Crazy how much can happen in just three days! Ready set go!
Tuesday: It was Helen's 21st birthday, but no one cares about such an age in this country, so to celebrate she decided a dinner and a show would be enjoyable. We took a chance and tried to get tickets to Wicked, and of course we succeeded! Nine of us got 59 pound tickets for 25 pounds! Thank you international student cards. For our dinner, we had delectable pizza and then later got some treats for the show at a little Sainsbury's. My gift to Helen was a tiny can of gin and tonic, she had to drink it every time a flying monkey came on stage.
The whole building goes green
Wicked lives up to what it promises. The stage was constantly saturated in color and during my favorite scene, when Elfaba and Glinda arrive in the Emerald City, I thought I would overdose on the green. From the songs that have become hits to the elaborate sets, this is an incomparable production. But what I most enjoyed was the friendship between two strong female leads, I find that to be so rare in big Broadway plays, it usually just comes down to stereotypes and cliches but the bond between Elfaba and Glinda was really touching. Ah theater!
Sadly Helen couldn't have a night of shots and peer pressure because we all had to get rest before our overnight trip, so off to sleep we went.
Wednesday: It was a miserable morning, cold and gloomy (as all Wednesdays have seemed to be here), and we had to get up early to catch the bus at Kings Cross and St. Pancras Station. Everyone got on the bus and passed out for the next two hours. I woke up to fields of sheep and Peter announcing we were arriving at Mary Arden's house.
Mary Arden was the mother of Shakespeare and came from a wealthy family. Her status helped her new husband, attain some prestige and begin a successful glove making business.
Topsy Turvy with age
Because they used green oak, an especially soft type of wood, the house has become quite warped and it looks a bit surreal. I also loved how there are far more pegs within the planks on the front of the house than on the back because the family wanted to exude wealth. I don't really understand how pegs show off wealth but I will believe whatever Peter says concerning these architectural matters. Mary Arden's house is huge, and we had lots of fun chasing chickens and being terrorized by the goats. We had to move on to the next historic house but not after forcing Peter into the stocks, we really are horrible students. 
Next, Anne Hathaway's house. Wife to Shakespeare and daughter to a wealthy family. She was 26 years old when she married the 18 year old poet. She was also pregnant with their first child, which Peter said was a nice way to make sure she actually would be a useful wife (no wonder we put him in the stocks, vulgar!) Her house it just charming, thatched roof, quaint gardens dotted with tulips and daffodils. The sun came out just as we arrived and I felt like I was in some sort of fairy tale. 
We got lost in the sculpture garden but finally made it to the bus and traveled down the road to Stratford upon Avon! A tiny little town but it is just beautiful and full of shops, pubs and history. We had so much to see, including Shakespeare's birthplace, school, burial site and his daughter's home. Although it all was in chronological order, I felt overwhelmed and got distracted by things like swans and shopping. Too much to do in the little time we were given, I must go back.
Shout out to my role in 7th Grade
Shakespeare play
After a dinner of fish and chips at the Dirty Duck pub, we saw the Royal Shakespeare Company perform Antony and Cleopatra.
I loved it.
It's obviously not Shakespeare's best or most memorable play but the way in which the director, Michael Boyd, presented the story and the phenomenal acting by Kathryn Hunter made it unforgettable.
Play information
Kathryn Hunter interview
Seriously a once in a lifetime chance to see such a play.
Thursday: Awoke in the adorable Bed & Breakfast our group was staying in and had a hearty English Breakfast. Our marathon of history continued at Warwick castle. Built by Saxons but improved by William the Conquerer it was a castle for warfare that eventually became a living space. It has everything a real castle should have, towers, moats, dungeons and annoying peacocks. The garden was full of the damn birds squawking away.
I think I liked this place so much because it is the antithesis of what American theme parks are like nowadays. In the U.S. there would be escalators for fatties who wanted to go to the top of the tower, the actors wouldn't be so cheeky and sassy, tourists couldn't even touch swords, let alone play with them and there wouldn't be an activity called "throw the dead rat through the hoop" for the youngsters. So refreshing to go to a theme park where stupidity isn't rewarded. If you fall off the tower because you're an idiot then too bad, natural selection baby.So huzzah for Warwick Castle!
Our lunch was at Peter's house and it was delicious, salmon, quiche, vegetables, tarts and chocolate mousse, I didn't think I could like this class more until I was fed such delicious cooking and baking. We then proceeded to have theater class in Peter's living room.
Life is good, I am back in London now and ready for more fun.
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