Day 4
by Lainey Nichols '09

Bath is incredible. I walked into my first building with a rotunda, oculus, and coffered ceiling today — until this point, I had only learned about them in my Art History books. This building was the reception building for the Roman baths and is all that is classic and beautiful. From here, we walked onto a porch adorned with white, neoclassical sculptures overlooking the main pool.

I touched my first ruins today. All of the girls, regardless of their inherent interest in history, seemed to enjoy this spot. For me, it was an invaluable reminder of my own humanity. Thousands of years of healing and hope in one spot — all seeking health from the patron goddess, Sulis Minerva, had passed on just as we will one day, with only our ruins to tell our story. For (assistant) Coach (and Catawba alumna and former soccer player) Catherine Ballentine ("Big Cat") and I, the sight that spoke the loudest was a short flight of stairs that had warped so drastically from the feet of the droves of people who had come and gone in Bath that they were more a ramp than a flight of stairs.