Oxford: not the South Island town that Nana and Poppa lived in

I've just checked Google maps and my reasonably photographic memory combined with a sometimes reliable internal compass, tell me that my grandparents lived in a street called Weka St in Oxford, New Zealand. Dad, am I right?!
Anyway, that Oxford is pretty different from the Oxford as in Oxford University/Boatrace, not too far outside London, in a shire aptly named 'Oxfordshire'. Conveniently, Soph and Jay said 'not this time' to living in London, and so live there, cycle to work, cycle to pubs and generally get to enjoy London on fairly regular visits, rather than moan about the tube down here in L-town.
 
Shortly before gapping it to France, I spent a Sunday in Oxford post-Olympics, drowning a hangover in coffee and a pretty excellent Sunday pub brunch (black pudding compulsory), before jumping in puddles and wandering around their very picturesque home. I think it was the first time I'd been to an English town outside London and of course the noticeable things on such visits are that people smile and chat, are more chilled, and you actually hear English being spoken. We visited some Oxford hot spots such as Christ Church and The Meadow and -a legit novelty for me from the East end- an Asian supermarket full of Japanese/thai/Chinese ingredients (as opposed to Indian/Pakistani/Bangladeshi, which is generally what 'Asian' meant in the E1 where I was living then). I stayed the night thanks to blissful unemployment. Jay cooked some delicious thai curries and satay from the sourced ingredients inspired by their recent travels through South East Asia, and I probably said 5082 times 'I love this kitchen!' (they have a proper aga and a bread-making landlord) while we washed it down with red wine.

Church or library, I can't quite recall

Autumn was a very pretty time to visit

Tour guides in puddles

Deer and a rugby field



Amazing curtains at the dinner table

 Since the next day was Monday, I let myself loose on Oxford solo, taking in more scenery, Cheshire Cat souvenir shops, rowing clubs and voyeured into University Colleges (Weir House has got nothing). I never got attached to Harry Potter but know enough to say something about the resemblance in these academic environs. With students and their bicycles everywhere and all the beautiful buildings, it certainly puts on a show without having to do much.

University accommodation anyone?

 

Success at rowing

Pretty building on the river near the Abingdon Rd bridge

 View across the meadow

 

Entry to another college

and another one.

What really happens in Oxford

Autumn

I really wanted to go to Woodstock and the Blenheim Palace as well, so will have to get back there ASAP before Soph and Jay leave these British shores.