Today, we visited Stratford-upon-Avon and it was where Shakespeare grew up and lived most of his life. It was a really beautiful city with a very small population, but lots of history! We were there the entire day, and yet there was always something knew to learn. Although I had read a lot of Shakespeare in middle and high school, there was certainly more to learn. It was also really neat to see and hear more about what Shakespeare went through. It seems that many people only think of Shakespeare being involved with London, but it was exciting to go to his hometown.
What We Did Today:
Today was a very fun day! We went on a train and as we passed, we saw lots of sheep in the grass. Once we got to Stratford-upon-Avon, we started our tour. We walked around the city and saw several spots. The first part of the tour was very interesting and filled with history. We saw a beautiful church where Shakespeare was said to have gone a lot when he lived there. We also saw where he was baptized and a lot of some places in the church were still standing. I thought this was really interesting considering the fact that Shakespeare lived in the 16th century. Also, what was so neat about the church was that Shakespeare and his family were laid to rest there. They were not too far from us and it was crazy to think that I was a few feet away from THE William Shakespeare, a man that shaped England and the whole world with his writings. We went on our lunch break and then came back and met once more. We went into the actual house of William Shakespeare, which I personally thought was the coolest part because of how realistic they made the house set up look. It was crazy to think that I was standing in the same place that Shakespeare and his family once stood. We saw the room where Shakespeare was born as well as where his dad worked with the gloves. Once we made it outside, we then watched some plays performed by two very talented actors. It was inspiring to see them act out these complicated shows and it was fun to see them being happy doing it. There was so much to do today and I will never forget it!
Some things that I saw today were several statues of William Shakespeare and his characters. I thought that the portrayal in this town of all of his pieces of work was incredible. Also, something that caught my eye was all of the detail from the buildings and how old they were. I enjoyed how they made the streets a little bit more modern with the shops and stores, but kept the feel from the 1500’s that William Shakespeare lived through. But, going back to the statues, I could not get over how many there were of him. There were at least a handful big ones, and it just goes to show you how appreciated and praised he is.
Lastly, I am such a foodie and I will never forget the food that I ate today. Today, for lunch, some of us decided to go to a market in the little town. I decided to wait in line for a Yorkshire pudding bowl. Basically, it was a soft bread bowl and inside was beef, vegetables, stuffing, gravy and a sauce of our choice. There were some people in front of me and I asked for some sauce suggestions. They said to get the mint sauce, which I did. Overall, I think that the food was really good and I am very glad that I tried it because I had never tried anything like Yorkshire pudding before. Later, after we got off the bus back in Birmingham, we went to vietnamese for dinner. I love vietnamese food and was super excited to have some. I decided to pick a meal that not only was grandma’s recipe, but was also one of their most popular and delicious meals. I had some pasta, veggies and meatballs. Dinner was delicious and I definitely would go back!
What I Learned Today:
Today was a day filled with so much sightseeing and learning about Shakespeare. I thought that I had already known so much about him, but after the tour, I realize that I did not. Something that I will always remember is his quotes that are passed down to this day. It is crazy to see the influence that a man from the 1600’s has on our writing today. Overall, Today was a very exciting day full of history and culture. Tomorrow, it is our first day at BCU and I can not wait to learn even more!
