Once again, with our enthusiastic teachers and organizers, Gregorio and José Luis, we have been to England. Though our hotel was in Bath, from there we went to visit different places, like Bath, Oxford, Stonehenge, Salisbury and Bristol.
The bunch of "Romans"
First of all, I would like to say that it has been a memorable, very rewarding experience.
Secondly, I am going to talk about Bath, not because the other cities did not seem to me attractive or interesting, but so that other travelling classmates can speak of them.
Bath is not a very large city, as it has about 84,000 inhabitans. It is surrounded by hills which give wonderful views of the city. However, my first impression, when we were approaching the city, was a bit disappointing, perhaps because it was winter and the landscape was not as green as I had imagined.
Bath
We arrived at the hotel at noon. In the afternoon, with a warm sun and a better light, we walked across the main streets and saw some lovely monuments, as well as squares, shops and cafés. From that moment my mind changed completely, so much so that now I can say that I would like to live there for some months.
The Roman Baths
Bath is vibrant and modern, one of the most magnificent cities in Britain. It is a masterpiece of Georgian architecture, built with the distinctive honey-coloured Bath stone. With over 2,000 years of history, Bath has earned an exceptional reputation as a city of culture and hospitality and is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
The river Avon and Pulteney Bridge
During our stay we visited the world-famous Roman Baths, one of the best examples of preserved Roman architecture; also the 15th/16th century Gothic Abbey, with its superb fan vaulting ceilings and the vast stained glass windows; the iconic Royal Crescent and Circus square, inspired by Rome´s Colosseum; the Theatre Royal, with its impressive facade; the Assembly Rooms, where the fashionable society meet to have tea or enjoy various entertainments; the Jane Austen Centre, which tells the story of the author´s life experience in Bath; the Pulteney Bridge, with built-in shops within its structure; and last but not least, the beautiful River Avon, which encircles Bath and was once important as a trade route, but today it is mainly used for recreation.
Indeed we also tasted the typical Cream Tea, consisting of homemade scones and clotted cream, and also some different kinds of traditional local English beer.
Cream tea at the Pump Room
As I said before, I loved the whole city, but to me the Roman Baths were particularly impressive, not only for the lovely building itself, but for the history and legend around the baths. In Britain´s only hot spring, the Romans built a magnificent temple and bathing complex that still flows with natural hot water.
The construction of the baths only began once the hot spring had been controlled and the land around it was drained and dried out. The precise hydraulic engineering shows the skill of the Romans in the art of taming the springs.
It was a must-see destination for pilgrims seeking the guidance of the goddess Sulis Minerva and looking to heal in the curative waters.
A scale model of the original baths with the Temple of Minerva
At the Roman Baths visitors can see the remains and architectural fragments of the Temple of Sulis Minerva, as well as the well-preserved bathhouse, which was frequented by residents and pilgrims nearly 2,000 years ago. There are numerous other treasures, which have been unearthed through archeological excavations over the past 300 years.
Nowadays, the Thermae Bath Spa combines five of the city´s buildings with the contemporary New Royal Bath. This is Britain´s only natural thermal spa.
Finally, I can say that there are many fascinating places to see in Bath whatever your interests, and also great places to enjoy yourself and relax, so I strongly recommend you to visit it soon. It would be marvellous to go back again.
Thank you so much, dear Feli, I was really looking forward to one of our "Bath Romans" writing an entry about the trip, so well done! Hopefully it won't be the last ...
Talking about “magical places”, I would like to share with you one of the best experiences in my life. Well, some years ago, in 2006, one of my dreams came true: to visit Africa and, in this particular case, Tanzania. It seemed that it would never come and much less that it would finish. Lots of photos and infinite memories. Truly, it is impossible to forget Africa!
How to define my African experience? Surprisingly easy, really. It can be summarized in a single word, one that visitors will hear a dozen times daily, no matter where they travel in Tanzania, or how they go about it: the smiling, heartfelt Swahili greeting of “Karibu!” – Welcome!
Tanzania is known by its magic mountains, its vast extensions burned by the sun and splashed by the impressive baobabs (the trees of life), its volcanos that soar from the centre of the earth, its enormous prehistoric lakes surrounded by wild animals and, what is more important, its people full of mystery and ancient customs. The sights are spectacular and I say with sadness that I may not return so I would like to treasure this instant in some place where I could recall it and re-live it through these emotions …
Tanzania is where you’ll find Serengeti, Ngorongoro or Tarangire National Parks, Manyara Lake or Zanzibar – names that immediately conjure up the breathy tones of David Attenborough:
"I had a farm in Africa at the foot of the
Ngong Hills..."
Dou you remember Meryl Streep pronouncing this words in the film Out of Africa? Although I am not Karen Blixen (as you know, the writer of the book, and the main character in the movie), nor do I have some lands in the continent (although part of my soul is there), I will try to tell you my experience, even though I am sure that any of these words or pictures will convey the feelings and mental images that I keep.
To see the sunrise on this very special land is a unique moment …
The aboriginal look of the people or the intense colours of their lands were sinking into my deepest heart and, without being conscious, I was getting lost in this thought: the desire of dreaming Africa that was living in the deepest of my being and the company of the simbas (simba means "lion" in Swahili) made me feel that time had stopped.
In the loneliness and the silence I discovered a new country in my soul. I could see the life of the nomadic Maasai tribesmen in their manyaras (the typical huts), their women with their incredible adornments … this world that runs parallel to my own and that I ignore constantly …
From the highest part of the old Ngorongoro volcano, it is possible to observe the whole crater, with its 22-km diameter. It is indeed a striking vision … in the centre there is a salty lake, the Magadi, which contributes to a spectacular beauty. A peaceful backwater that invites reflection and silence. During the day I saw the magnificent wildlife: zebras, giraffes, elephants, impalas, wildebeest, ostriches, monkeys, hyenas, big cats, crocs, buffalos, hippos, rhinos – as well as all sorts of apes and birds, like flamingos, and even a majestic lion. We were lucky to see a precious female leopard with her baby, resting on the branch of an acacia. I did not get tired of looking at it and the harmony of the image will never be captured by a photograph; it was amazing!
Words cannot describe such grandeur; it has to be lived to experience these instants out of time. I have seen it often in documentaries, but on the spot it is impressive, the contemplation of the cycle of life.
Here finishes the first part of our adventures in this incredible country. But the journey doesn’t end here, what about the ultimate post-safari hangout, a magical place, the idyllic Spice Island? Yes, I am talking about Zanzibar.
Zanzibar's capital (and the largest town) is Stone Town, located in the middle of the west coast of Unguja. The town was named after the coral stone buildings that were built there largely during the 19th century, and it is known for its narrow alleyways, large carved doors and covered balconies that are a part of the Swahili culture, influenced by both Arab and especially Indian motifs.
One of the most important aspects of Zanzibar is that it has been a collage of different cultures since it was colonized by several civilizations for centuries, from Europe to Asia. The architectural styles reflect Arab, German, and British influence and occupation, as well as the rich long history of Tanzania, but also, sadly, it shows the remains of the East African slave trade. This famous city, Stone Town, is a home to lots of mosques, several Hindu temples and two Christian churches. Incredible, isn’t it?
Apart from that, The Zanzibar Islands have excellent locations for diving because living reefs surround many of the islands. In addition to the warm still waters, full of colorful fish, there are many challenging dives.
So if you are interested in knowing a bit more about this magical and incredible place called Tanzania here is the link to a brief excerpt of the clip that I made with many of my photos, related to Serengeti National Park.
This is a video produced by the Tanzanian Tourist Board with the aid of the European Union:
Hey, I've just forgotten, do you want to know a curiosity? Freddy Mercury was born in Zanzibar. In fact, a trace of Freddie's Zanzibari roots can be heard in one of the most famous Queen songs, "Bohemian Rhapsody": the Arabic word 'Bismillah' had a special political significance in Zanzibar for a brief period to a group who used it to express discontent. But Queen's use of words like 'Bismillah' or 'Beelzebub' was most likely related to the Koran; the blessed phrase Bismillah is a sign of Islam, meaning in the Name of God, and the beginning of all good things. You can now watch the original videoclip of the famous song:
Or also on one of our blog's entries written by José Luis last November, talking about this unforgettable rock star.
I hope you have enjoyed this post and maybe one day it will encourage you to visit these breathtaking places that I strongly recommend you.
Yesterday I read in a digital newspaper the horrible news of a German tourist who had died in French Polynesia in mysterious circumstances. It was said that he may have been eaten by cannibals, isn't that scary and ... hard to believe?
So much for tourist destinations - we saw a short piece of a video from the e-workbook - and their dangers ... That German tourist was surely aware of the probability of unexpected events, because he was on an adventurous world tour, but he would never have thought of his own tragic death.
I know, this is a macabre contribution to our blog, but it made me reflect on the safety of traveling: What is considered a safe destination?
The following video is much more pleasant and fits our topic about cities. It's the official video clip of Alicia Keys' song "New York" which I really like (Juanjo, what do you think about the piano?). That city must be wonderful and really exciting, so I'd love to visit it (... after Glasgow?). Everyone I know who has been there is fascinated by New York.
Thanks a lot, Susanne, for both the macabre news (ha ha, only joking!) and the lovely song, whose full title is "New York Empire State of mind (part 2)" . As you can see, I've even found the scroller online so that you can all read the beautiful lyrics as you listen to Alicia. Just one thing: I've found out that the song was originally penned by Brooklyn natives Angela Hunte and Janet Sewell-Ulepic, who were pretty homesick during a trip overseas.
Last weekend my family and I stayed with some friends in a nice cottage in Tarouca, near Peso da Regua, in Portugal. That is located in the Alto Douro region, which I learnt is included in UNESCO's world heritage list. I was really impressed by the beauty of a landscape where viniculture is the predominant element.
Many years ago I worked for a wine import company, which is when I became interested in wine and viniculture. In Regua we also visited the Douro Museum, where you can see how hard the work of the wine growers was until only a few decades ago. I would have liked to show you all an entertaining video, but regrettably there was none on Youtube. However, I believe that the text on this UNESCO link is quite interesting, even though a bit long:
Thanks a lot Suzanne, very interesting indeed! You know, I've been, like you unsuccessfully, searching high and low for a related video, but at least I managed to find this photo gallery of the Portuguese region, which I hope suits your entry just fine.
Some twelve years ago I videotaped (those were the days of non-digital technology!) this two-and-a-half-minute clip from the famous travel programme on the BBC, Holiday. I've always treasured the recording (that's why I later digitalized it and eventually uploaded it on Youtube), as it reminds me of the programme's hugely popular host in those days, the gorgeous Jill Dando, who was tragically murdered a few months later outside his London home by an unknown gunman.
Dando does not appear on the video, but one of her co-presenters instead, whose Indian name I'm unable to remember right now. But that's another story. Anyway, I've transcribed the script down below. Then (no script available this time, sorry!) a former British politician, Michael Portillo, whose father was a Spanish law professor at our university in Franco's days and, being a staunch Republican, went into exile to the UK, came to Spain on a rather spiritual journey searching for his roots. The last stage was, not by chance, our beautiful town. Just one thing: the sound and the picture are slightly out of sync (more noticeably during Portillo's part), but I can't fix the glitch.
Holiday Presenter: A couple of hours down the road to another of Castille’s great cities, Salamanca, which clothes like gold, if you’ve been poetic, or, more prosaically, like sandstone, which is what it's made of. The hotel itself literally grafted onto the ruins of an old church. In fact, this is the kind of place where you can’t fall out of bed without tripping over a monastery or a cathedral. This extravaganza is inside the convent of St. Stephen.
Salamanca’s other claim to fame is its university, built in the 13th century and once as prestigious as Oxford. But that was before the Inquisition got its claws into the place. You have to wonder what was going on in the mind of the sculptor who came up with these creatures.
Salamanca is overwhelmingly one colour: sand. It’s a very nice colour, but when you’ve done the university … sand, the cathedral … sand, the convent … sand, just about all the houses … sand, you get to feel maybe enough is enough and you’re parched for a bit of colour. Did I say … a bit of colour?
The turn-of-the-century Casa Lis is a deluge of colour. It’s now a museum of art nouveau and art deco, with some stunning bits and bobs on display. It’s an oasis in the sand, and the playful contrast to the pomp and circumstance outside.
Night falls on one of the most beautiful Plaza Mayors in Spain. The whole town seems to be here, among them the temporary residents: students, who’ve also come out to play.
Student 1: I think the fact that it’s such a small place and everything is packed into it. It’s not really lacking anything: I mean, nightlife, people, the restaurants, I mean the buildings.
Student 2: It’s the true Spain what you experience when you come here.
Presenter: True Spain? Well, it’s certainly a vision of old Spain which time has not withered.
Simon Calder, a British travel writer, visits Salamanca for 48 hours and is seduced by our lovely city, where he mingles with the university students and comes across an astronaut among the carvings of the cathedrals.
Then American historian Rick Steves immerses himself in the high and vast plateau of central Spain and visits a sunny, sandstone town and the finest Plaza Mayor in Spain. With the help of a local guy he samples a glass of Rioja and a plateful of ham and "bravas" and savours some people-watching. He finally takes in the centuries-old troubadour tradition of "tuna bands.
Finally, I can say that there are many fascinating places to see in Bath whatever your interests, and also great places to enjoy yourself and relax, so I strongly recommend you to visit it soon. It would be marvellous to go back again. 
