We checked out and left our bags locked up in the lobby. We walked around the block to the house where Shakespeare was born.
House where Shakespeare was born - later expanded into an inn.
This is what I expected Stratford to look like. Unfortunately, the town changed with the times altho there are still several old buildings.
We took a tour of the house - I saw a guy with a cape standing outside in the garden when I looked out the window. People were looking at him and walking by. When we got outside, I asked him if he recited Shakespeare. He asked what I would like to hear. I asked him what he liked to recite. Next thing, he launched into one of Shakespeare's sonnets - right there where Shakespeare was born!!
He told me that he was majoring in Shakespeare in school. He was hired for the year - he has to memorize the soliloquys and some of the scenes from Shakespeare's plays. He was joined by an actress.
Outside in the garden.
She performed something. Then they decided to perform the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet!
They were so good! They really made the visit to the house special!
Then we decided to walk down to the River Avon and see what Patty was up to. We didn't have enough time to see everything because we were going to stop at Blenheim Palace on the way back to Oxford, but I wanted to see the church where Shakespeare was buried.
Henley Street
Live knight captivated Jody!!
We passed some interesting shops as we headed for the river - unfortunately, no time to browse on this trip - next time!
Stratford has a great river area - parks on both sides of the river. And today there was a market with all kinds of stalls.
We met up with Patty and took a round trip ride on the chain ferry across the Avon River. Don't let this fool you - the distance is not that far, but if you want to get from one side of the river to the other, you have a long walk around - hence this little ferry.
Patty had already been to the church so Jody and I walked down to see where Shakespeare was buried.
I love the old churches in Europe - the statues, carvings, stained glass windows.
Shakespeare hung on the wall to the right of his grave.
We walked back through the park to meet Patty. She had checked out of the Arden Hotel so we jumped into her car and headed back to the White Swan to pick up our bags. Then we were off to Oxford again. Or were we? Jody had forgotten her phone charger. I had brought my charged and plugged my phone in last night in the hotel. Unfortunately, I just remembered that I had forgotten to hit the button to turn on the electricity! In Europe many electrical outlets have buttons you push to open the electricity to the plug. So even though I had brought my adapter, when I plugged in my phone I had no electricity - so my phone had very little charge. Patty had anticipated this and had looked up directions to Blenheim Palace last night while Jody and I were at the play - she had them written out on a piece of paper. I had a portable battery charger in my bag so I pulled that out and started charging my phone.
We found Woodstock - there was a street festival going on and the town was packed. I was surprised that the Palace gate was right there in the town. I thought it would be out in the country. We pulled up to the entrance and heard the disappointing news that there was a marathon on the Palace grounds so we could not pull in. The guard told us to find a place to park in town!! So Patty turned around - there wasn't a parking place to be found. I didn't have a signal on my phone to look up a map of the area. We decided to just head back to Oxford and poke around a while.
What traffic! Yesterday there were graduations and lots of people. I didn't expect so many people or cars today!! We finally pulled into a parking garage near the Randolph Hotel. We walked to Exeter College and went into the quadrangle - this was where Morse died - we had to see this hallowed spot.
Exeter College quadrangle where Morse had his heart attack.
Entrance to student residence
Chapel
After paying our respects to Inspector Morse's last scene, we decided to do what he so often did - have a pint to help us think. So we headed toward The Randolph where Morse was known to have raised a glass.
Picture of Morse and another with Sir John Gielgud who played
a character in the Twilight of the Gods episode.
Morse on one side - Hathaway and Lewis on the other side.
Lewis and Morse, I presume?
We found our car in the car park and headed back to Avis. We dropped the car off and walked back to the train station. There was a train to London at 6 pm. We grabbed some snacks and sat for a while. A chap joined us and told us that the 6 pm was always very crowded. We prepared ourselves to run down the platform to find a car with seats. Unfortunately, everyone else had the same idea and there were NO seats. Patty and I were jammed into the end of the car in front of the toilet - Jody was closer to the exit door. There were people sitting on the floor, in the aisles, under the luggage rack - for 2 hours!! At one point Patty suggested that I go sit on the toilet - she would tell people it was occupied!!
One woman was complaining that the Great Western Railway had overbooked the train, there were reserved seats and no one sitting in them (that did not last long,) no one had told her how crowded the train would be, it was an accident waiting to happen. All legitimate complaints but not in that whining voice! She was very nasty to the conductor - really, what could he do at that point. Her husband said that they could take the next train, but she didn't want to wait that long - she wanted to go home. I was so happy to see the end of her!!
We finally made it to Paddington Station in one piece. We took the tube to Vauxhall and our little apartment was so welcoming!!
We want to see the Imperial War museum tomorrow. Patty's grandson Jared wants a picture from the top of the London Eye - which was not high on my bucket list - but why not! Jody mentioned going to another market so we may do that in the afternoon. But let's go to bed now.
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