Winter Wonderland @ Hyde Park

What with Oxford's Christmas Market not quite standing up against the ones of Germany, the week afterwards we decided to go and have a visit to what London has to offer.

The plan was to take a leisurely stroll through the markets of Hyde Park, South Bank and opposite the Tower of London. A visit to Oxford Street to see the lights was also on the todo list, as was a possible visit to some of the big department stores.

Arriving at Hyde Park Corner, we noticed straight away that something was happening. The tube was a lot more full than usual, and as we came out to ground level, we saw the mass of people before us. However, looks could be deceiving, as at a slightly slower walking pace you could actually get to where you wanted without having to push past many people (a far cry from the (Mainz Christmas Market).

In Hyde Park, they have erected many stalls selling Christmas gifts, handicrafts, food and drink. There was a German village area with German beer, sausages, music and Gluehwein; there was a helter-skelter, lots of other amusements, as well as an ice rink.

Walking around this wonderland really did impress us. Not only did it take two and a half hours to return to the beginning again (this place is huge!), but the selection of food was great (Christmas Dinner in a bap anyone?), the glow juice was also very tasty, and you didn't feel cramped, sticky or dirty (adjectives that I would often use when in the Mainz Christmas Market).

After enjoying all Hyde Park had to offer (ok, we didn't try something from every stall...) and looking at what time it was, we decided to give the other markets a miss, and instead head off to Harrods.

Looking around this huge store, with all the festive lighting and decorations was definitely a good choice. Amongst the noteworthy things seen was a throne for a dog, a Christmas pudding cat bag, and a leg of ham costing 1500 pounds (they didn't give us a tester of this though)...

Next up was Oxford Street, where, to our surprise, all traffic was blocked, and the streets were taken over by pedestrians. This really made a difference to getting down this road that would normally be packed and difficult to maneuver. Whilst consuming a belgian waffle, we were delighted to see that a firework was just beginning, which we watched from the middle of the road.

Once the light display was over, we moved down to the Liberty store, which was also nicely done up for the Christmas period. From here it was time to head back to Paddington to get the train back to Oxford.

A very nice Christmas trip to London to finish off 2011.

More pictures can be seen here.

Oxford Festive Market

Also a bit delayed, but at the Oxford Castle there is currently the Oxford Christmas Market. Not that big, but still has a stand with the German sausages, another with mulled wine, one with Fruit Punch (Feuerzangebowle) and a selection of handicraft stalls.

So, as the first market we had visited this winter, it was pretty good, and gave a god taster for what was to come.

To see more photos, click here.

Mainz Meetup and No Christmas Markets

A couple of weeks ago we were back in Mainz and managed to meet up with many people still there (although just missed Luigi, who arrived a week later). It was much colder than in the UK, which meant I had a whole week to catch a cold as I had forgotten how the weather there can feel a lot worse than the thermometer says.

So Carlitos, Roberto, Ali, Mamen, Patricia and Valentin were there and with Olgui and myself we managed to fill up the long table again. Food was the usual staple of Flammkuchen, Quiches, Salads and a big piece of meat (yes, that was Carlitos).

A good evening was had by all, and it was great to meet up again, despite it being just one meal.

The Sunday was spent at Friedi, Marc and Juliane's place, with Christiane playing the aunty. It was very good to see the whole family again, and see Juliane grow up so quickly (next time she'll be able to clean more than the sofa table).

And as predicted, by the time of the flight home, the cold had fully hit and so I arrived back in the UK with my ears blocked. Not the best way to experience the change in pressure of an aircraft.

Next time will hopefully give the opportunity to see everyone for a bit longer and we'll be better prepared for the cold weather...

(more photos can be found here)

Sunday Sun and the Hills of Brill

Sunday started with bright sunshine shining through the windows, which for the end of November is pretty good going. So with haste a route was planned online to take most advantage of the rest of the day (having woken up late, it was already 10:30am).

The plan was to head off from Kidlington to Aylesbury going the scenic route. This seemed fine looking at the road map, maybe slightly pushing for time to get back before it gets dark, but I would check how far I got by 1pm and make my way back.

First village to pass through was Islip, and on it went to Oddington which was quite picturesque. Then on to Charlton-on-Otmoor which is when I started to realise the error in planning a route from a road map.

Yes, there were no contour lines for the terrain. As such, I missed seeing the multiple hills both up and down along the rest of the journey. Already an hour into the journey, I needed to catch up in order to manage Aylesbury and meet up with my parents there.

On I went through Fencott, Murcott, and then came Boarstall. This was the first major hill that forced me to take a breather. Maybe I was out of shape, maybe my tires were losing air, but it was a very short sharp uphill which allowed me to take a long swig from the water bottle. That will make the bike lighter, I thought..

By then I could have taken a closer look at the terrain coming up afterwards, as next stop was the village of Brill in Buckinghamshire. The previously encountered hills were nothing in comparison to these ones. Starting with a very slow upward hill that went on for a while, just when you're getting tired of it, up pops the steep bit (10%). If that wasn't enough to make you give up, once you get over the brow, the steep bit drops off and it becomes a less steep upward slope.

After a few stops on the way up, I finally made it up to the top to see how this place makes use of the location - by having a windmill on the top of the hill. The view was very pretty, but I couldn't stop for long, as I had to head on with my route. Following the road I realised I now had to go down the same steepness of hill on the other side. Well, at least it was good practice for my brakes...

Down at the bottom of the hill, and checking the signposts, there didn't seem to be the next place on my list (Chilton). Consulting the GPS (smartphones have their uses) I realised that there were in fact two possible ways out of Brill, and I had just taken the wrong one. Not wanting to ascend the hill I had just descended, I decided to head on going through Wotton Underwood and Dorton before getting back on track in Chilton.

At this point, I realised I might make it to the final destination, but I wouldn't make it back home again whilst it was light. After a quick telephone check, it was decided to meet up in Thame for a quick energy boost (I had just eaten a hot cross bun for breakfast) before deciding the best way (ie flattest) back to Kidlington.

Of course, once in the scenic route, it's difficult to come out of it, so I still had to pass through Chearsley and Cuddington before hitting the main road which I then took to Thame. I had fallen short by just 6 miles of Aylesbury, and more importantly I had not made it to the village of Gibraltar.

In Thame, after spending over 20 mins waiting for service at a near empty pub/restaurant/bar, we went across the road where there was the offer of steaks or burgers. The burger with bacon and egg was just the ticket for recouping the lost energy so far.

By now, there was no chance of cycling all the way back without having to do unlit roads in the dark. So a quick cycle to Haddenham and Thame Parkway rail station, meant I was able to catch the train to Bicester, where I just had to make it along the very busy A-road back to Kidlington.

After a very bumpy cycle path for part of the way, and a very busy main road for where the cycle paths were missing, I just made it back before it was completely dark.

So all in all a great trip, cut short by starting too late and then getting lost coming out of Brill. Next time a different route will be found taking into account the terrain...

Remember, remember...

No, it didn't start with V for vendetta...

Yes, the fifth of November was upon us, and there was no excuse - the weather was as clear as could be. So off we went to South Park (no, not that one ,the one in Oxford...) to celebrate Guy Fawkes Night.

Here amongst the thousands of people that turned out, we saw a great firework display over the spires of Oxford.

After the wows and the ahhhs that were let out by each new burst of light and sound in the sky, it was time to watch the setting on fire of the guy. This one was a massive person-shaped structure made out of crates and made a sinister spectre once it was fully burning, with its limbs sticking out like something from a horror film...

Meeting up with Diego and Hannah for a great drink, meal, and after meal drinks, it made a great end to a great day.

(see more photos here)

Next year we will get some sparklers too :)

Time for a Bath

With Christmas, anniversaries and birthdays coming upon us thick and fast, we decided it would be great to get out of Oxford for the weekend. Using the National Express special offer tickets we got a great deal to Bath.

Accommodation was sorted out here at a stone's throw from the city centre, allowing us to visit the shops, bring back the bags and go back into town for dinner without wasting any time.

Of course, there were all the major sales on in the shops, and some great places for eating (Peking Chinese's crispy aromatic duck was amazing, as was Jimmy Spice's assortment of Italian, Chinese, Thai, and Indian food). Breakfast pancakes (scotch) and bacon muffins (English) taste great at The Bridge Coffee Shop. And the best tip ever, is to go to ShakeAway (near to M&S, Burton) where they have a huge selection of milkshakes (see menu here). The "Janet" was really good, and tasted of Frozo Malt (for those of you from Barranquilla).

The historic bits of the city are also worth seeing, the cathedral, abbey, bridges and architecture are all famous here (more photos can be found following this link).

So all in all a very good whistle-stop trip to a lovely city !

Of Mermaids and Old Men

On the 23rd October 2011 a 60th birthday was celebrated in a hotel which once belonged to the family. On this occasion, it was being taken over by people from all over the world, and most corners of the UK.

Wend had organised the whole weekend, and everything was going to plan. Cue surprise entrances from family and extended family, lovely food at the Bury Head Hotel, and a pound of tuppences to play on the pier.

Fun was had by all, and I think nobody will be forgetting this weekend any time soon. The mermaid on the cake, the 'edited' picture on the wall, and the copious amounts of wine drunk in the early hours by some, were all memories going to stick for sure.

So here's wishing Clive all the best for the next 60...

(click here to see the rest of the photos)

October Weather Shock

In case you were wondering, September is completely missing from this blog. This can only mean one thing - holiday! And after holiday come the postings with photos, which will be following and backdated soon.

In the meantime, it is now October 2nd and it's bright sunshine outside, 27 degrees, and blue sky.
And here's me at home doing the tax forms...

But at least we got out yesterday for a great picnic at Blenheim Palace (photos here) with Diego 2.

Bathing in the sun, picnicking in the shade, and a smoothie in the village - fun was had all round.

Now back to those numbers...

Cincinnati - The City, The Weather, The Wedding

Beginning September in Cincinnati was the plan. Celebrating a wedding was the plan. Shopping downtown was the plan. The plan wasn't quite stuck to.

Taking the Greyhound coach down from Detroit to Cincinnati was an experience. Final destination was Birmingham (Alabama), which meant the other passengers looked and talked like they just came out of a southern film set. The seats were fine though, and I settled down for the 5 to 6 hours journey.

After leaving Toledo (pronounced Tolido) we suddenly pulled in to a rest stop unannounced. The driver got out, walked round to the back of the bus and looked at the wheels. She then came back on the bus and told us that the back axle had broken, and this bus wasn't going any further. There was a second bus slightly behind us that might have some seats free, and then a new bus would come down in 3 hours. This wasn't quite the news the passengers were looking forward to, especially those going to the last stop.

After half an hour, the driver came back over the tannoy and told everyone to strap up. The bus just behind us is now actually in front of us (it didn't stop), and the bus sent out to rescue us wouldn't get here until 5 or 6 hours time.So we were told to buckle up, and people in the back were told to keep an eye out for flames or smoke. Suffice it to say that nobody slept on the rest of the journey, traveling at great speed to catch up on lost time (instead of going slow to reduce risks...), with the back of the bus wobbling around the corners.

Only an hour late, we arrived at Cincinnati at 10pm with a temperature of 34 degrees Celsius!

The next day was tourism day. We set off to visit the sights, having lunch at Skyline Chili, and walking around downtown. Taking the Duck Tour going through 3 counties and 2 states was a great way of catching up on the history of the city as well as seeing the sights from the river.

The shopping part of the day wasn't quite as expected. It was actually very difficult to find any big stores in downtown, and across in Newport wasn't much better. Never mind, with the temperatures not going below 35 degrees, a few stops in the shops that were available allowed us to cool down, even if we didn't buy anything.

Of course, it wasn't for the shopping that we were in this city. No, we were here for the wedding of Chelsea and Eric. Meeting up with Patty, Stan, Jennifer, Gary and Kelly, we went off to the wedding across the road from the hotel (luckily we didn't have to go far in that heat).

The ceremony was great, the dress amazing, and the meal, speeches, and party were enjoyed by all. So congratulations to the married couple !

You can see all the photos of this trip here...

Typical Tigers, Lake Waves and Happy Days

Whilst staying in Ann Arbor (MI) at the end of August, I was relieved that the weather held out for me to be able to see some of the scenery.

First up was to go to Lake Michigan, where there were actually bigger waves than I've seen in many European sea beaches ! Of course, you don't expect this with a lake, but as it's so big, the moon seems to cause tides in it too.

Whilst jumping waves and climbing the hugs sand banks with a light breeze, one can forget that the sun was shining and it was just gone midday. So yes, you guessed it, a sunburn was the outcome. At least it didn't spoil the day itself :)

On the way to the lake we stopped off for lunch (Matt, Ben and myself) at the 70s Diner. This is straight out of the series Happy Days, where the great tasting burgers and amazing shakes are delivered on a tray that attaches to your car window. This was an unforgettable experience, and well worth repeating.

Later in the week there was the opportunity to see the Detroit Tigers play the Kansas City Royals (baseball). This trip was undertaken by Gary, Patty, Stan, Dandan, Sean, Ben and Boris.

Of course, a game isn't a game without doing some more of the typical things in the stadium. Cue a corn dog, cheesy tortilla chips, and a tub of local lager. The stadium was a hive of activity, and fun was had by all. The fact that nobody had won after full time, meant that extra time was called for. And in true Guiri style, yours truly went off to the bathroom whilst the Tigers were batting (as it wasn't so busy then), and duly missed the winning home walk...c'est la vie!

So this trip allowed me to tick those boxes that I didn't get chance to on the other trips over here, and therefore will be remembered for a long time.

Little Known Ben and Alician Museums

Slowly catching up now, bear with me.

Back at the end of July, we had another visit from that lady of alician nature. Yes, she doesn't seem to get enough of us, and so had come back in order to get a bit of pampering.

So, a bit of shopping was in order, followed by a production of Anthony and Cleopatra in an open air amphitheatre on top of the business school building. Definitely something different.

Of course a trip to London was also in order. This time the weather held up, so we first went and saw a not-so-well-known city icon. Yes, you might know of Big Ben, but the odds are that you have never seen Little Ben. This little gem is situated right outside of Victoria Station and is another great example of what you can find if you go off the tourist track.

Then it was time to hit the museums. Well one in fact, but it's big enough to be counted multiple times. That's right, the British Museum was on the list for today. A quick visit to some of the newer exhibitions (like the Australian one) was followed by the Egyptian mega-exhibition. Working our way between the statues, and the crowds of people it was a relief to stop off in the great court to have lunch (taking in the amazing glass ceiling).

Before we had to leave this city, we still had time to relax in Green Park (although all the deck chairs were already taken), and enjoyed the sun whilst people watching.

So a great time was had by all, and hopefully a bit of culture taken in. Thanks Ali for a wonderful time !

French Visits and Footing London

Again a bit delayed, but back in mid July we had a visit from Celi, coming over from Paris on the Eurostar (makes a change to all those that take the plane). Personally I think she was trying to escape Bastille Day, although with the amount of tourists in Oxford and London at this time, I wouldn't count it as much of an escape...

Apart from coming over for the organised Harry Potter Tour of Oxford (coinciding with the release of the final film), she also wanted to take on the services of yours truly as tour guide for London.

Ever up for a challenge, I prepared a tour to cover all sorts of interesting sights tailored to her preferences. Usually I make sure quite a bit of walking is involved in my tours, allowing participants to actually see quite a lot of London that they would normally have missed. It also means they get tired a couple of hours before time to come back to Oxford, allowing me to 'reluctantly' suggest stopping off at a nearby pub.

We started off at Paddington, taking the bus across to Camden Market, walking around the stalls and stables for a while, and sitting down on a scooter to eat our lunch. Then took the tube down to Green Park, where we walked down through the park to Buckingham Palace. From here we walked along the lake until we came down to Westminster. Passing Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament we went over Westminster Bridge (taking photos looking back across the River Thames at parliament).

From here we walked along the river (to the left of the bridge when you arrive on the south side) until we got to the Tate Modern. We used their facilities (very clean, by the way) and viewed some of the unusual art and photos on show, as well as the building itself (old power station).

After the cultural part, we walked further eastwards until we got to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, where unfortunately there were no tickets left for todays shows, nor were they doing tours, as a show was currently in progress (tip: get there in the morning to get on a tour).

Walking back the way we had come, we took the millennium bridge linking the Tate Modern to the original Tate Gallery (upon being built, it swayed so much that people got sick, and so it had to be rebuilt to reinforce the stability of it).

Arriving at the other bank of the Thames you have in front of you St Paul's Cathedral. Upon entering we caught part of a sermon which actually mentioned Harry Potter in it (a bonus for Celi!). We then made our way towards Holborn, walking along the roads and observing the buildings around us.

At this point, Celi had not complained at all about having walked too far, or being tired, so for the first time ever, I had to propose having a rest at a local pub outside of Paddington station! Is this a sign that I'm getting weak? Or maybe that she does enough walking around the streets of Paris, to rival my tours? I'll let you decide that one.

Of course, the other days she was here, we also went around Oxford, visiting some colleges, St Mary's Tower, and some of the local pubs.

Hopefully she'll remember the visit favourably (as we did) and come again soon...

(See all the photos here)

Knee Breaking Hills and Bavarian Weddings

A bit late in reporting, but just over a month ago (25th June), Martin and Sibylle got married in a lovely Bavarian village close to Wuerzburg called Castell (from the Faber-Castell pens fame). The weather may not have been playing ball during the weekend, but it stayed dry for the most part and a lovely day was had by all.

We also met up with the rest of Martin's family after a very long time, and were able to chat for a while with Ulrike.

The time around the wedding was spent visiting Wuerzburg with the newly married couple, going up to the palace in the bright sunshine and looking out over the city. We also managed a rushed lunch out on the ramparts (well, Kaesespaetzle for some of us, and cake for the rest).

And where does the knee-breaking hill come into this? Well, in order to get to the church one had to go up a pretty steep hill, which was appropriately named (the pub at the base of it also had the same name)...

So an enjoyable time was had by all, a lot of catch-up from the last decade or so, and a great occasion to do it at. So here's to a long and fruitful life together Martin & Sibylle !