Day 11 - Bath - Introduction on Tuesday, May 14th, 2013

Pam and I spent a full day in Bath.  It was a cold and rainy day.  But we covered all we intended to.  Boy were we tired!  Cold and wet weather burns up energy quickly.  We were revived at a wonderful Greek Restaurant that we found on Parade Rd on our way to the car park.

Bath was built initially by the Romans around 60 AD.  They called it "Aquae Sulis".  The Romans built baths in the area that were fed by hot water springs in the area.  The baths were quite popular.

The baths regained their popularity in the Georgian era as a spa town.  As a result, the city grew quickly.  Today, the Georgian architecture is everywhere in Bath.  The buildings are built using Bath Stone, an attractive form of limestone.

The view from Parade Rd of the barges on River Avon.  Barges are still popular in England.  We saw quite a few of the "Narrowboat" barges in Bath and Stratford upon Avon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narrowboat

Hop On/Hop Off buses are an excellent way to see a city before exploring it on foot.  We took this bus for the complete circuit of Bath so that we could see the major landmarks and where they are located.  We then headed out on foot and used the bus to get to sites that were more than a short walk away.

http://www.city-sightseeing.com/tours/united-kingdom/bath.htm#tourlandingposition

We found Opa Meze Bar & Restaurant located underneath Parade Rd.  It was like eating in the Roman catacombs.  Great food!

http://www.opabath.com/