First Day in England

Today was our first full day in England. We'd arrived mid-afternoon yesterday and were immediately treated by Kimberly and Tim to fabulous roast lamb at a nearby restaurant. We then spent the remainder of the day enjoying their very beautiful and unique home, a converted barn that's been thoroughly modernized. The girls are having a great time playing with their cousins, while Todd and I have been mostly eating and drinking, at the urging of our gracious hosts, while catching up on family news. The photo above shows Todd with Kimberly and Tim, in their lovely backyard.


We spent the afternoon in Oxford today, accompanied by my niece Lily-Ann. Not only was she a pleasant travelling companion, but she was also very helpful, as she knew her way around the train station and was able to give the cab driver directions to her house!

We took a tour of Oxford on a double-decker bus, but most of our time was spent at Christ Church. The cathedral was magnificent, but the girls most enjoyed seeing the spots where the Harry Potter movies were filmed. The grand dining hall was a highlight of the visit.






It was a wonderful experience, walking through the narrow streets and seeing the college buildings where so many well-known men and women had resided and studied. I'd always wanted to visit Oxford, as it is supposedly the setting of one of my very favourite novels, Thomas Hardy's Jude the Obscure. Todd reminded me today that it is also the setting of the Inspector Morse series by Colin Dexter, another favourite of mine. Today, we explored the hallowed halls of academia, but next time, we'll have to do a pub tour of Morse's Oxford!