Christmas in Bath

The scent of roasted almonds, caressed with a layer of caramelised sugar, wafts through the city centre. Lines of tiny cabin-like buildings circle an ancient abbey, crowds shuffle past ...
Imagine a Christmas market so popular people book accommodation months in advance so they can attend.
Welcome then to Bath, located in the United Kingdom's southwest, where temperatures are between -1C to -5C - maximum.
The first winter snowfalls haven't stopped shoppers though, as Bath is a city difficult to resist. Famous for its Roman and Georgian influences, the area is as historic as they come in Great Britain. Roman armies once used Bath as a place of respite, soaking in healing waters believed to cleanse body and soul. Even now, visitors are encouraged to immerse themselves in heated pools surrounded by carved coliseums thousands of years old to be purged of day-to-day stresses.
A mug of mulled wine from one of those cabins is what I'm looking for, however, and at £2.50 ($5.22), a bargain to thaw frozen fingers. Market stalls surround Bath Abbey, dating from 1499 and still operating as an active parish church.
The wooden huts are decked out in plastic holly, flashing fairy lights or Christmas decorations. Local cheeses dipped in wax casings sit tiered behind tasting platters. Pollyfields, a family business based in Devon, entices customers with garlands constructed of heady, spice-scented dried fruit.
Then there are the eel-skin handbags, steamed Christmas puddings, stained-glass ornaments, Somerset lavender pouches, hand-carved swords and sickly sweet ciders.
In the centre of Stall St a Victorian carousel loudly chimes the melody to Robbie Williams' song, Let Me Entertain You. The tune seems out of place, but it's not surprising when you realise this merry-go-round is for all ages. Middle-aged women titter and giggle, mounting their chosen steed. Younger riders look on amused, but perhaps a tad perturbed, at this invasion of what they probably consider their domain.
A short walk from the heart of Bath is where literary kindred meet, paying homage to writer Jane Austen. Two of her six published novels were set in this part of the country: Persuasion and Northanger Abbey. She travelled to Bath as a youngster for family holidays and also lived there from 1801 to 1806. It's not hard to picture Austen's characters walking these streets, placing them in their era, especially when the architecture is so inspiring.
Recognisable names of architects, such as John Wood the Elder and John Wood the Younger, were influential not only in their time, but one that spans eras and generations to present day.
Photographs do minimal justice of works like The Royal Crescent, built between 1769 and 1775. Dwarfed by their magnitude and the history, a person wonders at the stories they could share.
Christmas in Bath is a time where snowmen, shopping and Santa make one heck of a festive season. If its history is anything to go by, this year will prove no different.