London may have the replica 'Globe' theatre, but nowhere does The Bard quite like Stratford Upon Avon. And we tourists flock in throngs to see the 'official' (and very picturesque) Shakespearean properties: 'the Birthplace'; the home of his mother, Mary Arden; and Anne Hathaway's cottage. (Anne Hathaway was Shakespeare's long-suffering and little mentioned wife, who was seriously dudded in his will, receiving only 'my second best bed'...).
My nearly-sister-in-law Nicola had the genius idea of hiring bicycles to get around the outlying places, which were up to 4 miles from town. At least, it was genius for me, because I rode lots at home. Nic, however, hadn't been on a bike in nearly 15 years, and was very brave about the ensuing saddle soreness. Undaunted, we braved the mad traffic on the Avon river and hired a rowboat on the Sunday afternoon, which we both did okay at. Nic's rowing experiences in highschool definitely showed - she was lots faster than I was. But then, I wasn't the one that ran into the bridge...
But the best bit was going to see a play. Not just any play. And not just any players. Stratford is the home of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre Company. We scored tickets to The Tempest. And Patrick Stewart (yes, of star trek fame) played Prospero! Unbeknownst to most people outside England, Patrick Stewart was a Shakespearean stage star long before he was a cult hero - he was a RSTC regular for nearly 20 years. Famous players aside, this was probably the most polished stage performance I have ever seen. Every gorgeous detail of sight and sound, staging and spoken word - just gorgeous.
Nic and I were so inspired we both went out and bought Shakespeare's complete works. I'm still only up to Sonnet 23....
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