Day 3 Saturday 20th May - Bath and Devizes.

 

 Waggum Ladies' Choir, seen here singing in Waggum, a small village just outside Braunschweig.

 

***

This was the day everyone had been waiting for, the chance to visit Braunschweig's twin city.   As usual we had an early start, and after breakfast left Swindon for the M4 and Junction 18, where we hoped to meet our German speaking guide Otto, for a guided tour around Bath.   We were supposed to meet at 10am, but the coach arrived earlier, so we set off towards Bath, hoping to see Otto standing in a layby.   No Otto!  

 

We then rang him, only for him to explain that he was at Junction 18 at 10am, but we had passed through at 9.50am, a tad early, and missed him.   After much discussion, we arranged to meet further along the road in a layby near the Lansdown Park and Ride, and there standing in a layby waving a huge Swiss flag was our guide Otto.  He came on board, introduced himself, and set off for the city centre.

 

Otto had to join us outside the city, as a day of cycle races in the city centre meant that some of the roads were closed, and Otto of course, knew an alternative route we could take.

 

Choir members and Otto holding the Bath Rugby flag standing in front of the "Crescent." 

 

We stayed on board the coach for some of the visits, and then continued on foot through the many interesting city lanes.  Ottos gave us a potted history of the spa city, and pointed us in the right direction to find cafes selling "Cornish pasties,"  a treat that our driver had recommended tasting, together with marmite, before we headed back to Germany.

 

 Under the mighty tree in Parade Square with Otto.
 

 It rained of course, but spirits were not dampened.

Monika, wearing red above, is the choir secretary in Waggum, and the two of us worked well together to organise the trip on both sides of the English Channel.

 

Street decorations in the new shopping centre in Bath.

 

After a few hours visit we left Bath, and headed off at 3pm to sing in Devizes.  On arrival it was raining, and then threatened to pour down, but we sang English and German songs at the wharf, and then walked off to "The Bear Hotel" in the Market Place, for a welcome evening meal.

 

 Day 4 will also arrive soon.  Watch this space and drink English tea!