Today, we will take you on a trip to England, specifically to the small and charming town of Stratford-upon-Avon, located in the county of Warwickshire in the English Midlands. Stratford-upon-Avon is easily accessible by train from Birmingham, Warwick, or even London. If you are in London and have some free time, you can take a train from Marylebone Station, which takes approximately two and a half hours, with a transfer at Leamington Spa. While the journey from London may not be the most convenient, it is certainly doable. Alternatively, if you prefer to drive, you can take the M40 motorway north for approximately 164 kilometers.

This small town is surprisingly popular with tourists, especially on weekends. You might consider visiting Birmingham first (I happen to be a fan of Aston Villa, so I stopped in Birmingham first. I'll share a review of Birmingham with you later). The town's significance as a tourist destination lies in its well-preserved Tudor houses. More importantly, it is the birthplace of William Shakespeare, the renowned English poet and author of the world-famous Romeo and Juliet. Today, the town is home to the headquarters of the company that manages Shakespeare's literary copyrights. The picture you see is of the character "Joker" from As You Like It, which King Rama VI of Thailand translated into a royal composition titled "ตามใจท่าน" (Follow Your Heart).

I must confess that it has been several years since I last visited England (it was the year the Icelandic volcano erupted, and we were stranded in England during the political protests that involved burning fields. When we were about to leave, the English even wanted us to stay longer, saying it was dangerous to return to Thailand. They didn't know that the incident only happened in the city center, not the whole country. Anyway...). So, I don't know how much the city has changed since then. Let's just pretend we're taking a time machine or doing some homework before anyone goes to England. Speaking of England, the main concerns for tourists are transportation and weather. For transportation, we traveled by train on all routes, which was safe, modern, and worry-free. Although the English themselves were surprised when we told them we were traveling by train. As for the weather, we have to be prepared, as the country is an island, and the weather changes frequently from snow, rain, cold, and sun. Let's just say that during our almost 20-day trip, it only rained for 3 days. The rest of the time, the sky was overcast, but by the afternoon, the sun was shining brightly.

However, as we left Birmingham, it started to rain heavily. We wondered if we would make it to SUA, but we didn't want to change our schedule, so we decided to go for it. Fortunately, not long after the downpour, the sky cleared up beautifully. From Birmingham, we took a train for about half an hour and arrived at the station. As you can see from the picture, the station still retains its provincial style. The station is not located in the city center, so we had to walk into town for almost a kilometer. Alternatively, we could have taken a bus, but we decided to walk and enjoy the atmosphere of the town before entering the old town. Oh, I think if you go today, there will be bicycles for rent to ride around the city. Even though it's a small town, it's quite a walk.

There are many Stratford towns in England, but this one must be Stratford upon Avon because the River Avon, one of England's major rivers, flows through it, especially as a historical stream. The word Strat-ford itself is an ancient Celtic word that means something like a place where a river cuts through the middle of a town. Let's call this city SUA for short. Although it is a small town, it has been a famous ancient community since ancient times. It is a city on the way to London, an industrial city, and the birthplace of Shakespeare, as mentioned earlier. Therefore, the city has a modern part and an Old Town where we will go for a walk. Oh, the whole city has a total population of no less than 25,000 people.

The old town is not very big, you can walk around and see the city in two or three hours. If you have extra time, you can buy a city tour. It's a car ride that not only saves you from getting tired, but now the tour also takes you outside the city. Because nearby is the Shottery village, which is the home of Ann Hatthaway. But this Ann is not the beautiful and talented actress from the Princess's Diary and Les Misérables. She is Shakespeare's wife. They have the same name.

This is the house of Shakespeare, the great playwright who wrote Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Julius Caesar, and many other famous plays. The house was built in the 16th century, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. It is now a museum, and visitors can see the rooms where Shakespeare lived and worked. Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564. He married Anne Hathaway in 1582, and they had three children. Shakespeare died in 1616, at the age of 52.

Tourists can visit Shakespeare's house, and some tours include performances in the garden. However, let's explore other parts of the city and head to the River Avon. We can take a break and have lunch by the river, where we can see the highlight of Stratford-upon-Avon, Clopton Bridge. This ancient bridge, built in 1480, was a vital route to London as Stratford's prosperity grew. It was destroyed to halt Oliver Cromwell's army and rebuilt in 1827. The bridge's iconic feature is its 14 arches.

The air by the Avon River is pleasantly cool, especially with the warm sunshine. It makes one want to take a nap by the water's edge. In Bancroft Garden, by the river, there is a fountain called the Christian Lee Fountain, which depicts a pair of swans. I don't know who he was, but he built this fountain to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the Market Protection Act.

Not far from the garden and by the river, this is the last stop of our tour today. It is the city's main church, Holy Trinity Church, or the Church of the Holy Trinity of Stratford. It is a Roman Catholic church located more than a kilometer from the old town. It is within walking distance. This church is also the burial place of the great poet.

Our short tour of SUA concludes today. We leave you with some relaxing riverside views and other glimpses of the city before moving on to other reviews. If you're staying overnight, consider taking a sunset boat tour on the river and listening to spooky ghost stories. England is notorious for its haunted locations. As for me, I'm taking my leave. Until next time, farewell!

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