Stratford-Upon-Avon, the Shakespearean Town
Stratford-Upon-Avon, the Shakespearean Town đ The weather has been amazing lately, so I went out for a little tripâsunshine, fresh air, and good vibes all around! âď¸ Itâs about an hourâs direct ride from Birmingham đ. Just navigate to Bancroft Gardens, and youâll reach the "Swan Home"âthere are loads of big swans, and theyâre totally not afraid of people at all!! 𦢠They swim right up, like little celebrities posing for photos. On the way there, I found a cute little shop (the owner is a lady from Hong Kong, and sheâs super nice! đ). I tried their egg wafflesâcrispy, fragrant, and totally delicious, instantly making me feel like I was back in China! Plus, compared to Birmingham, the prices here are really cheapâscore! I also had the famous gelato at Hoorayâs Gelato Kitchen (CV37 6AU) đŚ. I didnât go for the peach sorbet (tasted it, and it was still too sweet for me đĽ˛). Instead, I followed a localâs recommendation and got Mint Choc Chip, while my friend picked Paddington Bear (the one on top âď¸) after trying it. The combination of these two was absolutely perfectâcreamy, refreshing, and not too sweet! Itâs not far from the train station to the river (in my opinion, anyway). Along the way, there are lots of boutique shops to browse đď¸âcute trinkets, vintage finds, and Shakespeare-themed goodies everywhere. âď¸âď¸ A heads-up for those studying in Birmingham (not sure about other areas yet)! If you buy a fridge magnet, you can get a discount by showing your student ID. I think itâs 95% off (tested with a photo, and it works! đ)âsuch a nice surprise. My friend and I just wanted to wander around leisurely, not really aiming to hit all the landmarks, so we didnât visit Shakespeareâs birthplace or anything like that âď¸. Sometimes the best trips are the unplanned ones! We went around 3 PM, soaked up the sun, watched the swans, and left around 6 PMâperfect timing đŤ°. On the way back, we had dinner at Jin Man Lou (B5 6NE) đ. Itâs a bit out of the way, but totally worth itâso satisfying đ. Their chicken racks come highly recommended! They were so good, it felt like Iâd been transported back to China in an instant. Oh, and another recommendation! The convex mirrors in the Shakespeare souvenir shops are great for taking photos!! đ¸ Super fun, warped little selfies. Also, the mint chocolate chip gelato was actually recommended by the checkout ladyâshe was super sweet, like chatting with a neighbor đľ. Stratford-Upon-Avon is such a charming little townâquaint, sunny, and full of little joys. Definitely worth a day trip! ⨠#BirminghamLife#WeekendWanderings
