July 12th

Very busy day today. I started by going back to the Fashion Museum to see their brand new movie costumes exhibit which was great. I especially liked the rather sizable showing from The Duchess. All the costumes were accompanied by some sort of set piece, whether it be a painted backdrop or some mirrors or even a little throne room set up which gave a great sense of atmosphere. There were also some renderings on display. Another really nice touch was that they had music playing from the soundtracks to all the movies represented.

Then I headed over to the Roman Baths which are insanely crowded. I bought a combo ticket for the Fashion Museum and the Baths while at the first museum, which I highly recommend as I could skip the lines. The Baths are open until late at night so I'd be interested to see them in the evening and without the crowds. As it was, I saw them during the day. The accompanying museum was interesting but I didn't really stop to look at much as I was trying to beat this insanely large group of students through the tour (because I started out behind them and that is an experience I did not want to repeat). After the museum you got to explore the actual Baths which were really cool. At one of them they had these film bits projected onto the wall of Romans hanging around and doing things, so you got a sense of what the Baths were like in history, which was really interesting. It's just so fascinating to think that people had been swimming in those very waters for thousands of years. I left the Baths through the Pump Room, which is now a super fancy restaurant.

Then I wandered around the city a bit more, seeing some of the architectural sites, before heading back to the hostel to meet Charlie and go back to her and Jason's place for another home cooked meal. This time it was delicious spaghetti and home made meatballs. And, as I'd talked to my mom on skype plenty of times but hadn't actually seen her because I was only using my ipod touch, they were kind enough to let me borrow their computer with a webcam so I could talk to her face to face. And I also took the opportunity to talk to a million other people face to face and it was wonderful. Getting to see your friends and family is so nice after being gone for so long. I'm leaving Bath tomorrow, so saying goodbye was sad. It's crazy how you can make such good friends in such a short amount of time.

July 10th

When I got back to the hostel today I was pretty much dead, but I wanted to tell all my friends about my perfect night right away so I went upstairs and changed into some PJs, went back to the lobby to use the internet and facebook everybody, and then went back upstairs and passed out in bed. I woke up in the late afternoon but after a day like yesterday I didn't really feel like doing anything but lazing around with a dopey grin on my face and feeling wonderful.

Then I got a call from my new friend Jason, who asked if I was still up for a Sunday roast with him and his wife. First I have a fairy tale evening, then I get a home cooked meal! Hoorah! Charlie and Jason's place has the most amazing view on the whole planet, it's really not fair. Their living room looks over the English countryside with all these lovely hills.

Naturally the first order of business when I got there was to gush about last night and show them all the pictures and gush some more. Then Charlie cooked an amazing Sunday roast, and there was even Yorkshire pudding as I had said that I'd never had any (it was delicious!). After dinner we sat around the living room and watched Harry Potter. I can't even tell you how nice it was to have a quiet homey evening. I haven't had one in months. Just relaxing in a living room watching a movie after a home cooked meal was just what the doctor ordered.

I got a cab home and when the driver found out I'm American he treated me to his views on American politics. It was amusing.