Strolling Up and Down the Pump-Room

I forgot to mention that yesterday, I heard a French woman talking on the phone and I could understand basically everything she had (even though she was mostly just giving directions). I was so proud, until two French girls walked by and were speaking so quickly that I couldn't understand anything. It was terrible.

Another fit of homesickness last night, as I went to the California Cafe for dinner. The California Cafe, of course, was fitted out in Mission-style furniture, and featured both salads and hot dogs on its menu. Like, Sizzlers maybe would do that, but no other restaurant in California. If you want a hot dog in California, you go to some place called the Hot Dog Shack or something. Anyway, the menu also featured New York steak, Lousiana blackened chicken, etc. California indeed. I got another Caesar salad and it was something of an improvement over the one at the pub the night before.

Afterwards, I went to wait for the Bizarre Bath tour and this time, people actually showed up! In fact, there was a group of about 25 people. Our guide was an older man in a purple coat, and he led us around Bath, incorporating the local sights in his jokes. Easily the best two moments were when:

1) He was finding the "lay lines"-- lines across England, with magic where they meet. Anyway, he wore a blindfold to get to one. Once he took it off and stood on his little crate and started talking, this guy rode by, out of the blue, on a bike, with a blindfold on. It was pretty funny, and pretty nonsensical.

2) Also, when he pointed out this very tiny, square, plain church built not twenty feet away from the Abbey. I hadn't even noticed it before. If I ever get my camera to work, I'll take a picture. The guide said, "What optimist built that?"

The tour was okay. I walked home afterwards, with my laptop, digital camera, purse, and 150 pounds in my pockets. I was prime thieving material, I'll tell you what. I went to bed almost immediately.

This morning it was very rainy and unpleasant outside. I did the minimum amount of preparation for going downstairs. Breakfast was as usual, save for the two American tourists there. I'm still having trouble definitely telling American accents apart from British accents. Okay, great, the couple next to me is smoking. I hate this. I really do. I want to hit them both. And tell them that they're going to die young. Back to my story. The couple is originally from Florida, but have moved to upstate New York. The woman was so loud-- so loud-- and she just wouldn't shut up when the owner of the bed and breakfast asked her, "How was your night?" She started with the Indian restaurant she and her husband went to last night and ended with the prices of gas here. Literally, she talked for like ten minutes straight. She had a heavy accent, was also fat with dyed blond hair, and-- God-- blue eyeshadow. Her husband was a cowed-looking, thinner man who spoke very quietly. We talked about travelling, prices here, and my studies-- or rather, she mostly talked. I didn't really get a chance to.

I went back to my room and slept until 1:30 pm. I was so tired, and the weather was awful. It turns out to have been a wise decision, because when I woke up, the rain had stopped and the skies were clear, with big fluffy white clouds. The walk into town was a pleasant one. Kristina-- I passed two girls with boots like yours, so at least they are in style in one country! Although unfortunately, one girl paired them with orange tights and a jean miniskirt. I immediately went to the Pump-Room, where I sat by myself and had afternoon tea. The Pump-Room is very elegant, but not that fancy-- it's just the slightest bit dirty. My tablecloth had a few small stains on it already when I sat down, and the carpet was sort of dingy and dirty, as well. But the chandelier is beautiful and I loved the carpets, which were salmon and mint green and cream stripes. I ordered the Pump-Room cream tea, which came with two pastries (a chocolate eclair and a lemon tart), two mini scones (with strawberry preserve and clotted cream), four tea sandwiches (all with mayonnaise and pickle and onion and fish and egg, all the things I hate ), a dressed salad, and coffee. Clotted cream is very bizarre, like a combination of ice cream (it's cold), butter (in color and consistency), and whipped cream (in flavor). I ate all of my pastries, didn't touch the sandwiches, and drank the coffee. A pianist played standards the whole time, including "It Ain't Necessarily So," kind of an odd choice. People walked through the restaurant to look at it, which I think is pretty cool.

I also noticed a little girl playing a video game at the table, and I was horrified. This also happened at California Cafe last night. It's such a breach of etiquette. Only slightly better is when people read at a table when other people are there (unless everyone is reading)-- it's massively rude. I tried it once when I was younger, and my parents wouldn't let me eat dinner with them. I applaud them for it. It would have been bad otherwise...

The restroom of the Roman Baths has a little sign above the sinks that says "Warning: Very hot water." That amused me-- that the water at the hot springs is so hot that it demands a separate little card to warn visitors.

Not much else to talk about-- since I haven't charged my camera yet, I'm saving my walk into the hills for tomorrow. I may not get to take pictures there, but I'm optimistic. I'll go have dinner soon. On my way to Caffe Nero from the Pump-Room, I stopped in a very expensive little store (sort of like Claire's, but expensive...) called Accessorize. The store had the sweetest purses I've ever seen. One was a lavender velvet purse, with a top flap made from satin in the same color. The top flap had dull, silver sequins and little mauve roses and ribbon dangling from it. Another was made from a pale gold, sheer fabric that bunched at the top (but not like a drawstring, still a regular purse), with fake pearls, rhinestones, and silver beads at the top. A third one was made from strips of different fabric, with the middle one made from cream canvas with pink and white embroidery. Some of the different fabrics were pink and white riboon, lace, and muslin. There were more ribbons were glass jewels dangling from the end. They were really lovely. The coin purses were cute too, one green with orange polka dots and another that matched the pale gold purse. But to give you an idea of how expensive they were, one really extravagant hair clip with ribbons and feathers and flowers cost 30 pounds (almost $60). Next door they had clothing, including really lovely skirts. Between the purses and the skirts, I wished that I had both worked with LiLu and taken a sewing/printmaking class.

Yep... okay... more updates tomorrow.