A STROLL AROUND SHAKESPEARE COUNTY

Today I made a trip to Stratford-upon-Avon.

I never like to go away for the whole of the Easter weekend. You are bound to get stuck in a traffic jam or at an airport scratching
your head frantically and generally tearing your hair out. It is why I had a small chuckle to myself when I heard of all the tailbacks on the Motorway on Friday.

I really don't know the exact reason for wanting to go to
Stratford. There was a time at the beginning of the year where I made a mental list of places in the U.K that I was interested in visiting. Therefore, my mother and I made a visit today.

I am pleased to report that I did not get sucked in by the Shakespeare phenomenon. Naturally as the great man was born in Stratford, the town sees it necessary to sell this fact to tourists and general members of the public by the barrell full. It does seem a little overbearing at times, when you walk around the town.

The tourist info centre generally advises you on four things to do- all involving Shakepeare. However, considering the sheer quantity of Shakespeare plays Mr Rudge and Oakely made me study during A Levels at Sixth Form College, I felt that I had enough knowledge of the man and his works already. Certainly there was nothing to be gained from paying £15, just to look around his house. This was opposite to what I felt when I visited Blenheim Palace three weeks ago. I felt there was much to be learned about both the Duke of Marlborough and about Churchill's life away from the spotlight.

I did manage to see where he William is buried. He has a chancel in Holy Trinity Church, a beautiful 13Th century Parish Church. Of course, we got charged a "voluntary contribution" to go and see where he was laid to rest. But as this amount to 50p, I didn't feel too hard done by. What was quite disappointing though, was that 30 minutes prior to arriving at Holy Trinity, a wedding was taking place. In fact I saw four wedding taking place today. Shame I have been a bystander at a baptism before- perhaps a wedding is next.

We did manage to have a delightful lunch at quite a cosy cafe. It was called the "Courtyard Cafe" and according to the adverts their food was "award winning". Maybe it is but it took a long time to arrive. Nearly an hour before I could tuck into a Baked Potato with Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese and Salad. It was most amusing watching the staff "at work". It basically involved 1. Panicking. 2. Taking an order 3. Forgetting the order 4. Apologising for forgetting the order 5. Panicking 6. Before another apology. The manager must have got stuck on the M40!

All in all though it was a great day. I really did find Stratford a jolly nice place. With the sun shining brightly and the boats gliding willfully down the Avon, it was a relaxing mood. Plus I got to have my first ice cream of the season- now nothing can beat a '99 on a warm day.

Even better when I later heard that Aston Villa had remembered how to win a game, Bangladesh had thrashed the South Africans in the Cricket World Cup and that John Candy was on TV in the highly amusing film "Planes, Trains and Automobiles". There was no Shakespearean tradegy today for Mr O'Rourke. Quite the opposite in fact.