Oxford at last - but by Train!

Monday 22nd October, 2012 and still in Goring.
We are still "Red Boarded" and, although the water level in the river has dropped a little, it is clear from talking to the lock keepers that it will be tomorrow at the earliest before we shall be able to move.
At least we could console ourselves with another wonderful breakfast at Pierreponts!

We decided to use our enforced idleness to go and be tourists for the day in Oxford, as unfortunately it appeared we would not have time to linger there once MM got moving. We took the train from Goring, a journey of only 25 minutes.
Our first task on arriving in Oxford was to reconnoitre moorings for when we eventually arrive there on MM. The lock that separates the River Thames from the Oxford Canal is the beautifully named "Isis" Lock. It will be the first 'narrow' lock that we have done since leaving the Oxford canal a year ago; it did look awfully small - would we really be able to get MM in there?!

On the other side of the lock, we found excellent 48 hour moorings, although there were a lot of boats already there - we hope that they will have moved on once the Thames re-opens!
We crossed the canal and explored Jericho, the area of Oxford that was central to the very first episode of "Inspector Morse" on the TV.

We immediately recognised the row of canalside cottages and the local pub that featured in that episode.

Thereafter, it was a natural progression from detective to prison! We did a tour of Oxford Castle, which until 1996 was still an HM Prison but whose history goes back to Saxon times.

We were escorted round the old prison by the Governor, who looked in remarkably good shape considering that he was 400 years old!

He obviously recognised a scoundrel when he saw one, because R ended up having his "mug-shot" taken!

We walked into the city centre, admiring the magnificent and historic architecture. We've both been in Oxford before a number of times, it never ceases to enthrall. The "City of Dreaming Spires" has a magic all its own.
Entrance to most colleges is possible in the afternoon and we spent a very interesting hour looking round Trinity, "Alma Mater" of R's brother Chris. We both readily admitted to feeling a trifle envious.

A visit to nearby "Blackwell's" bookshop was irresistible - what an Aladdin's Cave of literary delights. R could quite happily have stayed all night, but M thought it might be wise to get back to MM and sleep in a comfy bed rather than on the hard floor of a bookshop!
Today: Just 3.2 hours to charge the batteries.