We left the picturesque town of Chester in England and headed through the industrial region skirting Manchester and Liverpool, noting factories belching steam in the distant landscape. A brief stop at the Wedgewood factory gave us enough time to scurry through the welcome center and shop, then we hopped on the coach for the ride to Stratford. Here we drove past Anne Hathaway’s cottage before parking in town to tour Shakespeare’s birthplace. This old residence had us bending our heads as we stooped through doorways and viewed the wood beamed ceilings, hearth, and upstairs loft. Interesting selection of items in this gift shop, wish we could take some books home but they’d be too heavy. I did buy a small desk clock as a memento. Pubs and storefronts graced the main streets as we strolled along looking for a place to eat. We ducked into a tea shop for a quick bite, with no time left for lingering. Wishing we had a couple of days to spend here, we were shortly back on the bus. This is the disadvantage of a tour like this: you see a lot but only at a glimpse. Places where I would have liked more time: Belvoir Castle, York, Edinburgh, the Lake District (we passed some town after Grasmere that looked to be quite popular; will have to look it up on a map), and of course, London. One can never spend enough time in this bustling city. Returned to our original London hotel in Hammersmith, we ate dinner at The Dove pub by the riverfront. We sat outside on a rear patio with a view of the Thames River, sipped our wine, and reflected on our observations. It was a great family moment and one that will live in our memories.