There is one stereotype that is very true,
We joined the masses on our own bikes, peddled into town and caught a tour bus. Siting on the top deck of an open topped bus we did one lap listening to the commentary and getting our bearings and spotting places of interest to come back to.First stop was the Alice in Wonderland shop, selling all manner of curious things. Originally it had been the shop that the real Alice, of the story, went to buy sweets.
Next stop was St Mary's church where we climbed to the top of the tower to look out over the dreaming spires.
Medieval architecture is a little on the cramped side,
and quite crude too !
that's a nun cupping her, well you work it out. There are also vomiting monks. Nice.
But there is plenty of fine stuff too.
We went into the Bodleian library which is just behind the Radcliffe Camera pictured. Never found out why it was called a camera. Then round the corner to Oxford's bridge of Sighs.
An American lady asked us " is that it !???!" Lucky she hadn't gone to Venice or she'd have been really disappointed. We then cut across the courtyard in the background to find somewhere to sit and have our packed lunch. We found a fine set of grand stone steps just as it started to rain. When a tour guide and her group of students came running over to share the shelter as the rain turned into a full blown thunder storm. We learnt a lot from our new neighbours extended stop and lecture on the structure of college life.
When the rain abated we made it to the history of science museum before jumping back on the bus and heading back into the city centre for a spot of shopping. Then back to the bikes and Maya, it's hard work this tourist business.
