We walked to the Avis car rental office from Oxford train station - across a bridge over the motorway. They had a Mercedes for us - Patty had volunteered to drive - she had driven most recently in England - so we completed the paperwork - checked the car - and left it in the lot while we grabbed a taxi to find the Turf Tavern - the great bartender at the Dockside Pub had suggested that we go there.
I guess the Tavern has a connection with Harry Potter!
And with Bill Clinton when he was a Rhodes scholar at Oxford University! How appropriate to see this given the current U.S. election!
And, of course, Inspector Morse has been to the Turf Tavern, and Morse is our reason for visiting Oxford!! And we can't forget Lewis and Hathaway!
After a bowl of soup, we headed for the Tourist Office for an Inspector Morse tour. Patty and I are big fans of Morse - Patty found a walking tour online - Jody investigated and booked us on a 1:30 pm tour. We are converting Jody into a Morse fan.
Our tour guide said she had read all of Colin Poindexter's books, watched all the TV episodes, and developed a tour of some sites mentioned in the books and TV episodes. She also presented a little history of Oxford and Oxford University.
The Colleges of Oxford University feature in Inspector Morse books and TV series.
Oxford University is composed of 30 colleges - most are centered on a quadrangle with a chapel, dining hall, library, and residence halls.
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Statue of a naked man by Anthony Gormley - it was commissioned by Exeter College of Oxford University. Our tour guide said students dress and decorate the statue for different occasions.
Gate to Exeter College which has been used in the Inspector Morse series - especially the final episode where Morse collapses in the quadrangle with a heart attack. We have to come back and see this on our own.
Braenose Lane - this area was used in several shoots.
Beefeater Pub
Oriel College, Oxford - with a statue of King Charles
Bragging rights for win on the water.
Reading room for Bodleian Library in Radcliffe Square
We saw many sights that we recognized from the TV show. The tour guide had said she would take us to a pub associated with Inspector Morse at the end of the tour. As the rain started, she said we were going to the Turf Tavern - since we had already seen it, we ducked out to stand on the steps of a museum to avoid the rain. Jody ran to a nearby pub and called a taxi who dropped us at Avis Car Rental.
Since Jody's GPS worked, she sat in front with Patty and navigated the route. My job was to remind Patty to stay on the left side of the road - she didn't need me. Patty and I have driven in Ireland and England so often that driving on the left comes pretty naturally. So we were off to Stratford upon Avon!!
Patty did a great job driving, and we made it to Stratford even though Jody's cell phone battery was dying and my GPS was not too helpful. On past trips Patty or I would have had maps and would have plotted out our route beforehand. Now everything is electronic - but, Patty had actually looked up the route the previous night in case the GPS failed. We stopped first at the White Swan Hotel where Jody and I were staying - we checked in and then headed for the Arden Hotel near the River Avon. The White Swan was full when Patty had decided to come to England so she booked at the Arden. We found the back of the hotel and the exit from the parking lot. Jody and I headed for the theatre while Patty found the entrance and booked in. Patty did not have a ticket to King Lear, and instead had chocolate covered strawberries and truffles waiting for her at the hotel!
Jody and I grabbed a ploughman's sandwich at the theatre and then had a drink before the performance - we put in an order for a glass of Bailey's to be ready for the intermission - and it was ready when we came out - we just picked it up.
I'm not sure if it is because we are in England, if it is the actors - many of whom have had training in Shakespeare, if it is the atmosphere, or what it is - but this King Lear was another exceptional performance.
We had thought about taking a cab back to the hotel, but a taxi driver told us that every taxi driver in Stratford was booked tonight. So we walked back to the hotel. We passed several places to eat or have a drink. But it was late so we stopped in a shop near the hotel for a snack and headed to bed.
Patty did a great job driving, and we made it to Stratford even though Jody's cell phone battery was dying and my GPS was not too helpful. On past trips Patty or I would have had maps and would have plotted out our route beforehand. Now everything is electronic - but, Patty had actually looked up the route the previous night in case the GPS failed. We stopped first at the White Swan Hotel where Jody and I were staying - we checked in and then headed for the Arden Hotel near the River Avon. The White Swan was full when Patty had decided to come to England so she booked at the Arden. We found the back of the hotel and the exit from the parking lot. Jody and I headed for the theatre while Patty found the entrance and booked in. Patty did not have a ticket to King Lear, and instead had chocolate covered strawberries and truffles waiting for her at the hotel!
Jody and I grabbed a ploughman's sandwich at the theatre and then had a drink before the performance - we put in an order for a glass of Bailey's to be ready for the intermission - and it was ready when we came out - we just picked it up.
I'm not sure if it is because we are in England, if it is the actors - many of whom have had training in Shakespeare, if it is the atmosphere, or what it is - but this King Lear was another exceptional performance.
We had thought about taking a cab back to the hotel, but a taxi driver told us that every taxi driver in Stratford was booked tonight. So we walked back to the hotel. We passed several places to eat or have a drink. But it was late so we stopped in a shop near the hotel for a snack and headed to bed.
