It Only Hurts When They Laugh

Nothing happened today. And when I say nothing, I mean that we tried to do something and couldn't. What we want to do is buy train tickets to Angers, France. That's on the other side of this little creek, so we have to take a train rather than walk (like we would do to go to Abingdon to not find a shop).

Now, in theory you can take the chunnel train to Paris, hop off, fling yourself gracefully aboard a Metro train full of elegant Parisians, ride across the City of Light, stroll aboard another high-speed train at the South Station (aka Montparnasse), and emerge into the bright light of Anjou. Home of the Angevin dynasty, burial place of Eleanor of Aquitaine, birthplace of the battered women's shelter (Fontrevault Abbey).

But no. The web version of British Rail/EuroStar/EurRail stole 3 hours of Charles's life, leaving him all but foaming at the mouth. Instead of a trip to Angers he got a trip to angry. Walking through central Oxford, we noticed a travel agency and thought perhaps they could help us.

They were charming fellows, and I would take them for a beer anytime. First, they suggested the web. I told them that we'd tried the web and barely resisted throwing the computer out the window. Laughter. Then they said they don't handle rail travel, but we could call BritRail. We've tried that already, so I asked whether we might just walk down to the station and talk to someone. Hilarity ensued. For the record, we were all laughing. It's just that Charles and I were laughing out of sheer desperation, while the travel guys were laughing because the idea of BritRail employees being helpful is apparently High-Larious. I liked those guys.

They said I should call. I'm going to call tomorrow. If it works out, ok. If not, Charles is entirely willing to simply remain in England, which we like just fine. Here, there's hot tea and shortbread and beer with lunch and everyone says, "Sorry!" at the drop of a hat. And the bookstores can't be beat.

In other news, we passed a house today with a nice sign on the front door:
"Attention! Chien Bizarre"

Sore Feet

Today, we learned that if you take Iffley road way down, past the GreyFriars, past a series of down-at-heels shops, and toward the village of Iffley, then turn right and cross the river going toward Abingdon, then walk into Abingdon about a quarter of a mile, you don't get to a camping store called Go Outdoors.

However, if you then walk north on the Abingdon Road, through a variety of neighborhoods, past the Four Columns hotel (horse, foal, and dog resident in the field next door), and up toward the City Centre, you can eventually walk in a huge circle.

So that's good to know.

A little help with this one, Prof. Bowes?

Seen on the streets of Oxford. Unfortunately, I had no video camera with which to capture the singing and dancing. We're hoping Prof. Bowes can provide some insight on this one.

Killer Birds

Yesterday we walked around Christ Church Meadow. Good views, people punting on the Isis, and lots of water fowl.

The baby birds were very cute, but the adults were a bit menacing.
Fiona was not amused.



On the food front, we tried a very unsatisfactory noodle house on Thursday. After being rejected at two pubs on the food front last night, we once again retreated to an asian venue. This time, the food was better (as Fiona described). What Fiona did not mention is that they had French toast on the appetizer menu. Always game for breakfast food, and immediately intrigued by its presence on the menu at this japanese/chinese restaurant, I looked to see if there was a description on the menu clarifying exactly what was on offer. I was surprised and intrigued to find it described as a battered and fried peanut butter sandwich served with syrup. I immediatly decided that I had to try it. It was served up hot and looked like a very thin monte cristo sandwich. We cut into it with a fork, added some syryp and were delighted to find that it was tasty. Probably the best thing I've tasted on the food front here in Britain. Seriously. Better than a fried Twinkie, but not as good as a fried Oreo; it was light on the peanut butter (a very thin layer between two thin slices of white bread) and went down easy.

Tonight for dinner we had shwarma. Quite good and a friendly place. Slowly, but surely we are settling in.

Finally, I must say that the futon generously loaned to us by Bart and Tony (and delivered to us today by Tony with whom we had a great afternoon) is a great addition to the apartment. We now have a proper place to sit other than a kitchen chair.

Hubbly Pubbly

We have successfuly dined in a pub. That's right. It only took five attempts and one English escort. But we have ordered, received, eaten, and paid for both fish-n-chips (with mushy peas!) and a lamb-n-mint burger. As you may recall, our first 2 attempts at pub entry met with steely gazes, no available tables, and a certain sense of confusion.

Being intrepid, however, we tried again Friday night. On a Friday night, we reasoned, English pubs would be crawling with hungry, lager-swilling young-uns eager to hand over their pounds and pence for a little fried meat. But no. One of our neighborhood pubs, the James Street Inn, home of 10 dogs, 3 children and poo weather, welcomed us with the news that they only serve food on the weekends. Friday doesn't count. But the young lady was so pleasant, and the Guinness taps so shiny, we were all but forced to drink a pint of Guinness and a half pint of Strongbow (cider). That made us a little toasty (no dinner, yet), so we toddled off down the street.

Then we tried the Hobgoblin, and they informed us that they stopped serving food every day around "half seven." It was 7:45, so no dice. The young ladies here were kind, too, but we were already wobbly. No time for more beer.

So that left us to try a restaurant. We walked four more blocks, to a little asian bistro thingy that Charles liked the look of. I knew it would be good when the Buddhist monk next to me smiled. Later, he tried to buy his soup bowl, but the waitress refused. Charles and I think she ought to have given it to him.

One Kong Bo shrimp and one teriyaki chicken noodle later, we emerged happier but no closer to our goal: food in an actual pub. You wouldn't think we'd care so much, since pub food isn't exactly...famous.

But today our deliverer arrived. And he delivered a futon and a wireless router! We immediately swept him down to the James Street Tavern to act as our Englishman-in-residence. With him in tow, we managed to convince the pub to give us actual food, including said fish and lamb burgers. But here's the best thing about lunch in the pub: it comes with beer! For 5.50 (pounds, natch), you get lunch plus a pint of something. I had Strongbow again, as did Charles, while Tony drank Foster's.
So, to recap: pub grub enjoyed, noodle place scouted and approved, futon providing a place to sit other than the bed, many lovely stories exchanged between ourselves and Tony. Unfortunately, Bart was sick at home, so he missed much of my best material. But we plan to visit he and Tony in Milton Keynes next weekend, when we'll try out a "gastro-pub." That's a pub with food people actually want to eat.

Oxford is Soooo Ugly

The British won't tell you this, but they're ashamed of Oxford. Because it's seriously unattractive. Downright hideous. Example:
This town is replete with awful buildings like that one. Check this out:

I mean, people have to try to live there (the Meadow Cottages, according to the sign). It's just sad.

Speaking of sad, I'm going to go drown my sorrows in a pint of Guinness. We're making a third stab at going into a pub. This one is the James Street Tavern, and we think it might work out because of a sign Charles saw there a few days ago. It said:

"10 dogs, 3 children and Poo Weather. We will re-open Tuesday."

Sounds friendly, don't it?

More stuff growing on a wall

This is a wall. With flowers growing in it. And as you walk along this wall (Christ Church College), there are about a gazillion tiny versions of this, brushing your head as you walk by. Today, it was sunny, but doubtless it will rain again soon, and thus the stone will continue to degrade.

Today was a good day for photos, so more posts coming.