Half term, 2016, October.
Still in Cambridge this morning, but after waiting the compulsory two hours for daughter to get ready we were ready for the off. I went down and mentioned to the manager that “something” was taken from our room – she didn’t seem concerned in the least, and I know its just a cube of fudge – but it was TAKEN!
In car, down to the retail park so that daughter could have a look at a shop that sold two stories of tat, then onward to Oxford.
Sat Nav took us all over the place, not sure why – we ended up about 20 miles from London at one point – but after two hours we landed in the second Premier Inn – some miles from Oxford.
Again couldn’t check in, but had a taxi called, and within 20 mins we were mooching around Oxford. The taxi driver was a little surprised at where we wanted to get out, but it had ticked over to eight quid – and that-is-my-limit. We walked up and down the main drag, and it was not cool.
Lunch was in Nando’s at the very end of George Street, disappointing – we used to love Nando’s and I still remember losing my Nando’s virginity in Cheltenham all those years ago – it was fan-bloody-tastic, this one was not.
Little look around the Castle, and a walk around some of the more olde-wordly streets to the Library, then down though the little alley ways to the Turf Tavern. The Brend took me there when we stopped off in Oxford on a cycle, and I was mega impressed – as it was hardly signposted and was a little higgeldy-piggledy place, with little rooms and a seating area within a block of houses. I don’t think the family were as impressed. And the Amstel was not great.
Afterwards, a treat for daughter, in the Winter and after 14:00 you can have a look around the New College, and in here, apparently, was where Malfroy was turned into a ferret. She recognized it immediately – she was happy.
After the culture we walked behind some of the colleges and down to the Head of the River, which is our go-to pub in the summer – not so busy in October, but quite nice to have a couple of beverages and a £4.50 sausage roll.
After liquid refreshment we walked along Broad Street behind Christ Church, then back passed New College and over to the Kings Arms where we watched the ebb and flow of customers with a few Morrittis and some large hairy scratchings.
After this we ambled over to the restaurants and decided on Jamies, we had to wait at the bar, where I ordered some drinks and the bar man talked me into putting my card behind the counter – something I never, ever, ever, ever do. Everywhere seems to serve beer in cans now – idiotic – but it must be the fashion I guess? Sian had a great linguine, daughter a decent burger and I had a crappy dappy pasta -which describes itself as:
GENNARO’S TAGLIATELLE BOLOGNESE
£6.50 / £10.95
Amazing pork & beef slow cooked with red wine, topped with pangrattato & Parmesan
Bloody liars.
I expected chunks of meat – it was rubbish. I commented on the fact it was poor twice, to which the waiter just said thanks. I moaned at the manager and got it removed from the bill – which was good, but I wasn’t after that, I just wanted some recognition to the fact that the dish was dire. It didn’t come, but at least it meant we got a free taxi home with the discount.
Nine quid to return and we checked in, pretty pooped – I then realized that I had a tag in my pocket, I’d left my bloody card behind the counter!