The morning walk through Birmingham to arrive at the railway station was lovely. The sun glimmered on the new glass-windowed buildings as we walked through the historic streets of Birmingham. Once we arrived at the railway station, we scanned our tickets and boarded the train. The railway station and the train were clean and efficient. As we were boarding the train there was a “mind the gap” message on the ground instead of “watch your step.” The train contained coach-like seats and clean carpeted floors. It was comfy, fashionable, accessible, and fast-pace. The UK’s public transportation is well taken care of and utilized by many citizens.
After an enjoyable forty-minute train ride, we arrived to the magical Stratford upon Avon. My first impressions consisted of seeing flowers and nature surrounding ancient buildings as well as new ones. I also noticed that the British drive and walk on the opposite side as we do in the states. The taxis that are there were not yellow and they were cleverly named after Shakespeare’s characters. Boats along canals in Stratford upon Avon were also named after Shakespearean characters. Shakespeare represents a well-known genius and poet that the people of the UK revere. In the states, Shakespeare is taught, but does not receive the admiration and time needed to learn his works like the people of the UK do. Our tour-guide in Stratford upon Avon started the tour by saying everyday phrases that somehow connected back to Shakespeare’s original words. He said Shakespeare’s contribution to the English language is incalculable. He wrote 157 sonnets and 37 world-renowned plays. Almost all of the history behind Stratford upon Avon comes back to the Bard, William Shakespeare. The knowledge and passion our tour guide held for Shakespeare and Stratford upon avon was truly enlightening and brilliant.
Walking around and taking in the small boutique shops, local take away and sit down restaurants, and all the diverse people with their children and dogs filled my heart. The setting was beautiful and bustling with people touring the town or just simply enjoying the delightful day. It was so refreshing to see young families and tasty fresh foods in a remarkable setting. I shared fish and chips with my friends while soaking up the sun in the lawn of a local open-market.
During our guided tour, we walked through Trinity Church in which Shakespeare and his wife, Anne Hathaway was buried. The church contained stunning stain-glassed windows with details down to the facial expressions and colors of the people’s eyes. We learned about Shakespeare’s bloodline including his children, Susanna and twins Hamnet and Judith. Unfortunately there are no records of his bloodline living on, today. We also saw the home Shakespeare grew up in, followed by actors acting out scenes from Hamlet and Midsummer’s Night Dream. I even got to take on the role of the wall in the Midsummer’s Night Dream scene. Listening and watching all the history and knowledge of William Shakespeare was incredible. I hope to visit Stratford-upon avon again, so I can share this amazing town with my own family.
We ended the day by taking the train back to Birmingham and enjoying Vietnamese cuisine. I had traditional spring rolls and chicken dumplings. It was so delicious. All of the food I have had is so fresh here in the UK. This restaurant started with an immigrant coming to the UK and she persevered and started her own establishment with her excellent-tasting recipes. It is now a go-to spot for local Birmingham residents. I adore how the UK is willing to share their special history with everyone, because they realize their past and the people that influenced it should be recognized. I love this about the UK culture and completing these blogs has helped me want to be more of a sharer and story-teller.
