Well having been back from Turkey for only two days I was off again.

I had to go to Cheltenham to collect a bag of clothes that I had left there when I first arrived.
The bus ride to Cheltenham was three hours and I figured if I was going all that way I may as well do something while I was out there.

Tourist map showing the attractions Tanya visited

After a bit of looking around I discovered that Stratford-upon-Avon was only about an hour away.
My friend Amanda decided to come with me.

I also decided to see a show while I was up there and booked a ticket to see "Romeo and Juliet" at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

We got to Cheltenham and had a traditional 'bangers and mash' lunch at a pub and then walked to Enid’s.
Unfortunately she was away for the long weekend but had left the bag out for me - it was bigger than I remembered and Amanda and I had to carry it together - lucky she came with me.

We then had to wait for the bus so we went and sat in a coffee shop for a while.

Photos and a few details on where Tanya stayed (two photos)

We got to Stratford and caught a taxi to Eversely Bears Guest House.
It is a B&B with a world famous teddy bear collection - they were everywhere - in the front garden, on the light switches, on the door stops, the stair banisters!

We basically had to change and go straight to the Theatre which we could see from the front door of the B & B but it was about a 10 minute walk away.

The Theatre--- and inside before the performance

Amanda and I were sitting in the cheap seats and were in different places because she decided to come after I had booked but that was no problem.
We had a really good view and I really enjoyed the show.

The actor that played the Prince was great and I also impressed with "Romeo and Juliet" (as I should have been I guess).

After the show we walked out of the theatre which opened onto a walkway by the Avon.
It was quite foggy and looked lovely.

We then went and found a place for dinner and completely stuffed ourselves with pasta and cake and went home.

Breakfast was served between 8.30am and 9.00am in the morning so we went down to fresh juice, coffee, tea, cereal, bacon, eggs, tomato, toast and beans.
It was really good.

We then headed off for the day (after the owners kindly agreed to let us leave the bags there so we did have to lug them around all day - that would have really sucked!!)

Brochure with details and photos

The home (three photos)

We walked by Hall’s Croft but didn’t go in.
It was a lovely old house lived in by Shakespeare’s son-in-law who was the town doctor.

Along the river with the Church in the background

We then headed down to Holy Trinity Church as that is where his grave is.
It was a Sunday morning and there was a service on so we weren’t allowed in until 12.00am so we wandered back towards town along the river.
It was so beautiful.

Boats with names from Shakespeare's plays

Mr Duck - and Mrs Duck with the kids (two photos)

--Willows by the Avon-- (two photos)

Tanya by the river

There were lots of parks and families and little boats and ducks and weeping willows.
It was really pretty.

Brochure with details and photos

Tanya at the entrance--- The home (two photos)

Rear and the gardens (two photos)- Tanya in the gardens

Some of the gardens around the home

Postcard from Tanya

We got to Shakespeare’s birthplace and after taking photos outside we went in.
It was a lovely old house as you will see from the photos.
The floors were old and creaky and leaning and it was really interesting to see the old furniture.

"I loved the woodwork" (two photos)

After hanging around in the garden out the back a bit we went and found a pub for lunch.

Brochure with details and photos

The Cottage (three photos)--- The thatched roof

Tanya at the front of the Cottage (two photos)

--Postcards from Tanya--

After that we walked the 2 miles or so to Anne Hathaway’s Cottage which is where his wife grew up.
It was my favourite of the two.
The thatched roof is so different to anything you see at home.

Some of the garden- "An artistic shot"- "The Great Britain"

"A bamboo hut thingy!"

Tanya and Amanda----- Tanya just relaxing!!!

The gardens were beautiful.

--- --- ---

"I liked this chair"--- "What the walls are made of"

We wandered around in there for ages and took more illegal photos but it was lovely.
Crooked, creaky floors upstairs and sloping stone floors downstairs.
A guide told us they used to clean the chimneys by dropping a chicken down from the top and she would flap her wings the whole way down!
I thought that was quite funny!

Tanya with Lady Macbeth--- Hamlet--- Shakespeare

Court Jester - and Tanya interviewing for the job!!!

Park and canal boats

We walked back towards town and brought an ice cream off a street vendor and then went and sat in the church grounds by the river and ate them watching boys trying to be cool taking girls rowing on the river.
Watching them try to go back upstream was very amusing!

----The Church---- (two photos)

Shakespeare's Grave (two internet photos)-- Shakespeare's Monument

One of the graves in the cemetery

We then went into the Church and saw the graves of Shakespeare and his wife.
We weren’t allowed to take photos in there and as it was a church we weren’t brave enough to take illegal ones!

After that we went back to the B & B and got the bags and went to the train station to go home.

The train ride through the country was lovely and then it was back to London.

I wasn’t feeling very well and had sneezed about a thousand times but Stratford-upon-Avon is beautiful.
It would be a lovely place to visit in the summer and picnic by the river!
Tanya.