Stratford Cont.

Okay, I had a mini-heart attack there... Everything's under control now, though. Phew! That was a close one!


In the morning, I had some extra time after breakfast before we were supposed to meet up for our tour. So, I walked out by the Trinity Church (where Shakespeare is buried), and around the Courtyard (where the theatre was), saw the Oxford rowing team going up and down the Avon with it's coach shouting his syncronizations, and enjoyed the non-aggressiveness of the swans (indeed, the only swans I have ever seen that didn't look like they wanted your intestines for lunch). I curiously looked at the buildings, and was greeted very pleasantly by everyone I met. The people in Stratford I think have been the nicest people I have met in England, as a whole. They are warm, and friendly, look you in the eye and say, "good morning" like they really mean it. I wandered around the streets, admiring the neat, clean houses and gardens and made my way back to the B&B where we all left to walk to our meeting point.

We met up by the American fountain, that was donated by George W. Childs, the publisher, in 1887 in honor of Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee. It looks strikingly like Walt Disney's castle.

We saw a traditionally thatched roof (a lot actually) and daub and wattle houses. Shakespeare's house was attached to his father's glove-making shop, where the needle on the family crest often gets mistaken for a writing pen. Indeed, it is a glovemaker's needle.

We also saw where Shakespeare used to live, or at least, the spot where he used to live. The house apparently had a lot of taxes surrounding it, and one of the tentants (after the Bard's death, obviously), got so fed up about paying his taxes for the property that he tore the place down so no one would have to pay taxes for it again. I was really upset about this, until one of my friends was said, "it's just a house" and yes, they are right. It is just a house.

Anyway, there's a garden there now, which is apparently lovely, but we didn't get to see it because it was under maintenence. Bummer.

Anyway, also in Stratford there's this place where you can see 700 years of English architecture. You stand on a corner, and across the street, there are three buildings in a row: 13th, 14th , and 15th century architecture, then you look across from those buildings and see 16th, 17th, and 18th architecture, then there's a bank in 19th century architecture, and the corner on which you are standing houses a 20th century building. This, to me, is crazy. Nothing in the United States even gets CLOSE to having that kind of history in one spot. I think it's interesting how the English just casually stroll by, or live in their country and never even breath so much of their history. I don't know if it's because not many of them know, or if they find it boring, or if they don't want to brag. But I bet if the U.S. had that much history behind it, more people would visit. But then again, England is a branch of U.S. history, and England is a branch of Roman history, and is a branch of Greek, Ottoman, etc. etc. This history thing just
won't stop growing!!!

There was also the Boy's school where Shakespeare attended (CRAZY!), which is still running (CRAZIER STILL!), with students (AGH! SUPER CRAZY!) and the adjacent chapel, which has a stained glass window dedicated to JFK (why?). America really is everywhere. There are never ending references to Shakespear's plays, statues, bass reliefs, carvings, decorations, etc. But they aren't brand new, and they aren't flashy in a touristy way. A lot of them are hidden, and you actually have to look for them to see them. One of the things I liked best about Stratford was there weren't a lot of signs like, "SHAKESPEARE WAS BORN HERE!" or "THIS WAY TO ANNE HATHAWAY'S HOUSE!" or "TAKE THE STRATFORD TOUR!"... in all honesty, Stratford is too small. Buses wouldn't be able to get up and down the streets (thank goodness), and the whole town is not the type of spot to attract a lot of tourists (thank heavens).
After our tour concluded, by our lovely tour guide, we had more free time. So, I walked to Trinity Church again, and this time went inside to see it's most famous deceased inhabitant. It's a lovely church overall, but Shakespeare's effigee sitting on the floor seemed to make it more grandeur. I write this with humor, but that's only because I don't want to get bogged down with the stupendous drama of it all. I mean, I hate to sound stupid, but I'll say it anyway, Shakespeare's grave is just like all the others around it. The same length, and the same depth (probably), and made from the same stone. I stood there and tried to feel something magnificent. But, all I felt was kind of awkward because I was the only person in the whole place. It was a Sunday morning, right after service, and the people were very kind to let me in for free since I showed up so early, but it was a little weird being the only one there. But very nice, I'm not complaining. It's just somehow, without people all around me talking and making a commotion, I actually had a little time to reflect on the importance of what I had witnessed that day. I saw where one of the greatest writers in the English language was born, lived, died, and buried. And it was all within three miles of itself. He was born modestly, lived modestly, died modestly, and was buried modestly, in a modest town. It gives new meaning to the phrase "Grow where you are planted."
I've also been listening to Jakob Dylan, and his song "Something Good this way comes" is new favorite of mine... mainly because there is a similar line in his song, "The trouble, doll, is not moving mountains, but digging the ground that you're on."
Shakespeare sure dug his turf proficiently... haha, I accidentally spelled "turd" instead of "turf" the first time. Forgive me for that.

I bought a Chicken Tiki Marsala panini at a nice local cafe shop, where the people were very nice, and I ate it's very hot contents whilst walking down the street. An elderly gentleman said "Good morning!" to me and asked, "Ohh, my, it looks like you're enjoying that. Is it good?" I said it was, and he said, "I might have to try one then. Good bye!"... I love old people.
I walked around some MORE, and past a Christian Scientist worship place. Which was weird, because there was a sign that said, "Jesus Christ, The original Christian Scientist"... Well, that's one way to try and resolve the conflict between evolutionists and creationists, or atheists and christians, or scientists and holistics... Very interesting.
The "suburbs" of Stratford, are just white short buildings that look like they've been there for a hundred years (or longer), but all very clean, very white, and very quiet.
I made my way back to the B&B where we got back on the bus, and out of town. We drove past Warwick Castle on the way back to Brighton, and I explored it's Royal History, climbed to it's highest tower, and walked through it's rooms, marveled at the collection of armor and Irish Elk antlers (HUGE!), and we took a tour of the dungeon. One girl got too scared to go in. But it was just kind of hokey. It was a tour about the medieval dungeon practices and such, about torture and everything, even though torture was not widely practiced in England. However, I got "killed" in a staged stunt. I got picked out from the crowd by the "mad" doctor's assistant or whatever. Mary's husband got picked on a lot. mostly for being one of two males in the entire group of thirty, and also because he was tall, I think. Anyway, I felt badly for him as he obviously did not volunteer himself. Anyway, it only lasted about 15 minutes. I enjoyed the rest of the castle much better.
Click on the link to get more info.

Then we were all worn out and I think I slept most of the way home.

I liked Stratford-Upon-Avon a lot, and if I were to live in any town in England, it would be that one. If I were to live in any British town, I would probably choose Edinburgh. But, anyway, all for now! Must go eat something. I'm starving. I have updated this blog for the last two hours. Hope you enjoy my "hard" work!

Thanks for reading, and all the best!

Hannah