That great Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama was good at getting around to new parts of the globe, but did he ever meet William Shakespeare? To quote Hamlet - "That is the question"! Well members and guests of our co Portuguese Lodge, The Lodge of the Oldest Ally No.9524 nearly did when they visited Shakespeare's birthplace Stratford upon Avon during Spring 2024.
The Lodge meets just twice per year, once at its home in Daventry during May and again in October at a very smart coastal town in Portugal.
Earlier this year on a glorious Spring Saturday - What Shakespeare would have called "The Darling Buds of May" - overcoats, jumpers or umbrellas were not needed as we travelled to Stratford upon Avon. The day started with a 2 hour walking tour of the world's most famous playwrights home town,followed by a restful boat trip on the river Avon to the graceful sounds of Elgar's Nimrod. Music certainly was the food of Love so we all played on!
Then to England's oldest tea rooms for a marvellous very English afternoon tea which ended a glorious day.All that glitters may not be gold but a precious day in wonderful company was enjoyed by all.
Members and guests of the Lodge of the Oldest Ally will shortly be off to Portugal to be entertained by their Portuguese fellow members this October and we wonder what Worshipful Master Jose Carlos Correia (Pictured above) will have in store for our Friday entertainment this year ? Perhaps a fantastic Portuguese Extravaganza"!
Plans are already afoot for when our Portuguese brethren and guests will join us in Spring 2025 to visit Winston Churchill's birthplace, the spectacular Blenheim Palace, which is soaked in English history.
If you would like to join us at any future meeting, you will be made most welcome - contact WBro David Nicholas on 07974217575