Then we headed on to Stow on the Wold for lunch. Lots of cute little tea houses to have a bite to eat, it was almost impossible to choose because each place was sweeter than the next but eventually we settled on somewhere and had a cup of tea along with a baked potato and salad. A funny sort of a meal but very tasty. It was freezing cold this day and we did see snow on the fields in some areas which just made everything look even more gorgeous.
Our cute little lunch spot
After lunch we headed to Stratford upon Avon, Shakespeares birthplace. Talk about old buildings. We saw one that was dated 1592, a tudor style place, all wood framing. Unbelievable. It was really interesting walking through Shakespeares house and hearing all about him. I didnt know much about the man himself, more about his work so it was really great. Had a bit of a wander, found a Christmas decoration shop which made DH groan but to be fair I only bought 1 small thing, I was very restrained for me lol.
Shakespeare's House
Then it was time to drive home. The funny thing about the whole day was the tour guide and myself. I wanted to sit up the front of the bus so that I could take photos out the front window as we drove along. This meant that I sat just to the left of the driver on a single seat with DD and MIL across the aisle and the boys behind them. So as the driver was talking throughout the tour he would turn his head and it was like he was talking directly to me so I often felt obliged to reply with an oh right and a how interesting and a I didnt know that hahaha. DH ended up texting me to say Lisa, you arent the only one on the tour and hes not just talking to you. Hehehe.
Anyway the tour guide had noticed my camera with the big phallic symbol lens on the front and made a joke about hating Canon yadda yadda and I didnt say much but then MIL decided to pipe up on one such occasion and mention I was a photographer. Well.....he was my new best friend then and for the remainder of the day it seriously was like it was my own private tour. He yapped away to me only for much of the time and kept pulling over on the side of the road if he saw something he thought I should take a picture of hahaha. It must have been really annoying to everyone else on the tour but to me it just reinforced my theory about being near the tour guide to get the best experience out of a tour hehe. DH just shook his head at my new friendship hehe.
The Cotswolds were so beautiful, truly such a magical place. I was dreaming as we drove along that I was in an episode of Escape to the Country where they buy a 1 bedder for the husband to live in during the week in London and the kids and I would live in some quaint village in a manor house and DH would come home on the weekends. Wed be living within stumbling distance to the cutest English pub ever and would spend our afternoons wandering the fields with our dogs racing ahead of us and the kids playing chasy around our legs. Okay none of that sounds like something our family would actually do hahahaha but its nice to dream when you are visiting these places.
It was a long day but absolutely awesome. I loved everything about it. We got home and just had toasted sandwiches and fell into bed. Still so tired but hoping to get a decent sleep tonight.
Highs everything about today
Lows that I cant live in the Cotswolds hehe
Temperature high 5, low -1