What a Shakespearenice!

As the famous William Shakespeare once wrote in his play Julius Caesar.... Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears! (Act 3, scene 2, 74). After our trip to Stratford-upon-avon it is fair to say we were injected with the Shakespeare bug. It's everywhere up there!!! With 3 theatres dedicated to putting on Shakespeare performances and every shop, cafe and even stationary (!) having some reference to him, or his plays it felt like the whole world had gone Shakespeare mad.

After checking into our delightful B&B we were greeted by our warm, however overwhelming hostess, who henceforth referred to us as Jarratt and Beckie, and we all know how much I love that!! After we dumped our bags we headed into the market square where we saw ANOTHER Christmas market and bought the best lunch ever! A pork roll, complete with stuffing, apple sauce and crackling! Afterwards we headed to 3 of the 5 Shakespeare houses that are located in and around Stratford. The first we visited was Shakespeares birthplace, then Nash House and the site of New Place, finishing in Halls Croft. Each house visited had a guide member done up in traditional victorian dress who gave information about the room they were assigned to. At Halls Croft the gentleman assigned to give a brief overview of the house was a particular highlight. He was full of idioms, irony and sarcastic quips that managed to really amuse him, but not many others.

We then headed to Shakespeares burial site, Holy Trinity Church, where we entered through the wrong entrance and managed to avoid paying the viewing fee. Whoops! Anne Hathaway, Thomas Nash, Suzannah Shakespeare and John Hall are also buried there. There is also a copy of the register showing the baptism and burial dates of Shakespeare himself. After leaving the church we wander down the Avon, past the Courtyard and Swan Theatres. We then spent time strolling the Christmas-lit streets, before having dinner and heading to the Civic Hall. At the Civic Hall we had front row, centre seats to a performance entitled "Noughts and Crosses", a modern adaptation of Romeo and Juliet.

Our final day in Stratford was spent trying to hurdle our MASSIVE B&B breakfast, seeing Anne Hathaways Cottage and maze garden, as well as having a private viewing of "Shakespearenice". We then headed to the train station and onwards to Peter Garcia and Suzies for an orphan's Christmas dinner we will never forget!!!

Bec and the best lunch ever!

Us at Shakespeare's birthplace.

Shakespeare's burial site.

Us-upon-avon.