Today was my fifth day in Birmingham! This day went differently than the rest we have had so far. Instead of spending the whole day in Birmingham we caught a train in the morning and headed to Stratford Upon Avon. Even when we were on the train you could already tell that this area focuses everything on Shakespeare. When we first got there, we headed to a coffee shop called Caffè Nero where I got an iced pistachio latte with oat milk (it was delicious). After we met up with a Shakespeare tour guide named Tim who showed us around all of the major Shakespeare related attractions in the area. We first were shown and told the background of Ronald Gower memorial statues of Shakespeare and his most famous characters like Macbeth and Hamlet. 

Then, we went to an old bridge that was full of swans in the water below. I do not think I have ever seen so many swans in my life. There was also only one black swan which was the prettiest in my opinion. 

After, we went to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and were told about Tim’s personal experience acting there in plays. We also were told about the history of the theatre and how it was made by the first female architect in England who got to work on a project, Elisabeth Scott. 

Next, we got to go inside of the Holy Trinity Church where Shakespeare was buried along with his family. This was the most beautiful church I have ever seen, and it was interesting to see the statue of Shakespeare in the burial room. I also saw a bible from that time period that was in display. It was the biggest bible I have seen, and it even had a chain attached to it. 

Then, we were let go to explore Stratford for ourselves. We first decided to all get lunch together at The Dirty Duck which is a popular pub in the area. I got the vintage mac n’ cheese and it was delicious; I would give it a ten out of ten. 

After lunch I went to many different shops. I first went to a store called Poundland where I got a bunch of Cadbury chocolate. Afterwards, I went to multiple gift shops and got souvenirs for myself and my family. I even bought a Shakespeare hoodie which I am excited to wear for the flight home. Then we met back up with Tim and got a tour of the Shakespeare Birthplace. It was so cool to see all the different rooms and get told all about Shakespeare and his family’s life there. My favorite room was the dining room because they recreated what a dinner in their household would look like. I thought that the food looked so real, and it was true artistry. Then, we got to see an actor named James perform a reenactment of various works of Shakespeare. 

Overall, today was my favorite day on the trip so far and I am excited for when we get to explore Oxford on Saturday!