Stratford-upon-Avon

Set out from our hotel for St. James’s & the tube. Jan & Bruce we’re just leaving theirs as we hit their corner.
They had discovered it was a haunt of MI 5 & 6, Ian Fleming drank there & Churchill too. It was actually in a Bond film.
Easy trip to Marylebone station, pronounced MAR-LEE-BONE, we learned.

Nice train ride to Leamington Spa. Surprise transfer to a bus for the trip to Stratford-upon-Avon.
Shoutout to the Doubletree for storing our bags.
Half mile walk to Shottery and Anne Hathaway’s cottage. Beautiful gardens.

Her family lived there for almost 400 years. When he courted her it was only three rooms with about ten people living there & no chimney in the kitchen.

We found a nice path from Shottery to Stratford-upon-Avon, visited Trinity church, but didn’t pay to see his grave.

Walked along the river to the Foot Ferry.
I asked to turn the handle & got more than I bargained for. The operator mocked my incompetence by calling me Canadian!

A short walk farther we stopped for an ale at Cox’s Yard.

Then headed through town, stopping only at the Garrick Inn, established in 1594, the oldest pub in Stratford-upon-Avon, for a Shakesbeer bitter.

A lovely cab ride later we arrived at the Volunteer Inn.

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