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act I, scene VII

Lady Macbeth: Ready to kill the king?

Macbeth: No, but you won’t let that stop you.

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Home from one adventure and onto the next.

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June 11 London Museum, Platform 9 3/4, the London Wall

The London Museum in comparison to the British Museum was a lot better. The layout flowed better because it took you from the early days of Roman rule to recent history. So the chronology of the museum made sure you saw everything available. I always love seeing the history of a place, especially somewhere as old as England. From the earliest kings, to the Great Fire of 1666, to the Olympics in 2012, this museum had it all. 

Outside one of the windows, you could even see a piece of the London Wall. This fragment has been around since the times of the Romans, 900+ years ago. We don’t even have sturdy relics from the 1600s. For something so old to be standing after all of these centuries is a testament to how great the history is. I love the fact that we could still see the beginnings of such a great nation.

Although this was not part of the options for free day, we HAD to go to King’s Cross Station. Harry Potter is something arguably everyone in the class grew up with. The line was long, the wait felt like forever, but when it was finally my turn to go up to the platform, I felt my eleven-year-old self burst with excitement. I got my picture at the platform and got to buy something that connected me to my childhood. Overall, this free day was the best of all, mostly because of the train station. But the history and museums come in at a near draw.

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June 10 Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace was a gorgeous place. Originally, we went to see if we could attending the Changing of the Guard. Upon arriving, however, we got to see a fanfare of horns, drums, and bagpipes. The guard there said that the change was more than likely not going to happen, which was understandable. The Queen’s birthday celebration was going to happen on the 17th, so I think what we were looking at was a dress rehearsal for the big day.

I could not help but compare this to the Changing of the Guard back home at Arlington Elementary. Just like the Guard here, the soldiers at Arlington are enlisted soldiers; however, they are a part of a special unit that spend their time protecting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier 24/7. Before I knew what was going on, I couldn’t believe the fanfare that was occurring in front of me. I know it isn’t the same thing, not even in the slightest, but I remember the ceremony being somber. Of course, these are two totally different scenarios, and probably not even the changing, but it was still odd to see so many soldiers in the traditional dress for just a rehearsal for the big day. Next week.

I would not go back, simply because of the poor Irish Wolfhound that looked so uncomfortable to be there. Between all of the people and all of the noise, he looked frightened and trying to get away, and I think at that point we were all ready to go. It was a good experience, but I would not make it my first thing to visit on a return trip.

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June 9 The British Museum. This museum is huge. Unfortunately, I was only able to visit a few rooms. In hindsight, the British Museum is a multi-day trip. Our first room was almost an overview of British conquest and adventures. There were artifacts from across the globe - China, India, Egypt, even from the Caribbean, the English seemed to have been everywhere. Another exhibit we went through was England Through the Ages. From Roman rule to the Tudor age, the exhibit covered everything. The Tudor age even had a hidden Shakespeare bust in a corner. My favorite artifacts from the exhibits we visited were the sarcophagi of Egypt and the Fishpool Hoard from the War of the Roses thay was hidden by the Lancastrians.

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A Performance at The Globe

Now that I have seen all three productions for this trip, I think I can write a review. Although I would love to have written on the RSC's Antony and Cleopatra, I sadly do not remember it clearly thanks to jetlag. What I can say is that the leads had wonderful chemistry and the final act was more thrilling performed than merely reading it from the page. This review will be on Twelfth Night at Shakespeare's Globe on 7 June. A comedy, the play is littered with cross-dressing, love triangles, and questionable fashion choices. The story of a young woman disguised as a man for protection and in the process gets tangled into a love triangle with Orsino and Olivia. The production was a contemporary masterpiece by Emma Rice. I loved the fact that it broke away from tradition and was performed in a modern light instead of the traditional Elizabethan garb and pageantry. I love the incorporation of music and movement. From the tape made by Orsino for Olivia to the opening and ending, if ever there was a play to fit music into, I do believe Twelfth Night is it. A recurring theme was also water. A play about a shipwreck, the transition between scenes or settings moved fluidly through the actors "becoming the waves." A new and weird concept, but it worked Then there are the characters. Hands down, Feste is my favorite. The use of a Drag Queen and the almost omnipotence that Rice gives him makes the character out to be bigger than he is in the play. As seen in many of Shakespeare's plays, the clown is usually the one with the most sense in the cast. And by allowing Feste to have a larger than life personality really brought the character to life.

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June 6, Westminster Abbey and the London Eye I think the most amazing thing about the Abbey is its history. This building is older than anything I have ever set foot in. The architecture is astonishing. It is hard to believe that man can create such beautiful, lasting art like this. Besides the age, the fact that the building is home to thousands of bodies is a cause for concern and also wonder. Kings and Queens have been buried there. Elizabeth I and even Edward I lay at rest there. That alone spans hundreds of years. It was almost surreal to see these names from history, be it Royalty or Darwin, all in one place despite the centuries between their lives. To end the day we rode on the London Eye, a modern attraction. It was the perfect day to go since there was no cloud coverage (but the hurricane winds are another story). I would have never gone in the Eye by myself if given the chance, so I'm happy it was an option on the trip.

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Havilands: A Cultural Experience While in Stratford-Upon-Avon, we stumbled upon this great little tea room called Havilands. Not knowing what to expect (other than knowing whatever they were making smelled amazing) we stopped in for lunch. It was a small space with a patio seating area. The staff were amazing - all very kind and personable. And also beautiful, but that's another matter entirely. Our first time there we ordered sandwiches and tea, failing to realize that they also offered High Tea. So we decided to go back before we left for London to experience something that was very English in tradition. Monday before we left we went to have our High Tea. It was AH-MAZING. They brought out a tower of food, which I had always seen whenever High Tea was mentioned in a movie or television show. The bottom tier was sandwiches, the middle scones, and the top was an assortment of cakes. The presentation itself was great. One thing about Havilands is that they have an eclectic vibe that we loved. None of the china matched and the whole room was painted a light green. Although this High Tea was fairly casual, one could only imagine how a more traditional High Tea would be like. The casual, relaxed atmosphere was a great introduction to this tradition. The food itself was never a disappointment. The Coronation Chicken is by far one of the best sandwiches I have ever had. Definitely try it if you get the chance. The sandwiches themselves were small enough to allow you to try everything, but not be so full you cannot finish the meal. The scones were great, too. And we learned that day that clotted cream was a whipped type of butter (D. was not impressed, which was hilarious). You used the clotted cream and jam on the scones together, not apart or else it did not taste as fulfilling. And of course the cakes were delicious. They felt like fudge or a cookie bar, not what I was expecting when I thought of 'cake.' Overall, if I only have High Tea once, I am glad to say it was in a small tea room like Havilands. The service was great, the owner was wonderful (he asked a man to move so that we may sit together despite us only ever visiting once), and the food was to die for. If I were to ever return to Stratford, which I am sure I will, I would have to make a stop back and eat at Havilands again, especially since they plan on expanding their dining area.

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June 4 - Anne Hathaway's Cottage and Warwick Castle June 4th started out with a trip to Anne Hathaway's cottage. Ann, Shakespeare's wife, would have lived here until her marriage. The cottage is set up as more of a historical timeline than a tourist attraction - it shows you how the house has expanded and changed until the Victorian Era. I believe one of the tour guides said that the Hathaway family had lived there for thirteen generations. The surrounding land was also beautiful, with a giant crescent moon-like bench being my favorite. The gardens also featured many statues that pertained to Shakespare's plays: Falstaff's belly and Titania and Burrow being just some of many. After the cottage, we went to Warwick Castle. It was amazing to see a real life castle. The grounds had a small maze that you could wander as soon as you entered, which went through certain time periods like the World War, the Plague, and the Witch Trials. The park employees were all in costume, which lead to the discovery of a medieval Disney World vibe. In the castle there were many wax figures in every room, and the joust that focused on the War of the Roses, felt more like a gimmick than a historical show. I did love going through the castle and seeing the paintings and artifacts though. Coming from a country that boasts a 200-some odd history, going to Warwick Castle, which has been around since 1068, was amazing.

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June 3, pt 2 I know this has nothing to do with the trip, but I took these and couldn't just let them sit unused. The flowers above all came from New Place, Shakespeare's home in Stratford. As stated in my last blog, there is no home on the site, for the vicar that lived there after the Bard had it torn down. In its place is a beautiful garden that pays homage to the playwright through its landscape and the statues and murals on the land. In a place that is reportedly dreary and wet all the time (something that has been proving, for the most part, to be true) this is a beautiful pop of color and vibrance.

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June 3, pt 1.

The first day was amazing. 68 and sunny! IN ENGLAND?! All of the rumours were false! The first stop (after breakfast, of course) was The Birthplace. It was Shakespeare’s first home in Stratford-Upon-Avon and where he and his wife Anne lives at the beginning of their marriage. Ridiculously old, but so interesting. They even had original furniture that Shakespeare himself had used. 400 year old furniture? That’s impressive.

After that was New Place. It was the largest home in Stratford-Upon-Avon. But because there were so many foundations from different buildings and additions, as well as unknown floorplans for the second floor, there is no house. Instead, there is a beautiful garden. And I mean stunning. The statues, the flowers, it was all amazing. And although there was no real link to Shakespeare (other than the land itself), the bronzed lines that outlined the original foundation were enough to get the imagination going.

Finally there was Trinity Church were the Bard is buried. It was somber, but very quick. I loved the visit and to see the famous message he left for potential grave robbers, but it was quite underwhelming. Which makes sense, because it is a church after all.

Of all three, I would definitely say that New Place was my favorite. Because who doesn’t like a beautiful garden linked to Shakespeare and his legacy in sunny Stratford-Upon-Avon?

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We're going to take a quick journey through the last three days. Get ready for some picture overload. All photos photos posted in these personal blogs are my own, unless stated otherwise.

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My first time abroad, or at least by myself as an adult. I've gone to the Dominican Republic for family, but that was for a mere five days. How do you pack for 16 days abroad? Especially when you only plan to use a carry on? It seems difficult, but it is possible. With a little bit of Tetris-ing about, that is. Now it's just getting those final touches done. Itinerary printed, passport put away. That 3-1-1 rule figured out and stuffed to the brim. Plus, room for snacks. It looks like a mess -- nay, this is a mess. But it's gonna get packed away... sooner or later.

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David Tennant Explains Why Shakespeare Still Matters

“Are you one of those people who thinks Shakespeare didn’t write Shakespeare?

“I don’t really care.”