a real post :) finally!

I had a fabulous time in England! M always makes it wonderful for me, both just staying in his flat and going out and playing tourist.

We went to Birmingham, to the city centre, or downtown area and we took pictures. We went in places, such as a church, that is older than the USA. I love the old archetecture and could have spent hours just laying in the middle of the floor noticing all the details. There were garoyles and faces carved out of the stone pillars and the window frames. There were beautiful windows, and one was saved right before a bombing during WWII. We went to a catholic church next and I don't think that I have ever seen so much goldleafing in one place before-was a bit gawdy (Ha! pun intended!)


We then went to a nice downstairs pub for a pub lunch and a pint. I fell in love with Guiness Draught Cold-one pint went quickly and I was tipsy. I had fish and chips as per my usual :) I think that the pub building was also older than the USA judging by the beams and construction.

That is one thing that I both like and worry about, that a lot of their listed or historical buildings are still being used today rather than being an empty museum piece. I worry about the wear and tear done to the building, however as a greedy American tourist, I love that they are still open and that I don't have to pay to get in them.

M had to work a few of the days that I was there, so I would sit on the top deck of the double decker and take pictures and play tourist (I would also go down and make out with my favorite busdriver whilst he was on his breaks, LOL, M and I would give the closed circuit cameras something to watch---oh so naughty we were!)

We went to Stratford-upon-Avon again. For those of you who don't know your English Lit and it's history, that is where William Shakespeare was born, and was married. We went around on a tour bus to 3 of the main historical sites. Last year we tried to cram in as many as we could in less than half the time we had this year. We opted to slow it down this year, mosey around and enjoy the sites.

First stop was Anne Hathaway's cottage.






This was the childhood home of Shakespeare's wife and courted her here. She was 26 years old and he just 18 when they married. The Shakespeares never lived here, nor was it ever Anne's farm house, her decendants were smart in knowing that tourists coming to Stratford would want to see anything still surviving that was related to Shakespeare himself. It was renamed Anne Hathaway's cottage to play on the quiantness of the house and farm. The Gardens are BEAUTIFUL and a horticulturalist's dream, and a gardener's nightmare, LOL!

I am going to end this entry and start the next at Mary Arden's Farm.