"It's just a stone circle." "It's too crowded." "I don't see what the big deal is." These were the things people told me before I went to Stonehenge. And... yes, it's a stone circle. Yes, it's crowded, even in the pouring rain. But Stonehenge is absolutely a big deal. For that matter, so is Salisbury,…
What do you get when you combine the setting for several of Jane Austen's books and the most famous Roman baths in the world? You either get a fantastic tale of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett meeting after a day of soaking and massages or an exploration of the English city of Bath. Bath was…
I have been a fan of Shakespeare for as long as I can recall. I've read Shakespeare. I've watched Shakespeare, both on screen and the stage. I've even performed Shakespeare; my high school portrayal of Don Pedro in Much Ado About Nothing was greeted with much fanfare by my parents. I've written about Shakespeare, most…
The Wren Library is bright, despite its complete lack of electric lighting. Even on this cloudy day, its huge glass windows allow more than enough sunshine in for the eight or so researchers and librarians lucky enough to work here, and the fifteen visitors allowed in at a time. It smells of old books, of…
"Where are you going in England?" all my friends asked me as I planned my trip. "London," I said and they nodded. "Bath, Cambridge, Stratford-Upon-Avon," to more nods and grins. "Norwich," I told them. This time, the looks were more puzzled. I mentioned that my cousin Anisa (of Two Traveling Texans fame) lived there, and…
Can you believe I haven't left the country in four months? Me neither, but my "dry spell" is ending next week when I head off to see the Royals (from a distance - if at all - since I don't actually know them and they didn't tweet me back), the Bard, and the Brexiteers in…