My Francophile Year: Part 3, The End of X-mas Break

The last part of our Great British adventure took us from Lighthourne, England to the famous town of Bath. The drive took us through what I am sure is gorgeous, Cotswold country, but as the roads were nearly flooded and I was on the wrong side of the road, my eyes were peeled to the task at hand.
Bath was founded in the first century AD by Romans shortly after they arrived in Britain. It was a place of therapy and rejuvenation as the waters were full of minerals. An amazing amount of geothermal water still rises out of the ground in the baths everyday. The tour of the ancient baths is super, interactive and entertaining even for the youngest tourist. The city itself is full of culture, restaurants, museums, theaters, shopping and parks.
Our first stop was to the Jane Austen museum which youngest child very patiently sat through-not terribly interesting for a 9 year old boy, but I found it fascinating. We continued to wander toward the Roman baths, stopping for a quick lunch that always ends up lasting 2 hours, seriously impeding on our touring time- these are our priorities.
An entertaining street performer was doing a show at the entrance of the baths, a strategic and probably coveted location, where his hat fills up several times a day with donations from the crowd.
On his unicycle, the fellow juggled flaming sticks, employing members of the crowd as assistants. It was a highlight of the day for kids. Fair enough, considering the age of my brood, they do very well being drug around as much as they do, to tour museums, ruins, churches, etc. I have to remember to appreciate their willingness to immerse themselves in this adventure of ours.
The return to French school was rough that next week. After a day or two, the kids were back in a groove and the homeschooler was slowly adjusting to working again. I am so proud of each of my kids as their course this year is a challenge, without doubt. We have many travels planned and visitors coming for our remaining time in France. I am sure there are still many challenges to tackle, but we all feel the end is nearing and feel a certain sense of relief.
The week we visited England went by far too quickly and I am determined to make another trip in the future with my kids to Great Britain. Wales, Ireland and much of England and Scotland need more exploring by this family. I think my kids would be more than happy to travel in a country without language barriers!