Stratford-Upon-Avon:
Definitely worth seeing. A bit touristy, but what else would you expect in Shakespeare’s old stomping grounds. With some lovely old buildings (including The Bard’s childhood house) and at least one world-class theatrical performance a day it is a nice place to spend a summer day.
Oxford:
Incredible. This place puts every college/college town in the United States to shame. Just walking around the city, in and out of the different college courtyards, and the fields and canals around Christ Church College are enough to occupy at least a day and make one wish to stay for much longer. I am going to start grooming Grace to attend the university in 17 years. On a historical and little known note, Oxford was the only city of some size and importance that was not bombed at all during the Second World War. The reason for this was that Hitler, assuming he would eventually conquer the UK, wanted an intact city of some beauty and importance to be his British capitol. Fortunately, Hitler did not achieve that conquest and Oxford remains one of the few British cities to survive the war.
Edinburgh:
Old, old, old! Even the dirt on the buildings is neat because it has been accumulating for centuries. Edinburgh is the epicenter of Scotland and Scottish history. From the newly established Scottish Parliament (a truly awful building—one of the few) to the ancient graveyards and Edinburgh Castle, the city is a mix of heritage and progress. It is also situated in a perfect place: on a bay of the North Sea and on the doorstep of Arthur’s Seat, a dormant volcano which offers breathtaking panoramas of the Scottish Lowlands and the city itself. This was the ending location for my program and I spent just about a week there; by my second day I was trying to figure out how I could land a job and spend a few years of my life in that place. Edinburgh is truly one of those places that cannot be described with words and must be experienced in person for an extended period of time.
Stirling:
All about William Wallace. The downtown area is a jumble of old and new. At one end of town the roads become very steep and lead right to the castle (the chapel within happens to be the only surviving structure other than Westminster Abbey where a coronation has taken place. James VI I believe) which is aptly situated much like Edinburgh Castle, atop cliffs and crags. The views from here were quite nice, with the highlands immediately to the north and west and the river Firth flowing to the southeast. The other end of town has a promenade with many shops, pubs and even a surprisingly modern mall—when there is a castle in town you tend not to spend so much time here. I stayed at University of Stirling which seemed to specialize in the raising and breeding of rabbits. I still wonder how many poor college student, having exhausted their coffers sometime around April have survived there last few weeks on a more “free range” diet. Right next to the university is the William Wallace monument, a tall, gothic-looking spire standing atop a forested hill. Quite a beautiful structure overlooking the site of Wallace’s greatest victory at Stirling Bridge. Immediately behind the university begins the highlands. A lovely, yet steep path lead me to an old stone wall separating the woods from green rolling hills of pasture. Having been in the city for so long it was very nice to be able to walk through the woods again.
York:
It could also be called Little London. York is a very quaint medieval walled city with enough of the walls still intact that you can walk along them around most of the old town. The town was settled by the Romans in their quest to root out those pesky Celts from the north country and has been occupied ever since. Near the ruins of St. Mary’s Abbey, an early medieval monastery, a Roman tower still stands, having been incorporated into the later city defenses. At the north end of town stands York Minster, a breath-taking cathedral that has gone through numerous renovations ever since a Roman fort stood on the site—the foundation of which can still be seen in the undercroft of the cathedral.
Unlike London, York still maintains much English-ness. It is hard to walk down any street and not come across an antiquarian bookstore or a tea room. On my first full day in the city I discovered that the entire network of old streets became a market, with peddlers selling trinkets and clothing from booths and butchers and grocers preparing and displaying their goods. This was the England I had been looking for and a smile was soon upon my face. A great way to end my trip.
I left York on Tuesday, August 10th and after spending the night across from Heathrow, flew out the next morning. As much as I enjoyed the trip and the experiences I can safely say that North America, particularly the United States is my favorite place to be.
