Blogging
From Abroad

On Sunday we went to Stratford-upon-Avon…....a.k.a. Land of Shakespeare. First stop was Mary Arden’s home.

This was the mother of William Shakespeare. I personally could have spent all day at this place. It was in the middle of the countryside and they were running it like it was back in the days of Mary Arden’s life. There were men training the cattle to pull carts and plows. Chickens and a rooster in the backyard and a bonified haystack! (That was probably what I got the biggest kick out of..I’m a loser I know) :-)
Next stop was the home of Anne Hathaway (the wife of ol’ Billy).

The house has actually been added onto quite a bit by her brother of two years. There was an actual thatch roof made out of the same material that it would have been made out of when Anne lived there. Also you could see where they had carved their initials into the wood on certain doors and beams.
Next stop was the birthplace of William Shakespeare.

This place is surrounded by loads of little shops and isn’t in the country like the other two homes. I really didn’t like his home as much because it seemed really done up for the tour. It didn’t seem very authentic to me and I didn’t get a feeling like I was really in his home while I was there. The one cool thing in the birthing room (in his home) was a large window that had tons of peoples’ names etched into it. These are people who had just visited the house (ex. Tennyson, Emerson,
Thoreau….I wish I could remember more. Basically every classic writer who existed).
After that tour we made the 10 minute (briskly walking) walk to the Holy Trinity Church. Entrance was only 50 pence and inside are the graves of William Shakespeare, his wife, Anne Hathaway, and one of their children (maybe more I can’t remember). It was a beautiful church, but when walking up the path to the front entrance you are surrounded on either side by old, old graves.

It was very eery.
Overall, I really enjoyed the day! I would recommend a driving trip to Stratford because the countryside on the way is beautiful.