#5 - Oxford and Reading

I awoke after a fairly large sized night at The Victoria, being served drinks by an Italian, Polish and local  barmaid (although the local was more looking for an American to marry... Which worked quite well for a visiting Englishman with an American passport (?) and a US marine, who I chatted with for most of the evening. To say he was anti-America, anti-George Bush, anti-war on Afghanistan are all understatements. I made the mistake of getting him started. I think he's still talking... I knicked the free wifi at my hotel before I checked out (I know, it's cheeky) and then headed out to Mimos cafe for breaky - true to my word from yesterday's wallet fiasco. Filled a hole. Good. Was unsure what was happening but knew I was to meet Bryan (school mate from Grammar days). I should have organized it better, but was still excited to be catching up with him. I bought a phone (sorry, Anne - on retrospect should have taken up your phone offer!) My train ticket to Oxford was £22 for an hour's ride - 15mins out of the Paddington station and it was English countryside. Typical country houses and the overgrown trees and shrubs over hundred year old brick bridges. Very scenic. Thanks to the good directions of my British friend, I found the vet surgery and dropped my bag off. On to explore the world of Oxford. First - lunch at the pub, with - once again - free wifi! A cruise of Oxford via the hop-on-hop-off buses (damn, these buses are great!) gave a great historical guide to the city with some anecdotes etc. I love the architecture of the buildings and the respect given to these structures. They are so detailed and meticulously fashioned. Unbelievable! Stories from 1200 are also amazing - we have no history detailed/captured in Australia essentially from pre-1800s. Cruising on through Oxford and the many Colleges - one of which was Trinity, and ironically no Ian McRae Cup there either, in direct relation to the Perth college of the same name! - had a Cornish pastry which was nice, but I'll probably go for a steak and kidney pie next time. On my travels passed Oxford Press I found this awesome pub 'Frevd' (think the V is pronounced U from old latin-ish writing) renovated from an old church... I will probably to go to hell for consuming alcohol in there  besides altar wine but ironically I was probably more engaged in the messages on the stained glass windows and altar than I ever have been before. Whoops! Not a fault of my teachers through my years in Catholic school education! Will catch up with Bryan tonight and report back when I recover.