Chester to Oxford

Day 10 - May 20

On to Hidcote Manor Garden in Gloucestershire today. Really pretty drive through the Welsh countryside. I never expected to see so much farmland. Really pretty, really old farms that have been farmed for centuries. Kinda mindboggling to think of how long that land has been cultivated. Tight winding roads in that area though. I think our bus driver Derek had lots of challenges getting us there on those small roads in that big bus. Hidcote was nice, but nothing thrilling. Lots of little outdoor rooms in the garden - high hedges to create these separate little rooms filled with all kinds of variety of plants. Kinda neat, but I just don't really go for the hedge thing. Makes me feel boxed in. Seems to be a popular thing to do over there though. They did have an awesome yew tree that I really liked though.

We headed to Stratford upon Avon for lunch, better known as being the birthplace of Shakespeare. Nice place to wander around by the river, but seemed more like a tourist trap - kinda crowded.

Next stop was Rousham Manor in Oxfordshire. Wish we'd had more time here to sit down and soak up the scenery. There were cows & chickens, a path by the river, woodland trails, and lots of places where you could sit and enjoy the pastoral atmosphere. Statues and grottos dotted the estate - perfect places to sit and unwind or reflect, have a picnic, take a date, or whatever. There was a walled garden too, filled with fruit, flowers, and fountains. Nice place, just not enough time there. Weather was perfect too. We really lucked out on the weather for most of the trip.

Drove into Oxford to stay the night. Home of the Rhodes scholarship. Awesome little college town! Not like Athens though. Loads of old sandstone buildings that looked awesome against the perfectly blue sky. Students walked the streets in their caps & gowns. Busy city, but not hectic or harried. Friendly people, but you could tell that everyone was walking with purpose (except us - we lolly gagged, willy-nilly) You could sense that this was a town centered around intellect. Would love to go back and explore more. There's only so much you can see in a couple hours!