Happy day ten, we are in double digits now! Today was a little rough with the weather because it was chilly and rainy for most of our trip. But I took my very first train ride in England! Allison and I were even able to squeeze in a quick nap on the way there. But then we finally got to visit Stratford-upon-Avon. The town was so beautiful with all of the little streets and old buildings. And everything was all connected back to William Shakespeare and his life. 

One thing that really stood out to me was learning that Shakespeare was born and died on the same date, April 23rd. And that he was born in the very town that we were walking around. We also learned that he performed at the Globe theatre, and while we were there, we visited the other theatres that were connected to him. One of the coolest moments was standing on the same wooden floors that Shakespeare would have stood on when he was performing (ie. my blog picture of the day). It was fun to think about how many people, like actors and audiences, have seen those floors over time.

We also visited the statue of Shakespeare in the town, which was surrounded by other statues of some of his characters. I believe he is surrounded by Hamlet, Lady Macbeth, Prince Hal, and Falstaff. They all hold items or are doing an action that connects to their story. Specifically, the Lady Macbeth statue is washing her hands, where in the scene she is trying to wash away blood stains. During COVID, there were even images of Lady Macbeth used as a campaign for people to wash their hands. It was widely shared on social media and became a meme about the need to constantly wash your hands. Each of the characters had their own story and continues to influence people even today. Our next stop was lunch and shopping because we had some free time before our timed entry to his home. We went to MOR for lunch, where I got avocado toast and matcha, which helped me get through the rest of the day. We were then able to explore some of the Shakespeare-themed shops and jewelry stores nearby. 

We also visited the Holy Trinity Church, where Shakespeare is buried. We also got to visit Shakespeare’s childhood home and learned more about his family life. My favorite part of the house tour was with one of the guides, Neal. Learning that his father made gloves for a living because the tour guide said “this is the least favorite room for vegetarians” made me laugh. We were also told by one of the other guides that once Shakespeare inherited the house, he invested in it and rented it out to a man who took over and turned it into a pub for a few years. Seeing and being inside the house helped me picture what his life actually would have been like, including his wife and three kids. It made him feel more like a real person instead of someone we just read about in class.

One funny part of the day was me convincing everyone to go up to the observation tower, because I wanted to see the view of Stratford from above (even though I am a little scared of heights). Half of our group was able to squeeze into the elevator and make our way to the top together. The view overlooking the buildings and water was so pretty and made me appreciate the little ins and outs of the town. I was so glad we were able to make the time to do it because it ended up being one of my favorite parts of the day. 

Being able to just walk through Stratford was also so cool. There were tutor style buildings everywhere, which is a type of architecture. It means the white plaster walls and the exposed wood, and it made the town feel very cozy. We saw this a lot walking around Stratford-upon-Avon because there are many older buildings that have been preserved over the years. One of my favorite parts that I noted was how dog-friendly the area seemed to be. Everywhere that I looked, someone was walking their dogs, and it was so cute to see. 

Overall, today was very cold and rainy, but so beautiful at the same time. It was so cool to be able to stand in some of the same places Shakespeare did, like his house and the theaters, and see all the places that shaped someone who became so famous. I can’t wait to go to London tomorrow!