The Stratford trip was really fun this weekend. First we stopped at Warwick Castle, which was massive. We saw them demonstrate a real catapult, which was crazy - it really looked like it was just going to come crashing down. My friends and I walked to the top of the castle and saw some really amazing views. The English countryside is unreal.
From Warwick we went to Stratford, which was the cutest little town I have ever seen. Once you filter through all the touristy Shakespeare stuff, the main street is full of pubs that have been in operation since the 1600s and bakeries with the best pastries ever. The river itself is really beautiful too. We went on a little boat cruise along the Avon, and it was the most enchanting thing ever. I did not think that places like that really existed with all of the swans and weeping willows cascading over the river. On Friday night we went to see Twelfth Night at the Royal Shakespeare Company. It was really great, and we had excellent seats. John Lithgow played Malvolio and he was really funny, but I liked the fool the best. It was done with a 1930s theme which I thought would be really weird, but it was so cool. Afterwards we all went to a pub called the Dirty Duck and as I was walking to the bar I wasn't looking where I was going (why do I never look where I'm going) and literally walked right into John Lithgow. The hit kind of resonated too because I was pushing my way through a crowd. It was embarrassing because I did a really obvious double take and realized that I was totally that American girl at an English pub not playing it cool when I see someone famous. Ugh. Very smooth.
The next day we rented row boats and took them out on the river, which was a really great idea in theory, but not so much in practice. See, none of us are really what you would call rowers. The boats we were in were these old traditional row boats and it was just a mess. We rented them for 30 minutes, and by the end we were all soaked. These people who were rowing real boats for crew were really irritated with us. :)
We all stayed at different B&Bs, which were all really charming. I wished that I had been placed at the "Quilts and Croissants" but instead I stayed at "Green Haven". It was really nice though, I've never stayed at a bed and breakfast before. They served us a full English Breakfast, which was strange but good and then we went on a walk of Stratford. We went to Holy Trinity Church and saw Shakespeare's grave, and then wandered along to a little outdoor food market. I got this mango and yogurt tea that was so good I didn't even know what to do with myself. Amazing. After the market, it was back on the bus - or coach, as they are called here - and off to Oxford for us. Apparently the coach drivers here get very offended if you call it a bus, so Bill made sure that we didn't mess up. Sometimes the drivers just pull over to the side of the road and refuse to keep driving. Luckily, that didn't happen.
Oxford was fun too, we were only there for two hours but I found this place called Ben's Cookies and now I know what Heaven would taste like if it were a flavor. They sell the cookies by weight, not piece and they are amazing. There is another one a few tube stops away from our flat and I know that I'm going to end up with a huge canister of the white chocolate chips ones. I can't even deal with it. I went into this cool poster store while I was there, and they sold vintage posters of old book covers. I got a totally sweet Lolita poster. I wanted more, but luckily they have a website so that I can feed my unhealthy obsession. I think I might get two more and then have them all framed and hang them together.
I'm going to lounge in the park today and get some reading done. Tonight we are going to Planet Hollywood for our friend's birthday... good thing I'm going to spend 25 bucks on a burger. It should be a good laugh.
Miss you all.
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1 comment:
Well said.
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