Rock me William!

Stratford-upon-Avon, 6th August 2017 – Printers, writers, film directors, actors… they still live of what Shakespeare put on paper. We do not have Flemish writers who sustain an economy 400 years after their death. The local economy thrives on busloads of Japanese, Chinese and other weapons of mass tourism. We arrive late in the afternoon and stretch our legs, starting at the Holy Trinity Church, where Shakespeare was baptised and buried. We follow the river Avon, where locals enjoy the last moments of their weekend. Although it is not sure if he was really born in Henley Street, we pretend – like all the rest – as if he was. We see his schoolroom and his new house, where he resettled after his time in London. To keep it culturally diverse, we have dinner at the ‘Giggling Squid’, an exquisite Thai. The ginger gin and tonic is an excellent appetiser and we eat too much, as usual. We walk back to the car, thinking of going to bed early. In Ely Street, there is a loud rock band screaming out of the Keys and Kitchen. I ask the bouncer if it is a private party and he says: ‘Hell no!’ So, in we go for a night of pub fun. The band members are in their sixties and play a great rock medley. The bass guitarist and singer is a mature version of Suzi Quattro. Suddenly, a tall man gets up hip shaking; his wife does the same and soon they spin around the pub. When Suzi plays Johnny B. Good, Karin and myself follow their example and so do our friends Frank and Sabine. Soon the pub is too small but no one falls, bumps into someone or stands on someone’s toes. Pure fun when a hiker comes into the pub, complete with muddy shoes, backpack and walking sticks. He joins the fun, throwing his arms in the air as a barbarian broken loose. Later that night, Suzie thanks the public and the pub cools down. My shirt is soaked. We walk back; the street is dark and deserted. In the afterglow I think: ‘Never put off till tomorrow the fun you can have today’. I do not think this quote is from Hamlet. Sorry William.

Cruise stern narrowboats on the Avon, Stratford (FDC)

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