Today, we went to Stratford-upon-Avon to visit Shakespeare’s birthplace. We took a train to Stratford, which is very similar to riding the NJ Transit. 

When we got there, we went to the cutest cafe where I got an amazing croissant and cappuccino. The cafe felt so authentic, it was adorable. 

From there, we met up with Tim, an absolutely fantastic tour guide who was enthusiastic and knew his stuff! He took us all around the town on a walking tour, where we saw beautiful greenery and the absolutely gorgeous canal. It was so picturesque, with the swans drifting on the water and the trees sitting on the canal banks.

We walked along the path towards the theater, where many of Shakespeare’s plays were performed. It was interesting because half of the theater burned down, leading to a restoration project, the first big project by an English female architect, Elizabeth Scott. The brick moldings were gorgeous, as I had never seen something like that before. 

We went to Royal Trinity Church, a Catholic Church that Shakespeare regularly attended.  We saw the twelve trees standing on each side for the twelve disciples and the twelve Tribes of Israel. The trees looked gorgeous and provided the feel of a sanctuary. We also saw the two trees, reminiscent of where Shakespeare’s twins were buried. Inside, the church had beautiful stained glass windows and intricate designs on the walls. Here, we saw where Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway were buried, along with his daughter, Susanna, and her husband, John Hall.  

Seeing such a gorgeous church was beautiful because of the meticulous detail they put into the stained glass and stone.

We then walked back to get lunch, where we went to The Dirty Duck, a pub frequented by actors from the Shakespeare Theater. I got some amazing mac and cheese and garlic bread. We went shopping in the town, comparable to M Street at Georgetown but with an older feel. The blooming wisteria and cute shops were admirable, and they felt European. 

We finished the day with Shakespeare’s place of birth, where I realized I could never live in the 1600s, as you have to share a tiny bed with at least one sibling.  We also observed his father’s place of work, which was below the house. It was interesting to learn about the tanning of kid leather and how they used urine and feces as chemicals.  Seeing the replicas of the leather goods he would sell was interesting. 

All in all, today was very different but still very informative. I loved the scenery and shopping, and would love to return!