to be or not to be

     We have spent the last few days in Stratford upon Avon, the home of Shakespeare and not much else. The whole town is centered around Shakespeare, with more references to his works in one glance around the block than you have probably ever seen. Our teachers told us that this is the time when most students catch up on their rest during a little hiatus from the big city. We proved them wrong. Stratford turned out to be the some of the most fun times we’ve had yet. When we got there on Wednesday afternoon, we checked into our respective bed and breakfasts (SO CUTE) and headed out to take a look around town. We ate at a small café and covered the extent of town within an hour or two, stopping in stores such as “Poundland” where everything is a pound—comparable to the dollar tree. Then the gang met up at a pub before going to see Morte d’Arthur, a four hour play. Many of us (including one of the teachers) opted to sneak out after the first of FOUR intermissions. We headed to the pub next door and watched the soccer game instead. Afterward, we discovered the Bureau-- a cool little club near our B&B—and we were the only ones there so we got to choose the music and talk to the bartenders.

     The next day we had to be up early for a tour of Shakespeare’s birthplace and grave. We were all relatively excited about this, but when we got up from the best sleep and breakfasts of our lives to find that this MIGHT have been Shakespeare’s birthplace, that what we were looking at MAY have been his ring…we were ready to peace out and find our own adventures. Later that day, our professor Mark gave a beer seminar as we sat by the river. It was actually very enlightening. Then, the best part—I spotted a place to rent canoes! Paul, Morgan, Casey and I got one and headed out. It was so much fun! We saw Shakespeare's grave and church and waterfall. When we got out, we got ice cream and walked along the river. It was a perfect day! As it grew dark (at 10PM) all 29 of us headed back to the Bureau. I will not attempt to describe how much fun we had last night.

     The bus pulled up to one of the most beautiful palaces in Europe at 11AM, and everyone stumbled out gracelessly. The Blenheim palace was one of very few that Hitler did not destroy because he wanted it to be his when he was in total power. We wandered around for hours before crashing under the shade of a huge tree in the formal garden. We probably made a pretty funny sight—29 college kids sleeping under a tree in one of the most historical and gorgeous sites in England.