most. It was the very spot Jane herself used to sit every morning after breakfast and “avidly” play… And it was the most precious moment of my entire Jane Austen pilgrimage… <3

The close second in “surreal moments” of the day was in finding Jane’s writing desk, where she penned her stories every day like clockwork. All the novels we’ve so loved came to life on that desk, under her diligent hand. It looked right out the front window towards the meadows, just like Lizzi and I had always imagined… And as Lizzi described: “I was having trouble breathing… I just kept thinking: She. Was. Here.” :) Yes, that’s right. We are epic Jane Austen nerds. Haha

But apparently we aren’t the only ones… Because they make some of the most amazing, and hilarious Jane Austen memorabilia… And Lizzi now owns at least half of it. Haha ;) Case in point: 

After our visit to Chawton, we headed to Winchester Cathedral to pay our respects to Jane’s burial site. It’s shocking to think that she died at the young age of 41, in the prime of her writing career. It’s sad to imagine how many other beautiful works may have died with her…

    

We brought my much loved copy of Pride and Prejudice (evident from the fraying pages and cover) with us to meet its author… It isn’t my nicest or most expensive copy, but it was my first… My grandmother gave it to me when I was 11 years old, and told me that it was a classic that every young woman should read. And I did. Again, and again, and again. And every time I read one of Jane’s novels I learn something a little different about myself. Her stories, no matter how memorized they may be, still give me butterflies and speak to me in new ways… So thank you Jane!

With Love from Winchester and Chawton… <3 Mary Elizabeth

The Quest to Find Avalon <3

 

 

The huge pile of rocks called Stonehenge… Surrounded by LOTS of sheep. Haha :)

The girls at Stonehenge on a GORGEOUS day!

We found a road-side Farmer’s stand… Yet again I find myself with a lap full of fresh strawberries on a jaunt across Europe (the last time being in Paris) :)

Lizzi was in heaven in Glastonbury’s city centre… Shops and shops of magical, mystical fun! :)

 

And I was in heaven at Glastonbury Abbey (just next door)… With ruins and ruins of history and King Arthur myths… Haha :)

     

Later that afternoon we headed to Glastonbury Tor, the rumored site of the mythical entrance to Avalon. Lizzi and I spent the majority of the time looking out for fairies and preparing for a spiritual experience… But alas we got nothing other than a little winded.

Okay, I lied. We were a lot winded… But in our defense it was a legitimately BIG hill/mountain… :) Too many steps to count!

Only halfway up!

And we thought we’d lost her there for a minute…

And finally at the TOP!

Gorgeous view of Somerset from atop the Glastonbury Tor! 

But it was a wee-bit windy and very chilly! Haha :)

After our jaunt across Somerset we headed to the coast for a dinner of fish n’ chips at the pier, and to watch the sun set across the Atlantic Ocean. And yet again, I met one of my goals for England: to step foot in this side of the Atlantic! :)

With Love from Somerset… <3 Mary Elizabeth

Lovely, Beautiful, Magical Oxford <3

On the second day of Lizzi’s visit we spent a lovely day relaxing and exploring Oxford… Once I managed to roust the girls from bed, we headed into the city centre for coffee and breakfast, after which we wandered the town… It was a relatively clear, sunny day for England, so we decided to make the climb to the top of the St Mary’s University Church and the sights were so worth it! It took a little maneuvering getting up and down the tight staircases, which didn’t very well accommodate traffic coming in both directions, but once at the top it was absolutely lovely… I think I took some of my favorite photos of Oxford yet from there… It’s truly a magical looking place when you pause for a moment to take it all in. <3 Only serving to remind me how much I’m going to miss living here…

 Bridge of Sighs!

Okay… So this so just makes me happy. This picture was taken my Senior year of highschool. Lizzi and I flew back to Virginia (from Texas) over Spring Break to tour colleges, and this was taken while we were at Duke (shortly before being chased down the street by a very scary looking raccoon, if I recall! Haha). :)

This picture was taken in Oxford 5 years later! Who would’ve thought… I wonder when and where our next one will be??

 

Climbing the Bell Tower!

 High Street

All Souls College

 

Lizzi leaving proof of our presence… Haha :)

 

And then more of lovely, beautiful, magical Oxford. <3

 

 

 

Afterwards we wandered through town, and no surprise, the girls found the candy shop…. Haha Lizzi always did have a sweet-tooth. :)

Later that afternoon we met up with Ms Jeanne and Col Covert, for a lovely afternoon punting on the Thames! It was gorgeous skies… And the duckies came to visit us… And we didn’t come close to tipping even once. Haha :)

She makes a lovely hood-ornament… I kept waiting for her to break into the Titanic theme song… Haha :)

 

With Love from Oxford… <3 Mary Elizabeth