ic:blog: Weekend away

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Saturday, 11 April 2009

Weekend away

Beth and I decided - as a sort-of birthday/anniversary treat - to take off last weekend and hide away somewhere, just us two, to relax and recuperate before the excitement of the Easter school holidays. After a little research, Beth found a hotel in Oxfordshire - the Lambert Arms, which offered bed & breakfast (and free wi-fi!) for a very reasonable price; better, even, than a Travelodge.

We couldn't have been more pleased with the room, the service and the friendliness of the staff - you could tell it was run by a small, close-knit team, and the manager, Neal, was a cheerful man (even first thing on a Sunday morning!) who was happy to help when we ended up having difficulty getting into our room. It seems the lock went wrong; consequently, one of the receptionists had to find an alternative route into the room to be able to unlock the door!

All-in-all, I would definitely recommend the Lambert Arms for anyone staying near Oxford!

Beth and I took a trip into central Oxford on Sunday morning, using the Park And Ride service. It was possibly my first 'proper' tourist visit, and, in the spring sunshine, I was really taken aback by the gorgeous architecture and the well-preserved, traditional nature of the city; most towns, if you go off the main streets, you find some rather untidy, urban backstreets. In Oxford, though, even these small streets are cobbled and filled with charming stone buildings - halls of residence, and (I would imagine) the houses of those who teach at the many University Colleges.

We also had a gentle walk along the Thames, on the other side of the river to Christ Church meadow, and watched the rowers as they did their practice, their trainers cycling along the bank shouting (mostly) encouragement! I took quite a few photos - the sights were some that I really wanted to be able to remember.. miles away from the technology and rush of the life we'd (mostly) escaped for that weekend! There are a couple of photos below, and more in the gallery.