Oxfordshire

I spent some time with mum in Oxford, as she was on a break from work and it was a bank holiday. We stayed at the YHA, hired a car and went to my cousin's wedding in Plymouth [see above] and drove around Oxfordshire. The little cotswald stone villages are just wonderful. The roads are narrow and windy and you can't help but imagine riding past in a horse-drawn cart!

This is a tranquil street in Woodstock

We visited Blenheim Palace, one of England's largest houses, but it was too nice a day to pay £17 to look inside! There was an arts and craft fair in the grounds anyway.


We ate at Jamie Oliver's restaurant chain Jamie's Italian [which was both fabulous and reasonably priced] and I did the touristy things like the city bus tour, climbed the Carfax tower, looked at the covered market and the castle. We happened across a parade for the new town mayor and some Morris dancers... I'm sorry but they do look very gay!

The whole place had a prestigious feeling, littered with old university colleges, traditional english ale houses, all kinds of architecture styles and spires everywhere.