Today was our trip to Stratford upon Avon, it was a one hour trip to the small town if we took the tube. The tube is another word for the train in the United Kingdom, and I personally like it better because it has a certain vibe to it. We walked to the station and boarded our tube to Stratford and were very excited for this upcoming adventure. Ruby, Meredith and I found two rows that faced each other, just like the Hogwarts Express cabin, which we roleplayed as wizards going to school. After Oxford we have been in the magical mood, taking Hogwarts Sorting House quizzes to see our determined houses. Mine was obviously Slytherin so that was not a surprise but the other two were Gryfinndors which killed my mood for a little bit before arriving at Stratford upon Avon. 

Tim, our previous guide at Blenheim Palace and Oxford, met us at the statues of William Shakespeare, his family, and friends. Stratford upon Avon is famous due to the most influential  English sonneteer in history, Shakespeare, being born and buried here. Even though he spent most of his time in London, our next location on the trip, he left a large impact on Stratford helping them grow in popularity which increases tourists rates then profit. That chain of events shows how big of an impact Shakespeare’s career left on the economy of England.

Even though I was enjoying the sightseeing, the day was a nonstop battle with the weather. It was not just regular rain, it was rain coming aggressively down in a diagonal pattern. Ruby and I were fighting to not get soaked at every angle under our little umbrella. We looked at the rivers and canals through the town and learned that the name of the town, “Stratford upon Avon” means the street that meets upon the river. This name comes from the canals that loop through the entire town, promoting transportation back in the day. When the intensity of the weather started to increase, we went to one of the larger buildings in the town. It was the Shakespeare’s Theater which had a beautiful view on the eighth floor, many if not most of William Shakespears plays. My favorites are definitely Macbeth, Romeo&Juliet, and Hamnet.

We took our lunch and shop break, and definitely made the most of it. Ruby, Meredith, and I went to the Boston Tea Party, a cute little restaurant we got lunch at. I ordered an iced strawberry matcha and a massive quesadilla that satisfied my hunger. The constant walking has made me so hungry everyday, so I need to eat 3 large meals a day and snacks to stay content. I am beyond grateful Dr. Marks and Michele are always carrying around some sort of granola bar or cookie with them at all times. We then went to one of the tea shops to taste all of the hot chocolate and tea samples they offer. I have really liked the tea here because there are so many times set aside to have tea during or after meals and even just random breaks during the day. The girls and I visited some local Shakespeare stores selling all the good, on theme merch that I just had to buy. My favorite purchase I have got myself is a poster for my apartment with a Shakespeare quote saying, “love is blind and lovers cannot see the pretty follies that themselves commit” quoted from his play The Merchant of Venice. This quote in simpler terms focuses on the actions people make when blinded by love. Which is an interesting reminder to some that love can make you do crazy things, especially when the people are written by William Shakespeare. 

After our well spent break we ended the day with the best part, we went into William’s birthplace. It was the exact house with a small extension on the side, but still the same rooms and furniture used when William Shakespeare was just a young boy before his writing career blew up. The extension of the house was created to open an Inn and make business from the popularity William had brought the town. He leased the house after his death in 1601 for the Inn to be created but was eventually turned into the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust that now currently runs the tours we went on. Just like the Harry Potter filming scenes, it was just as crazy to be standing and walking exactly where Shakespeare grew up. I have definitely enjoyed all these once in a lifetime opportunities. One more lecture at BCU until our last stop on our trip: London!