Met up with Mom at the Stratford station and went for a quick coffee in the centre of town. Moms gone off shopping for an hour while I amble around. Good call, I'm not the most patient of shoppers, having a typical blokes attitude toward browsing - love the electronics goods, don't mind the clothes, run screaming from the supermarket.

This is good source matter for another Blog, outlining the various pros and cons of shopping with women. As far as I can see, the best pro is when they say "We'll meet over there in an hour"

I ambled directly to the Dirty Duck, a pub off the main drag that usually sees more locals than tourists. Go down to the roundabout down by WHSmiths, take a right and then straight for 3 minutes past the theatre and you'll find it, fantastic pub.

As I sit here, the coal fire is burning and there's locals enjoying lunch over a drink and a chat.

It would be great to share a pint with my brother right now, but I'm getting used to these solo pub sessions. So long as I have a book, newspaper or laptop handy, I'm happy.

A pint of Flowers Bitter is the order of the day, it's been over a year since I last tasted this most excellent brew. They serve bitter here at the proper temperature. In other words, not chilled. In London they tend to chill the bitter too much which spoils the flavour in my opinion.

Stratford-upon-avon hasn't changed at all, it's a bit like coming home. When I was younger, I used to sneer at the American tourists taking photos of mcdonalds. I didn't see any today unfortunately. It would've been good to take a photo of an American taking a photo of mcdonalds in Stratford. A sneer or two in passing would of course be neccessary, or even a good English kick in the goolies. "Take a photo of that, uncultured clot."

"Gee look honey, they have a macdonalds right here in stratforde, I just have to gedda shot a this for the guys back home."

Damn heathens !

As anyone with taste and culture knows, it's the Dirty Duck you want to spend an hour at, not the bloody macdonalds.

Although there is a lot to see in Stratford, you really need a car to visit all the surrounding areas too. These areas are steeped in history and ... historical pubs !

Just think, as you sup on an ale in a thousand year old pub, you can let your mind wander back over the centuries thinking about all the other people who have sat at the same spot supping on an ale and, er, well I don't really know where I'm going with this, so I'll stop now.

I'm a local today and have a sense of "my people"
Sounds like total bollox, I know, but there you go.
Most likely I'll step out the door and some young local scalliwag will gob on my boot and say "fook you yer bloody saff fafrican."
This is unlikely in Stratford, but not impossible.

If you expected a potted history of Stratford from this Blog, my apologies. Of course, should I manage to consume 3 pints of flowers in an hour, I'll be potted.

As it is, I'm half way through my first one with 20 minutes to go before meeting Mom and heading off to Henly-in-Arden.

We're going out for Indian tonight, think I'll do the completely obvious British thing and have a Chicken Tikkia Masala - sorted !

Following these Blogs of mine, you will possibly have noticed a common theme here. In my defence, pub culture is about the most important aspect of life in Britain. Even if you don't drink, to really get a feel for the country you most definately need to spend a great deal of time in pubs, if only to get out of the rain !

5th November, 12.55pm