Stratford upon Avon

Stratford upon Avon.

Once merely a small village which Shakespeare called home, this lovely little town is now a mecca to lovers of literature and theatre. While it may be touristy as all get out, it is simply impossible not to visit Stratford when in England. Once you get past the shops that shamelessly abuse and exploit their connection to the great bard, you find a town that truly loves Shakespeare and takes the theatre very seriously. We were able to see three plays done by the Royal Shakespeare Company while there: Antony and Cleopatra, Romeo and Juliet, and King Lear. Let me just say, all three were simply phenomenal. And King Lear, oh Lear. Not only is this play by far my favorite of Shakespeare’s works, but this production of it was simply out of this world. Beautifully heartbreaking.

The stage set for Antony and Cleopatra

Standing outside the home in which Shakespeare was born.

Another perk of staying in small Stratford is that you seem to bump into the actors quite frequently. I met Lord Capulet in the post office, saw Mercutio and Romeo chatting on a street corner, and talked to King Lear at the pub. I now know the meaning of being star struck. These actors can render 16^th century verse with such feeling and clarity that when you actually meet them and realize they are human your heart just skips a beat or two. When attempting to meet these actors (and by meeting I may mean borderline stalking), it is always useful knowing where to go. Just down the road from the theatre there is a little pub called the Dirty Duck. If you so happen to stop by, you are about one hundred percent sure to meet an actor or two. It seems to be their nightly hangout. I highly recommend it.

And so, when not seeing plays at the theatre, many an hour was spent reading in parks under the shade of high reaching trees, taking walks along the River Avon (Avon is the gaelic word for river, so it literally means The River River), and spending way too much time in book shops. Oh, and also spending way too much time discussing Shakespeare.

Home of Anne Hathaway (Shakespeare's wife)

Now we have come to LONDON! What a city. We’ve been here about 24 hours and already I’ve gone to a music festival (these Londoners love their music), learned to navigate the metro (The Tube I should say), and been completely overwhelmed by all that this city has to offer. We are here for two weeks and I guarantee that I will need every single day to even begin to see all that I want to here. While it is a crowded and dirty city, I must confess that I have already fallen for London. It is so utterly European and so utterly big. I’m not sure how much essay writing or literature reading I’ll be able to do here. Even so, excitement abounds!