Castles and Graves and Homestays

We got up this morning and returned to Warwick (War-rick) Castle.  We had three hours to explore on our own.  It was very cool.  The castle is celebrating its 1100 birthday this year.  Tracie and I went through the castle and then walked the ramparts and went to the top of one of the towers.  Unfortunately, I left my SD card on the coach so I don't have pictures from that day until Tracie uploads her pictures.  

We had a BBQ lunch (hamburger and a baked potato) right there at the castle, and then we headed down the road to Stratford-Upon-Avon, birthplace of William Shakespeare.  Stratford is very proud of its resident playwright, and everywhere we looked there were references to Shakespeare.  We had about an hour to look around, and then we walked to the church in which Shakespeare is buried.  We stopped in a medieval Catholic church on the way and took some pictures.  When we got to the church where WS is buried, we discovered that you have to pay to see his grave.  It was two pounds, which seems a little ridiculous, but I paid it because I had come 6000 miles and thought I should see it.  The Avon river was very busy with canal boats and lots of little rowboats that you could rent for an hour.  Of course we didn't get to do that.  

On the Avon River.

This made me laugh and reminded me of Granddad!

We left Stratford snd headed for Worchester (WOO-ster) where we were to meet up with our homestay families.  Worchester is where they make Worchestershire sauce, so I knew right off that I was going to love it.  Seth and I stayed with Sally and Ian Langfield and their 16 year old daughter Carys.  They are very friendly.  I was nervous about the homestay because I didn't know what we would talk about.  That turned out not to be a problem since Sally started talking the moment we got in the car and didn't stop until I said I was going to bed at 11:30.  They wanted to show us the cathedral so they took us on a "short walk".  Two hours later we finally got home.  It was nice, though.  We walked down by the river and saw lots of the Queen's swans and more of the canal boats.  

Severn River

Seth, Sally, Carys, and Ian