'The Alternative Tour'

We met at 10am at the American Memorial and spent a delightful 3 hours in Jane's company.

She looked SPLENDID a true Tatter bedecked with Tatted Jewellery, which revealed itself little by little as the morning progressed.

I couldn't take my eyes off her stunning brooch on her jacket. 

First stop was Shakespeare's Birthplace.....

Can you see the market across the road......enough to make your mouth water......

Cupcakes are THE IN thing.....used to be called Butterfly Buns in my youth.....my mum made them and they were so yummy.

There is one thing that I must tell you about Jane....

Stratford is Jane....

Jane is Stratford!!

What she CAN"T tell you about Stratford can be written on the back of a Bus Ticket!!!

Born and bred there, her family history goes back hundreds of years....

I bet they even knew Yorrick!!!

The buildings in Stratford are STUNNING..

She takes us down by the River Avon.....

Wow! Look at that....a first for me A Medlar Tree (Mespilus germanica) has been cultivated since Roman times......I wonder if I can grow one as a Bonsai!

This is the new Swan Theatre....opened in 1986.....in we go.....

unfortunately we couldnt go into the auditorium....but 

oh my! there was a feast of displays to see.

Jane is a fount of knowledge on things that we would have missed.

I can tell you that for someone with only 2 brain cells(+ BC3 which is reserved for tatting designing!) She sure knows some stuff!

The old Art Deco features that were retained from the old building which was destroyed by fire in 1926.

Ticket Office.....and.....

....marble staircase.

Everywhere there are displays of costumes from the Shakespearian productions.

It is impossible to stop taking photos!!

A huge room has displays of everything that you could think of relation to putting on a production. Men's Costumes, Women's Costumes, Wigs and make up, Footwear and Armoury...the list goes on.

Thats not even showing you any of the stained glass....and...and

Pheewee! time for a coffee in the Riverside Cafe. It was Sunday in late September, the temperature was 20 Deg C,the sky was clear blue and the sun was shining, it could have been July.

mmmm! now I remember why I stopped blogging. It takes such a lot of time, hope that it's worth it!

Sitting peacefully.....notice I didn't say quietly Jane takes out her tatting...of course she does....I would have too.

But wait....what can we see emerging from those fingers of gold!   It's a secret...promised I wouldn't tell!

But look what else can we see....

Stunning earrings....matching the brooch she gave me.....

.......equally stunning bracelet.......

....last but not least as her jacket fell open....this was the 'piece de resistance' for me.

Jane you are a class act, so happy to have you as my friend  :-)

Hubby can't stop talking about how much he enjoyed 'The Alternative Tour'.