A Diplomat Comes to Bath

It's been almost three weeks since our arrival in Bath and we're starting to get the hang of day to day life here: classes and homework during the day, fun events or pubs at night, and putting together weekend trips when we can. This week was especially exciting because on Wednesday I had a visitor! One of my best friends from F&M (and roommate of two years!) came over from London for the day to hang out and see some of the city. This trip was especially necessary since, as I mentioned before, Alex and I weren't able to meet up in London when I was there last weekend. In fact, before this week, the last time we'd seen each other in person was May of 2013 -- the better part of a year! Apparently the fates wanted this reunion to happen, as both of my usual Wednesday commitments were cancelled this week, so Alex hopped a bus and got into Bath around 12:30.

After quite a touching reunion in the bus station (where we most likely freaked out several older couples -- like I observed when I got here, the place is practically swarming with them) I took Alex back to my flat, pointing out where I go to classes along the way. After we'd done some catching up, Alex gave me the loveliest of birthday presents -- an assortment of mini wines!

Wine from Winer

Alex bought them all with specific purposes in mind, which I love; for instance, "I've Had Enough" wine for hard days and "Girls Night" wine for...obvious intentions. I was also pretty impressed with the fact that she basically smuggled them onto the bus in her purse without the clinking raising suspicion. Well done, friend.

We waited for one of my flatmates to get back from class and then Alex and I and two of my flatmates, Amanda and Allison, went to get lunch at Sally Lunn's. Sally Lunn's is the oldest house in Bath and the home of the famous Sally Lunn Bun -- other buns are just imitators. It's a Bath must-do but none of us had been there yet and after Hadley described the sweet and savory topping options we were basically salivating. I ordered a bun that came with a cinnamon sugar topping and clotted cream on the side, plus a personal pot of House tea.

If I called it delicious it wouldn't be kind enough. When I bit into it I think I saw the face of God.

Unfortunately I don't think I'm of the caliber of people that usually dine at Sally Lunn's, as halfway through the meal I accidentally shot half of my bun across the table trying to cut it and let out the world's most ridiculous gasp. I can't take me anywhere. I'll need to brush up on those etiquette lessons if Prince Harry is ever to bring me to dinner...

After lunch my flatmates went back to Nunes while Alex and I walked through the center of town. We went inside the Abbey (which "encourages" donations to enter but really that means, "Seriously? You're not going to donate to a church? Do you also make babies cry?") and eventually made our way to the Royal Crescent, which I hadn't gotten to see yet! It was a day of firsts for everyone! At this point it was necessary to get a picture in order to be able to prove that Alex and I actually were in the same place together:

And then in true American fashion we walked around peeking into the windows of each house to see how the other half lives.

We decided to get ourselves a bit lost and our poking around got us into the Botanical Gardens in Royal Victoria Park. We walked and chatted and judged the parents who let their children get excessively close to what were definitely killer swans.

I saw God and the devil in the same day.

I do not fear you, sweet sleeping ducks.

Just as the sky was turning grey, we meandered back to the center of town and my flat. We talked some more, speculated on life at F&M this semester, and watched an episode of New Girl (Bonus Blog Fun: spot the New Girl reference in this post!). Just before 6:00 we headed back to the bus station and Alex was off to London. Never fear, though! We shall be planning another rendezvous soon, in Alex's neck of the woods this time.

Today I had my second official day of interning at the Bath Cats and Dogs Home (which I will be writing about soon -- it's an awesome place and an awesome job!) so now I've got to catch up on all the reading that didn't happen today. Tomorrow we are off on an Andrew Butterworth tour of the Cotswolds -- I'm sure there will be more on that too! Cheers, friends! Enjoy the weekend!