Oxford town

Thursday morning we caught the double decker Oxford tube bus at Marble Arch on Park Lane for the 2 hr bus ride west and north. The last 30 minutes involved delays in Oxford due to road construction, but eventually we made it to the Gloucester Green bus station. We passed into the Market Square proper to find the Farmer's Market on. Bought some fine rough-grained Oxford mustard. After a walk around, a visit to a few shops, and a trip to look at the newly completed Chemistry buildings, we snuck down Bath Alley to Britain's 2007 Perfect Pub, The Turf Tavern.



The Turf is where Bill Clinton famously "didn't inhale", and former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke and Inspector Morse both certainly DID ( beer that is)!







Leaving the Turf by its alternate alleyway, you emerge on New College Lane adjacent to the Bridge of Sighs.



After Cambridge, Oxford isn't much to look at so I skimped on the pictures. We did take the 2 pm walking tour offered by the Visitor's Information Centre. Highlights included visiting Christ Church Meadow and the Bodleian Library.

Friday

Shopping in the morning. Went to see the hilarious The 39 Steps at Criterion in Picadilly Circus, which finds the humour in Hitchcock's version of Buchan's adventure yarn and adds a sentimentalist Christmas with child coda. A four person show, with literally dozens of characters (not counting the necessary dummy!).