England: All The World’s A Stage
“Today I am traveling to Bath. Much like the characters in Jane Austen’s own novels, I am leaving the hustle and bustle of London to relax near the calming waters of Bath. I am hoping that Bath is a tranquil balm for the stress of London that started to build in me yesterday. I started getting angry and cranky. I don’t want to be that person here, and without anyone else to temper my emotions for me, I have only myself to calm.
I am trying to remember the first Jane Austen novel I read. I don’t think it was Pride and Prejudice. I think the first novel I read was Sense and Sensibility. I remember buying it at a B. Dalton in the mall. It was a hardcover. Sense and Sensibility is a highly underrated novel. It has the intrigue of Pride and Prejudice, the old/young romance of Emma, the romantic solidity of Persuasion, and the wild seaside beauty of Sanditon.” - Journal Entry, 10.08.24
Royal Victoria Park
After five days in London, I began the next leg of my journey. I checked out of my tiny hotel in Kensington and took the Underground to Paddington Station, where I would catch a train to Bath Spa. I arrived at the station with time to spare, so I found a small pub and enjoyed a beer, or two, before catching my train. I was beginning what I hoped to be the relaxing part of the trip. I was heading to Bath after all, where so many of my favorite characters had gone.
I arrived in Bath to grey skies and a spattering of rain, but it did not dampen my enthusiasm for the setting. I came to realize that the weather in England is fickle and rain is quite common, as can be attested by many of my cloudy photos. While at times dreary, the clouds do allow for the spectacular reveal of sun, when she does appear.
I walked a short distance to my hotel, a small but quaint building on Henrietta Street. After a rest, I was out for a walk to explore before dinner. I made reservations at Walcot House and had a lovely dinner there - beef tartar, fig salad, rabbit with farro, and a cheese plate for dessert. You may have noticed, but cheese, and beer, were the two culinary highlights of this trip for me. And England has both in abundance.
I spent three days in Bath before heading to Stratford-upon-Avon to commune with the bard. While in Bath, I visited The Jane Austen Centre - the main attraction for me and the great Roman Baths. I also took a day trip to Stonehenge. I almost didn’t include a visit to Stonehenge in my itinerary. I didn’t realize how much I would have regretted that until I saw it for myself.
My days were filled with sightseeing, and my nights were for trying local beers from the market and rewatching the Harry Potter films. It was indeed the relaxation I was hoping for in Bath. And as I left on the fourth day, the skies turned clear, as they often do when leaving, begging me to stay. But I was off to meet the Bard.
I took a train from Bath to Redding, on to Leamington Spa, and then, finally, to Stratford-upon-Avon. I got a bit turned around trying to locate my apartment in town because unbeknownst to me, I planned my arrival to coincide with the Mop Fair. The town center was full of people, carnival rides, and food stalls. I had expected Shakespeare’s birthplace to be quieter, more austere, but it was all flashing lights and endless noise.
Now, while I don’t dislike a fair, it was not what I had envisioned. The repetitive chant from the ride below my apartment window asking me to “ride the bull” over and over again was a bit annoying, but I survived. After all, I didn’t come for the fair, I came for Shakespeare. Luckily, that story was being told in a different part of town.
I spent only two days in Stratford-upon-Avon, making my time there quite precious. The first day I visited Shakespeare’s Birthplace, his New Place, and Anne Hathaway’s Cottage. I ended my day of Shakespeare with a viewing of Othello at the Royal Theatre. On the second day, I took a day trip to Warwick Castle, a medieval castle in Warwick to the north.
THE HIGHLIGHTS FOR ME WERE:
The Jane Austen Centre
This small museum in the heart of Bath is a tribute to the life and works of Jane Austen. I booked a ticket in advance and arrived at my chosen time. I joined a group of visitors for an introductory talk about Austen’s family life. The group then moved on through the exhibits, which ranged from literary, theatrical, and historical in topic. The final parts of the tour included areas to dress in period garb, write with a quill just like Jane Austen, and pose with a wax version of the author herself. It was delightfully irreverent, for we had not been properly introduced.
The Royal Crescent
Perhaps the most iconic image that comes to my mind when picturing Bath is the row of houses that make up the Royal Crescent. The back drop of many scenes in film, such as in the 1995 adaptation of Persuasion and, more recently, as Penelope’s family home in Bridgerton.
The Roman Baths and Afternoon Tea at the Pump Room
The Roman Baths
Once an ancient temple of Roman Britain, the Roman Baths as a spa destination were completed at the end of the nineteenth century. The site now serves as a museum, allowing visitors insight into this two thousand year old history. The adjacent Pump Room houses a restaurant serving afternoon tea, of which I heartily partook.
Sri Lankan food at The Coconut Tree
I look for any opportunity to try foods that I have never had before, and if that food is also Asian, all the better for me. I found a Sri Lankan restaurant called The Coconut Tree in Bath. And not only did it have adorable cocktails, but it also introduced me to a new dish - the hopper. A thin bowl-shaped pancaked made from rice flour and coconut milk, I tried one with a fried egg and topped with sambal.
In planning my trip, I wasn’t positive if I would make it to Stonehenge. It wasn’t exactly close to London or Bath, so visiting would require an entire day. I took a train from Bath to Salisbury and then a taxi on to Stonehenge. You can walk from the Heritage Museum to the stones or take a bus. I decided to take the bus there and then walk back. I had seen pictures of Stonehenge and knew a little of its history, but nothing prepared me for seeing it in person.
As I walked around the stones, I took my time, listening to the complimentary audio tour, deliberately stopping at each mark to take in every possible view. For 5,000 years, these stones have existed here, in seemingly the middle of nowhere. Set amongst a pastoral scene of tranquility, Stonehenge does seem to have been dropped from the sky, from the prehistoric to the now. And yet, they are very real. I watched as birds alighted atop each stone, cawing ravens flippantly resting on such a monument.
Stonehenge
I also observed a group of young children, clearly on a school field trip, and I marveled at how different all of our lives are. I overhead one of the children yell out excitedly about the birds, “Look” they said. Meanwhile, I was trying to tether my mind back to my body, for how could this be real? In a way, the eyes of a child brought me back to the present, and I too watched the birds.
Click HERE to join me in Stonehenge.
It was only upon purchasing entry into Shakespeare’s Birthplace and childhood home that I realized I could also visit two other important locations - Shakespeare’s New Place and Anne Hathaway’s Cottage. The small home that Shakespeare grew up in is in the heart of Stratford-upon-Avon and was where I began. There is an adjoining museum and a small garden leading to the house’s entrance. The tour through the house was a short one as the house itself is indeed very small, but the museum was much larger with much art and history about his plays.
Stratford-upon-Avon
Shakespeare’s New Place was massive in comparison. The interior of the house was converted into a museum highlighting his family members and their history. While the family history was interesting, my favorite part was the garden and the sculptures scattered throughout. The artwork was commissioned by the Trust, and each piece was inspired by one of Shakespeare’s plays. Walking through the gardens and working out each piece’s literary connection was a very rewarding experience.
The last place I visited was Anne Hathaway’s Cottage. The house was small, a bit larger than Shakespeare’s birthplace, thus the tour was longer. My favorite aspect of the tour came towards the end as we finished in the home’s large kitchen and one of the guides spoke about what foods they would have cooked and eaten at that time. The cottage itself is surrounded by gardens and orchards, which were lovely to walk through. It was quite a well-rounded picture of a very enigmatic man.
Check out my Shakespeare Reel HERE.
Royal Shakespeare Theatre - Othello
To thoroughly complete my day, I visited the Royal Theatre to see Othello. While not one of my favorite plays, seeing any of Shakepeare’s plays performed is a treat. The stage was positioned in the center of the theatre, the audience surrounding it on three sides. The rectangular stage was bare; the performers entered like down a runway direct from the middle or from one of the corners through the crowd.
The only set design occurred as projections on the wall behind. With such a stark and sparse set, the performance of the players was surprisingly more vibrant in contrast. In the final act, a wall of fringe descended upon the stage to form the space wherein Othello murders Desdemona. It was such a subtle, yet effective way of altering the scene.
Warwick Castle
Built by William the Conqueror, Warwick Castle is now a historical landmark and tourist destination. Being a fan of all things medieval, I added this to my agenda. And it did not disappoint! There was so much to do and see here. With castle map in hand, I visited every site I could. The castle dungeons, the great hall and state rooms, the towers and ramparts - I saw it all. Even going so far as to explore the Horrible Histories Maze, which while a bit juvenile was very fun.
Visit Warwick Castle with me HERE.
WHAT I WAS WATCHING: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
WHAT I WAS READING: Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
