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5 Sep 2006 5 day weekend, featuring Patrick Stewart and Cardiff

[Misc] Ah the Bank Holiday Weekend of August, the last English bank holiday that we get for the year. Many people take this opportunity to go away somewhere for a break, a mini vacation if you will. Course I'm no different.

MY girlfriend (M) and I decided to go away for the weekend, taking a couple days off work to give us lots of time. The vacation came in two halves; the first half (handled by me) was to head on up to Stratford-Upon-Avon to see a theatre performance, whilst the second half (handled by her) was to stay round her friends house near Cardiff, Wales and to chill for a few days, take in the local sites, etc. So how did the two halves fit together? How was it? Was it all jolly?

After spending a night in Warwick in a cheap motel we headed out to Stratford-Upon-Avon to get to the Royal Shakespeare Company theatre. It was my first time in Stratford and I quite liked what I saw. Old school Victorian look to the buildings, quirky street performances and monuments, generally clean. I didn't understand why some high-brow newspapers called Stratford a money-grabbing hell hole. Though the crank driven ferry to cross a 5 meter river that you had to pay 50p a head, when there was a bridge that crossed the river ten minutes walk away, was a bit too gimmicky for my liking.

Anyway we got to the theatre in plenty of time and sat in our seat ready to see the performance. What were we to see? Shakespeare's last ever play, The Tempest. Why? My reason was because it had Patrick Stewart as the one of the main actors! Damn straight! And he was, nay is a fine actor indeed. The way he acted made you forget all his previous works and concentrate on the now. My only regret was that we were too far to see him in great detail. Go see him if you ever get the chance.

After seeing the show M and I had several hours left until we needed to drive to Wales. So we decided to look at a few things, have a meal and even do a little bit of rowing on the river. We hired out a boat, I grabbed onto the oars and I began our voyage. It was then I learn something about myself.

I'm very, very bad at rowing.

And that my girlfriend is better at rowing than me.

As she smugly confirmed as she took over and spent most of the time rowing us around the river.

(Course what she might not tell you is that she sails a lot in her spare time so of course she's had lot of practice. It was my first time.... essentially. That's my excuse.)

After our fun time in Stratford we headed off to M's friends house in Wales. So two hours, lots of singing to music in the car and several calls from a stalker girl later (which my girlfriend handled beautifully by answering the phone and confusing the stalker) we arrive. For the next three days we spent our time chilling, watching DVDs, looking round shop, taking in the local countryside (which is beautiful mountain range), and drinking lots of wine. Not to get completely bladdered, but it was a case of drinking wine at every moment. We only saw things near the Cardiff area, it'd be nice to see more of Wales.

We even managed to get a chance to visit the Avebury Stones as a detour before going home. As well as the usual stone sights there was a stand that was selling yearly memberships to the National Trust. M and I looked at each and though "This is something you join when you're officially old."

It was a pretty fun 5 day Bank Holiday weekend. Granted that was on the 25th-29th August, two weeks ago. But hell, I've been busy with stuff. Including cooking my first ever roast over the last weekend. I am truly a man of the house!

Posted at: 18:29 PM

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