Day 95, Part II: Oxford

Punts below Magdalen Bridge.




Looking across Christ Church Meadow to Christ Church College.




Folly Bridge.




St Aldate's, seen from the top of Carfax Tower.




Magdalen Tower rising above the Botanic Gardens.




A sundial in the Botanic Gardens, with Tolkien's favourite tree in the background.




And just for fun, Portrait of a Duck.
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Day 95, Part I: End of the boat trip

Making an early start from Duke's Lock in order to get back by 9.30 am.






All neat and ship-shape, ready to be returned right on time. Given the adventures we'd had, this was astonishing!
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Day 94

This was one of the best views the entire trip, coming up through Somerton Deep Lock.




Setting out on a misty morning.




Autumn is on its way!




One of many lovely bridges we saw.




Somerton Deep Lock - 12 feet deep!




Ducks, geese, and boats.




A lift bridge: the bane of my existence.




The sun came out, for a few seconds anyway!




The boatyard and moorings at Thrupp, a very pretty little village.
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Day 93

The church at Shipton-on-Cherwell from the canal.




I couldn't resist stopping to have a look at it.




Intriguing carvings around the doorway.




The interior was simple and peaceful.




Cruising through a tunnel of green.




Up close and personal with the High Bush Bridge.




Someone found a lovely spot to moor.




Our galley even came equipped with a little vase, so of course I had to fill it!
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Day 92

Our little 30' narrowboat.





Heading out of Oxford.




A floating garden.




Moored up for the night.
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Day 91

"There seemed a good deal of luggage, when we put it all together. There was the Gladstone and the small hand-bag, and the two hampers, and a large roll of rugs, and some four or five overcoats and macintoshes, and a few umbrellas, and then there was a melon by itself in a bag, because it was too bulky to go in anywhere, and a couple of pounds of grapes in another bag, and a Japanese paper umbrella, and a frying pan, which, being too long to pack, we had wrapped round with brown paper.

It did look a lot, and Harris and I began to feel rather ashamed of it, though why we should be, I can't see."

- Jerome K. Jerome, Three Men in a Boat (1889)

In the grand tradition of luggage excess, we are heading off on a boating holiday tomorrow. At least we don't have to pack the frying pan. more...

Day 68

A boat trip through the canals and lakes near Leiden was included in the conference. After raining earlier in the day, it cleared up in the evening and we had lovely weather and a gorgeous sunset.




Our entertainment for the evening.




Yes, there really are windmills everywhere!
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