Always read the fine print

Today we headed to the end of the line and went to William Morris gallery in Walthamstow thankfully it was dry and sunny as it was a tad of walk! Awesome place though and had some great interactive activities for kids (may have had to have a go) the rubbings were especially cool. There was also an activity where you were William Morris and had 4 years to make your fortune by choosing products and designers you saw how your business would progress. We made £1405 pounds the man told us this is a good score but the record is over £1550 held by a 9 year old! Exit by the gift shop saw a few small purchases made. We then set off to Covent Garden where we accidently ended up going up 157 stairs eck the lift would have been easier! The seven dials was visited and we had a spot of lunch in Trafalgar Square thankfully we did not need to take any iconic pics as there was going to be some festival on today. Maree wanted to check out the gift shop but didn't end up buying anything. Victoria and Albert Museum was next where we split up for 1/2 an hour then went to the Shoe exhibition which has some great shoes but suffers from poor layout, slow British readers and the worst 'gift' shop ever! We then learned that there is fine print on the late night opening of the V and A and most of it is shut opps!  But Maree got to see the Beasts of Dacre and they were all there! Lucky for us they had curry in the tea room to co inside with an exhibition and it was yum. Looking back it has been a busy week! No squirrel for a few days but did spot 3 at Highgate but forgot to mention them due to foxes! Tomorrow we head to Founder's museum,  museum of Childhood and V and A again....

It just came off!

Today got off to a bad start when we were 10 mins behind schedule and then headed down the steps at the tube station the zip puller made a permanent bid for freedom from maree's bag so back to apartment we headed to pick up a temp bag. This proved lucky as we were headed to the Knit and Stitch show and had not really thought through a purchase holding vessel. As luck would have it there was a handbag seller at the show and Maree was able to replace said bag! We purchased a modest amount and left by 2.30 as per the plan.  We then took a visit to the  Natural History Muesem where we loved the building but weren't so taken with its contents but did enjoy laughing at some of the moth eaten exhibits the giraffe is looking well past his best! Rounding out the night and the reason for late blogging was the Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London, this was a great time and 12.5 minutes of silence and no picture taking! 
Please note due to evening engagements over the coming nights the blog will be later than usual!

Stunner

Today saw us off to a slow start and we decided to alter the official plan and head to Tate Britain. Here we were able to enter through the main door unlike last visit and view the alterations that were in progress last time. So it was straight off to see the Pre Raphaelites some we had seen before and some new ones. Waterhouse's Lady of Shalot was slightly dissapointing but was great see Ophelia again. We then headed to see the poor man's gallery, we then wanted to check out a special display of Pre Raphaelite drawings but couldn't find them and a lovely man personally walked us there trying on the way to sell us on a visit to the Turner room....  

Highgate cemetery was next on the list we arrived a tad early so had a wee wander in the east cemetery. Then it was off to meet the tour of the west cemetery.  Simon our guide was great and linked the tour back to the Victorian's and a lot of the information dovetailed well with last night's talk. As we wanted to see Lizzie Siddal's grave we asked at the start and we're told we could view it at the end. So on the completion of the tour Simon took just us to view it which was amazing. We also saw 4 foxes on the way a tad mangy looking but FOXES! A quick trip to Liberty was a must on the way home.

Steps, steps and more steps

Today we left Oxford in the rain so spent the best £5 ever on a cab to the station it didn't look far on Google but it was! Slight drama fitting our bags onto the luggage rack then couldn't get seats so had to sit in quiet carriage not sure Maree can do quiet. Arrived in London to a lovely day, were helped by a lively man to reload our Oyster cards then onto the tube. Due to not wanting to carry our bags down steps we took the long way round the circle line to our local station where we encountered our first steps. Found the Harrington and checked in our apartment is roomy and nice and already looks a slight tip. We then headed to St Paul's where we again got slightly way laid actually looking at the cathedral.  Firstly we went up 257 steps to the whispering gallery then a further 271 to the outside viewing decks they were narrow and steep stairs but the views were amazing. We then headed for a cup of tea in the crypt cafe and wandered around the crypt with a detour to the gift shop. By this time it was 4.30 and we had yet to look at the actual main floor and evensong was due to start so we stayed for that - was an extended service as 4 people were being  commissioned into the college of canons. This meant a slightly stressful trip to the tower for our adult education evening on death which was very interesting, we got to walk around parts of the tower at 9 at night yippee! A great first day, tomorrow we hope to see Lizzie Siddal's grave.

A Tale of Three Colleges

Today was our first damp day - that is an understatement the morning was just plain wet! But objectives must be met so off to Christ Church College we headed. As we were early we took a walk down to view Folly Bridge where we spotted 4 squirrels, a couple came quite close. Christ Church was used for scenes in the Harry Potter films and the stairs headed to the dining room were just like being in the film, the actual dining room required some imagination to get to the film but was an amazing room and it is bizarre to think people eat in it daily. Then is was off to the chapel a building we now know intimately due to our slightly overzealous tour guide. We then headed to The Museum of Oxford this was smaller than expected way smaller and was completed in about 10 min but we did learn that the dead man walk of the previous day was connected to the Jewish community.
Finally it was 2pm and we could enter All Souls College! The man on the door was not that friendly and told us we could go to the chapel the great quad then exit where we entered. The chapel was amazing bit yet again we were amazed at people's lack of ability to read - a sign clearly said not to walk on the marble tombs but this stopped no one bar us and a member of the college. As a place it was everything Maree had hoped it would be and we have many pictures....
Continuing on the Discovery of Witches and Harry Potter theme, although this was entirely by luck we stumbled on New College being open. The man on the door was lovely and here we could view the Chapel and Cloisters, the hall and the Medieval garden and mound. No photos were allowed in the Chapel and Hall which was lucky as we may have been quite taken with them! On leaving we noticed a large picture board showing scenes shot in the cloisters from the goblet of fire. The cloister was also the viewing of the 5th squirrel of the day!  Bought our first pastie and headed home. Oxford has been great we have seen truck loads of bicycles, tour parties have been intrigued by the walls and doors along the footpaths that open into the stunning colleges which you have no idea are behind them. A fantastic way to start the holiday everything we wanted to see lived up to expectation and we stumbled on to some great things as well. Of to reread Discovery of Witches....

It pays to be organized

Today we covered many miles!  We began by taking a walk that was featured in one of our guide books that took us along the medieval funeral walk (not that you would know this as there is nothing about it). We past by some gardens that reminded us of jigsaw puzzle images. This then took us to Magdalen Bridge, the river makes the Wanganui look quite clean! We past Magdalen College yet another building festooned with gargoyle style freezes. We arrived at the Bodleian Library a tad early and found there was a lack of sign posting but discovered our tour was sold out so we're pleased to have pre booked.  Our tour had 11 people on it and our guide had an amazing knowledge.  This was a highlight for Maree as it took in places from Discovery of Witches. We exited through the gift shop and made our FIRST purchases for the holiday! We then went to have a nosy at Keble College  where we visited the Chapel and saw students arriving to begin their studies - it appears to be 'fresher' week! On our way back to the Ashmolean we took a quick tour of St John's college.  We were able to view the Alfred jewel and Maree purchased a bottle of Dandelion and Burdock! On our walk back we stopped at the oldest church in Oxford where we climbed the tower and saw a fantastic St Micheal stained glass window. Tomorrow will us going to Christ Church College and All Souls!

Issues

Had issues with blogger and the net last night so there were no pictures will try and get some pics up now from my phone and then try and sort the tablet as we are having issues using it!