C.A.L.L. presents England: The Theatre & Beyond

Topic: Tour Calendar September 11 to 22, 2008

This is your invitation to join DR. MARY ANN WALTERS and DR. CHARLES STRIKWERDA for an exciting 12-day study tour in England. We'll explore the English theatre-said to be the best in the world, glory in the country's marvelous cathedrals and world-class museums, and enjoy a taste of exquisite, rural England.

DAY 1 ~ THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 - DEPARTURE

We're off on a "journey of discovery" in England! Check in at Grand Rapids' Gerald R. Ford International Airport for the "hop" to Detroit where we'll connect with our overnight flight across the Atlantic. Next stop: London!

DAY 2 ~ FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 - LONDON, WINDSOR, WARWICK

Top of the morning to you! We have just touched down at London's Gatwick Airport. Following customs formalities, we'll meet our driver/guide and board the waiting motorcoach. The first drive of our tour will take us to Windsor, the town that has given its name to the Royal Family. Saxon kings hunted the forests in this area for centuries. When the Norman kings built the first fortress on Windsor's present site, and Henry I held his court there, the town began to grow. The architecture of today's Windsor Castle is largely Georgian and Victorian but some of the buildings are much older. We'll have an opportunity to walk in the precincts and visit the luxurious state apartments with their remarkable furnishings, porcelain, and armor. After time for a peek at the charming town outside the castle walls and to get a bite to eat, we'll continue our drive to the north and west to Warwick. We'll be headquartered here for the first three nights of our tour. Check-in at the hotel is followed by time to rest before dinner is served. Later, if you wish, join your driver/guide for a walking tour to see some of the buildings surviving from the Tudor period.

DAY 3 ~ SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 - STRATFORD, WARWICK

It's our first full day in England and we plan to use it well! After breakfast, we'll transfer to Stratford, a delightful old market town where mellowed buildings line broad streets. It's best known as the birthplace of William Shakespeare, said to be the most widely read author in the world and certainly one of its greatest poets and dramatists. Our sightseeing tour will include a visit to Shakespeare's birthplace, a typical middle-class house of the time. We'll also visit Holy Trinity Church where Shakespeare, his wife, and daughter Susanna are buried. Use your free time to browse in the appealing shops and have lunch. In the afternoon, we'll attend a matinee performance at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, England's first National Theatre. En route "home" to Warwick after the play, we'll make short stops to visit the home of Shakespeare's mother, Mary Arden in Wilmcotte and the cottage of his wife, Ann Hathaway in Shottery. We're on our own for dinner tonight and tomorrow night-Mary Ann and Chuck will be happy to assist those who would like to dine in a group.

DAY 4 ~ SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 - COVENTRY, KENILWORTH, WARWICK

The choice is yours! Want to sleep in? Go for a stroll along the lovely River Avon? Visit the fascinating Warwick Doll Museum? Or how about an excursion to Coventry and Kenilworth? Departure will be set for around 9:00 a.m. for the short drive to Coventry. This will give us a chance to see something of the beautiful city that rose from the ashes after a devastating bomb attack on the night of November 14, 1940. We'll also visit the ruins of Old St. Michael's, a 13th-century cathedral that perished along with much of the city. Then we'll attend the 10:30 a.m. worship service at the ultra-modern new cathedral. After church and time for lunch, we'll travel the short distance to Kenilworth. This pleasant residential town's chief glory is its castle, immortalized by Sir Walter Scott in Kenilworth, his historical novel of Elizabethan England. Enjoy a stroll, take a few photos, and then we'll double back to Warwick. At about 3:00 p.m., we'll join those who stayed behind today and tour Warwick Castle. Situated on the site of a Norman castle that replaced an even earlier Saxon fortification, the present building dates from the 14th century. The castle is full of interesting furniture, paintings, and armor-including Oliver Cromwell's helmet.

DAY 5 ~ MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 - COTSWOLD HILLS, OXFORD, LONDON

Another "red letter" day lies ahead! We'll start off with an amble into the Cotswolds, which many think of as quintessential rural England. The Cotswolds' distinctive character was established by the wool-rich merchant class of the Middle Ages who invested in fine homes and churches made of the underlying silver, cream, and honey-colored limestone. We'll stop in Broadway, the epitome of a Cotswold village. Most of its houses are of Tudor, Jacobean, or Georgian origin and many have been turned into shops. We also plan to visit the ancient town of Chipping Camden. Between the 13th and 16th centuries, this was a major wool center and the town's prosperity is reflected in its beautiful architecture. Be sure to see the Jacobean Market Hall with its pointed gables, open arcade, and timber roof; and St. James, an impressive example of a Cotswold "wool" church. After this stop, we'll head for Oxford. Described as a "city of dreaming spires," Oxford is the home of the oldest university in the United Kingdom and is one of the loveliest and most interesting cities in Europe. The city's destiny was established in the 12th century when Henry II ordered all English students studying abroad to return home, and many of them converged on Oxford. There are 28 colleges in Oxford, all unique and all worth a visit. Our time is limited, so we'll take a short walk on the grounds of Magdalen (pronounced maudlin) College to see its beautiful tower and bridge. We'll also visit the vast Bodleian Library. A lunch break follows and then it's on to London. Arrival at our hotel is anticipated in the early evening. Following hotel check-in, dinner will be served.

DAY 6 ~ TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 - LONDON

An introduction to the "Queen of Cities" is on our agenda for the morning. Whether this is your first or 15th visit, you'll be thrilled with views of the city's most important landmarks, including Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, St. James' Park, and Piccadilly Circus. After our panoramic drive, we'll transfer to the Tower of London. William the Conqueror built the tower as a reminder to the citizens of the city of his unassailable power. At the heart of the complex is the White Tower, looking much as it has done for more than 900 years. Over the years, a complicated series of walls and towers were built up around the White Tower, gradually transforming the original Norman castle into the most important medieval fortification in Britain. The Tower has been used as a palace, a treasure house, a menagerie, and-most famously-as a prison. The Crown Jewels are on display here. Our driver/guide will pay our admissions and then leave us to explore the Tower at our own pace. You may even want to have lunch in the cafeteria before taking off to visit other parts of the city via public transportation. (We'll each have a London Visitor Travel Card good for unlimited travel on buses and subways in Central London.) Mary Ann and Chuck will have some suggestions on good spots for a pre-theatre dinner. Then we'll rendezvous to see a play at one of the theatres in the city's well-known West End.

DAY 7 ~ 17, WEDNESDAY - CANTERBURY, LONDON

We're heading in a southeasterly direction this morning, with plans to visit Canterbury. The birthplace of English Christianity and the seat of the Primate of England, Canterbury's past reaches back to prehistoric times when Iron Age people settled by the banks of the River Stour. When the Romans invaded Canterbury in 43 A.D., it became a trading center on the most direct route between London and Europe. The Romans were succeeded by the Anglo-Saxons; and in 597, St. Augustine arrived to spread the teachings of Christ and build his cathedral. In a vulnerable position close to the English Channel, Canterbury was easy prey to invaders, including the Vikings and the Danes. When the Normans arrived, they fortified the city with a wall and a castle. Although Canterbury was heavily bombed during World War II, it still retains much of its medieval flavor. We'll meet a local guide for a sightseeing tour, including a walk in the city center and a visit to Canterbury Cathedral. It was here that Thomas a Becket was murdered and Chaucer's Canterbury Tales give a vivid account of pilgrims journeying to his shrine in late medieval times. The cathedral contains many splendid tombs, including those of Henry IV, and the Black Prince, son of Edward III. The next few hours are yours for a walk on the surviving portion of the city walls and visits to Dane John Gardens and the memorial to Christopher Marlow and the Canterbury Heritage Museum. Of course, there are also lots of intriguing shops and stores. In the middle of the afternoon, we'll retrace our path to London, arriving back at our hotel around 6:00 p.m.

DAY 8 ~ 18, THURSDAY - LONDON

On our agenda for today is a tour of Hampton Court Palace whose extensive grounds comprise one of London's royal parks. The palace itself is breathtaking both in its size and its beauty. It was built for Cardinal Wolsey during the early part of the 16th century. Soon, though, the cardinal felt compelled to give it to Henry VIII for political reasons; and shortly thereafter, he was imprisoned for high treason. Henry considerably enlarged the palace and it became his favorite residence. Christopher Wren rebuilt part of it for William and Mary. Today it is a vast storehouse of treasures that range from domestic utensils to great works of art. Upon the return to the hotel, the balance of the afternoon is at leisure. Perhaps, you'd like to take a ride on the London Eye. This popular observation wheel consists of 40 capsules (called pods by the Brits) that allow for magnificent, unrestricted views in all directions. Our day will be topped off by attendance at another theatrical performance.

DAY 9 ~ 19, FRIDAY - LONDON

Much of our day will be centered on Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. In the morning, we'll have a guided backstage tour of this extraordinary theatre, founded by American actor and director Sam Wanamaker. We'll also visit Shakespeare's Globe Exhibition, the world's most extensive exhibition devoted to Shakespeare and his contemporaries. In the afternoon, we'll have the unforgettable experience of attending a matinee performance at the Globe.

DAY 10 AND 11 ~ 20, SATURDAY AND 21, SUNDAY - LONDON

We have no formal plans for the last two days of our tour, which means you can do just as you please! Of course, Mary Ann and Chuck will have lots of tips to help you make the best use of your time. London is full of world-class museums and galleries. Our recommendations include the National Gallery of Art where you'll find an outstanding collection of paintings from all the great European schools of art housed in a handsome Classical-style building. Paintings of British monarchs and important literary figures are on display at the National Portrait Gallery. Another wonderful place to spend a few hours is the British Museum whose collections include every conceivable kind of artifact from all over the world. Exhibits not to be missed include the superb Elgin Marbles from Athens, the mummies and sculpture in the Egyptian Gallery, two of the four existing original copies of the Magna Carta, and the Rosetta Stone. The Tate Gallery, the Tate Modern, and the Victoria and Albert Museum also contain excellent collections. On Sunday, attendance at morning worship services and/or afternoon Evensong at Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, or another of London's historic churches is suggested. A festive farewell dinner is planned at the hotel on Sunday evening.

DAY 12 ~ 22, MONDAY - RETURN

All too soon, it's time to head for home! After breakfast and time to pack, we'll transfer to Gatwick Airport to check in for our return flight to Detroit. We'll clear customs here and then catch a plane for the short flight back to Grand Rapids. We hope the C.A.L.L. England tour has been a marvelous learning experience-and lots of fun!

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