I utilized the "hop-on hop-off bus" to see around the city of Bath. Several bus stops were set along the tour route and you can get on and off wherever you want as long as your ticket is valid. My ticket was valid for two days and I enjoyed this bus tour for two days. The audioguide had 8 language versions and Japanese was one of them. I'd seen this bus in the streets of Oxford last year, but I was too shy to ask how to use it. This time, my daughter who lives in Bath helped us utilize the bus tour. It was a real blessing.
The audioguide was very handy and I was interested in a story about the geology of Bath. Some people in Bath insist that the city of Bath must have been formed on the crater bottom. However, the audioguide continues to mention that there's no evidence to show the existence of the crater or volcano around. I recalled the basement of Sally Lunn's, which I wrote about in the previous entry. My curiosity about the geology of Bath was spiraling. When the bus reached the top of a hill, I could command a beautiful view of Salisbury Plain. When I was moved by its vast green plain, the audioguide told me the name of the plain. I promptly remembered a world cultural heritage site from its name and I searched it in the distance, but in vain.
I found canals and locks from the 2nd floor of the bus. Narrow boats which I knew in Oxford were found in every canal. These canals link to the Avon river. All Japanese students know this river as a part of the name of the birthplace of Shakespeare, Stratford-upon-Avon. Shakespeare was born in the upper course of this river. To tell the truth, I'd visited this place 6 years ago and I'll add the link to the article about Stratford-upon-Avon below.
(Vocabulary)
Salisbury Plain ソールズベリー平原
geology 地質学; (ある場所の) 地質
crater bottom 火口底
now that you mention it そう言われてみると
convincing 〈証拠・説明などが〉説得力のある, 納得のいく
in the upper course of a river 川の上流で
https://kumo.typepad.jp/weblog/2018/10/shakespeare-the-symbol-of-stratford-upon-avon.html
バース市内観光の手段としてバスツアーがある。市街地を回るコースと郊外を回るコースの両方に乗車した。「hop-on hop-off bus」と呼ばれ、途中で気が向いたときに自由に乗り降りできるのでとても便利。２日間乗り放題なので、何度も乗った。８カ国語での案内があり、楽しめた。「hop-on hop-off bus」は昨年、オックスフォードでも見かけたが気後れして乗れなかった。今回はバース在住の娘が全てアレンジしてくれたので助かった。
その中に、地質に関する話題があった。バースにはこの街が火口の中に出来た街だと考える人が多いという。言われてみれば確かにそのような地形ではある。しかし、地質学的にはそれを裏付ける証拠はないとのこと。朝のSally Lunn'sを思い出し、この街の地質に興味が湧いてきた。バース市街地が火口の中とすれば外輪山に当たる小高い丘の上にバスがさしかかると、遠くソールズベリー平原が見えた。
バスの２階席から運河や閘門をあちこちで見かけた。そしてオックスフォードでも見かけたナローボートもあちこちに係留してあった。これらの運河はエイボン川に繋がっている。日本人なら必ず習うシェークスピアの生誕地、ストラットフォードアポンエイボンのあのエイボン川。この川の上流でシェイクスピアは生まれたということになる。６年前に訪問したときの旅行記へのリンクを付記しておく。
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