OK, finally catching up on Oxford. We had lovely weather in Oxford during our short visit and it was really fun to see all the old familiar places again. Our hotel in the former prison was pretty fun, too!
Hotel hallway - the architecture and railings are all original from the prison.
Our small but very comfortable room. Loved the plaid.
Immediately after arriving in town early Sunday afternoon, we set out to find a good Sunday roast. Unfortunately we didn't have time to go to one of our old favorites outside of Oxford, such as the Trout Inn, Victoria Arms, or Lamb Inn. We had never eaten at many pubs in town so we asked our hotel for advice, and they recommended the Head of the River near Christ Church Meadow. We've been there once or twice before but couldn't remember how the food was, so we took a gamble. It turned out to be very enjoyable - the food was only about average, but I did get my traditional Sunday roast with Yorkshire pudding and we sat at a great table overlooking the water.
The Head of the River pub
The Thames River right next to our table
Sunday roast. We've never had it in a giant Yorkshire pudding before (normally it's a smaller one on the side), but the more Yorkshire pudding, the better.
Then we went our separate ways for the afternoon - David to move the car to the hotel and then wander at his leisure, and me to run around my favorite colleges and churches at a fast clip, trying to get some good new photos during the lovely sunshine and the short opening hours.
The place I was most looking forward to visiting was the newly remodeled and expanded Ashmolean Museum, which was still under construction when we left. It was magnificent! I was so impressed with it and had a long and enjoyable visit.
Right: the Ashmolean Museum; left: the Randolph Hotel, the fanciest hotel in Oxford, with wedding-decorated Rolls Royce.
Sunset on the Radcliffe Camera and University Church of St Mary
All Souls College and a medieval church from St Mary's Church tower
Radcliffe Camera from the tower
Evening shadows in St Mary's Passage
Sheldonian Theatre and Bodleian Library
Martyrdom site of Thomas Cranmer in Broad Street
Balliol College on Broad Street
Brasenose College
Merton College
Flowers at Merton
But the biggest highlight of Oxford was a fantastic visit to Christ Church College Monday morning - details in the next post!
