I think there have been 1 or 2 days in which it did not rain since I arrived. So I am exceptionally grateful that campus is small, and most of the walkways are covered. That turns a 15-minute walk/run in the elements at Penn State into a mostly sheltered 5-minute walk between neighbouring buildings. Also, having to spend no more than 10 minutes outside to get on the bus helps incredibly. Apparently, Bath has been receiving more rainfall than usual, and it definitely shows in the River Avon, which is currently over its banks. We haven’t had any flooding, though, which I is a relief, although I hear reports daily of the severe flooding in nearby parts of the country. You (hopefully) can read about the unseasonal weather and its impact on the BBC.

Enough complaining about the weather. I have been up to quite a bit since my last post. Last Friday, we had an exchange student party at Molloy’s Pub and the Second Bridge (a nightclub). I’ve been getting a taste of what the British listen to- pretty much the same music as Americans. We danced to “We Can’t Stop”, “Macarena”, and “Gangnam Style” (I got to teach a few friends from continental Europe to do the Gangnam Style dance!), just to name a few.

Saturday, a friend and I toured the Roman Baths, which are built over the only hot springs in England. I was surpirised by how heavily the baths have been redesigned throughout the ages. The Great Bath (pictured below) originally consisted of just the pool and arcade. The Pump Room, seen in the back and partly covered by scaffolding, was added much later; it was designed in the 1700s by Thomas Baldwin.

The Romans believed the water from the hot spring was blessed with the healing power of the gods. The Romans named this spring after Sulis Minerva, a hybrid between the Celtic goddess Sulis and the Roman goddess Minerva. They built a temple for the goddess; however, the temple no longer stands. Fortunately, the gilt head of the statue of Sulis Minerva survived and is on display in the museum adjoining the baths.

Location: Bath, United Kingdom