Exploring more of Oxford from Jericho

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Exploring more of Oxford from Jericho

Monday, 22 September 2008 21:13

Monday morning dawned grey but cheered up by mid morning when the sun peeked out from the clouds. We had a lazy morning after our late night in good company the night before

I managed to catch up one day on the blog, and after this one I will be up to date!

We walked down the towpath towards Oxford City center. This made me go Ahh!

The path brought us out at Hythe Bridge and crossing into George Street we entered the center past the New Theater. First destination the TIC in Broad Street for a map! Second destination the Cornish Pasty shop for lunch! Thus fortified we queued for ages in the Post Office to post a parcel. Lunch time is never a good time to go to the PO (!) as the staff go to lunch and everyone goes to the PO when they are on lunch.

We entered the back streets of Oxford, away from the tourists as I wanted to find my brother's college. He came up to Oxford when I was 3 years old and I have very vague memories of visiting him in Oxford and being shown some of the sights. My memory of Corpus Christi college was just about right. It is in a little back street which despite some building work is still very lovely.

We spotted this and were very amused.

Then just to prove "I was there"

Like all the Colleges Corpus Christi was closed on Mondays, but we managed to take a photo of the quadrangle

and entrance gate roof

We continued to wander past Merton College

and it's church

We they saw a notice pointing to a Real Tennis Court. I could not resist we paid our 50 pence/person entrance fee and sat down to watch a fast and furious game for a while.

We did not understand the rules, it is very complicated involving "chases" and "hazards" as well as recognizable scoring! The sides, walls and roof of the galleries are used in a Squash like manner. However when we could identify a good shot we clapped! The players were friendly and not put off by us at all.

We left them to their game and walked to the Covered Market - some lovely shops, a sausage shop, cheese shop, shoes and clothes way above our price range and veg and fish stalls too. We found the cafe that had been recommended - Georgina's. John had an amazing milk shake and I had tea and a delicious caramel slice.

A visit to sainsbury';s on our way home completed a good day, despite the rain that came in as we walked back!