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Ruby Princess, British Isles, 7/22/14, Review with Pictures

cougaraz

By cougaraz,
in Princess Cruises

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Bimmer09 "Live from...." Rare

Bimmer09

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Thanks for being so detailed and setting us up for a great adventure. Long reviews with photos are my favorite thing!

 

I will be following along as this epic unfolds.

 

Norris

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silverbird

silverbird

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Thank you for posting pictures of yourselves. It gives a richer flavor to your review. I can now see you in my mind's eye as you partake in your activities. Pretty lady and a good-looking man.

 

Having done that itinerary, I know you will have a fantastic time. I look forward to reliving it through your eyes and experiences.

 

Bon Voyage!! SilverBird

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cougaraz

cougaraz

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So, it has been a great day. After freshening up, we caught Oxford Bus Company's The Airline service from Heathrow to Gloucester Green Coach Station in Oxford. I generally have great trepidation about buses, but it was clean, the driver was friendly and it was fast and easy. From boarding to drop off was just 70 minutes. From the coach station to our hotel, the Royal Oxford Hotel, was about a 5 minute walk. We found it without problem and checked in. Our room wasn't ready, so we used the restroom and left our bags. Lo and behold, we walked out of the restroom and our room was ready, the staff was even nice enough to bring our bags up to the room. I am a huge proponent of not packing what you can't move yourself, but will gladly accept free help. The hotel is very clean, well maintained and the staff are great. Luggage safely in the room, we rolled out on foot to explore. It was warm, mid 70s, but the locals were clearly feeling it. I grew up in Arizona and have worked in the Middle East so it didn't bother me. We hit a quick mart for bottled water and explored without much of a goal. The city was packed with tourists, I mean bursting with people, especially school age groups. After an hour or so, we broke a golden rule of jet lag and treated ourselves to a one hour nap. It was a good call, woke up very refreshed.

 

Thusly, equipped we walked out about quarter to four and the town was tranformed, cooler and rapidly becoming quiet to the point of nearly abandoned. We walked to The Old Parsonage Hotel for some scrumptious tea. The price wasn't cheap, but the service was friendly and the food was delicious. We are leisurely and enjoyed it immensely. With full bellies, we wandered aimlessly, taking in the scenery and enjoying the evening. The crack of thunder and a few drops signaled a thunderstorm which drove us into The Chequers pub for a pint of cask ale. We are both fans of quality beer and weren't disappointed. Now, we are basking in the alcohol warmth and gentle calming, preparing for a shower and a solid night's sleep. Tomorrow we will be touring the reading rooms of the Bodlein Library and visiting the Ashmolean Museum. a8uty3u9.jpgyzehazeb.jpg8ypa3a4u.jpghunerame.jpg

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tartanexile81

tartanexile81

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cougarz, Really enjoying reading your thread. We hate leaving our much moved pets too and we thought Winston was absolutely adorable.

 

I'm a volunteer on the pier at Queensferry for Edinburgh so I'll look out for you. Give me a wave! If you want to DIY in Edinburgh (very easy, very walkable!), I've put up-to-date and accurate info on these threads

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2046842

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2031574

 

Have a great time,

Rhona

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cougaraz

cougaraz

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Solid day in Oxford yesterday. The weather was pleasant, a little warm, but nothing remarkable. The city seemed a little less crowded than Saturday, but between ten and three it was still hopping. Many people seem to make a day trip from London. We started our day with a hearty breakfast before our adventures at Cote Brasserie. Then it was on to the Bodleian Library for an extended tour. We had booked online several weeks ago and I strongly recommend this as lines were long and many tours were sold out. All in the tour lasted just shy of two hours. There aren't many pictures because through most of the tour photos are not allowed. The books and buildings themselves are amazing, but our guide was only tolerable. She certainly was passionate, but not a very good story teller and a bit mean. After the library, we grabbed a quick pub snack and headed to the Ashmolean Museum. We expected to visit the special exhibit on King Tut, but despite all our education failed to read the signs all over town saying it opens 24 July. Nonetheless we visited the rest of the museum. It was very nice, but most of it didn't really engage me. I prefer history and social things to art, but for those who do fancy art, it is very well done. There was an exhibit on money that I did find fascinating.

 

After the museum, we grabbed some water and a snooze before attempting a small pub crawl. The highlights were the St. Aldates Tavern and the White Rabbit, complete with a dog, the low lights were the Red Lion and the Wheatsheaf. We are pub food along the way and finished the night with a kebab from a street truck!

 

I will shoot a few photos of our hotel room today, but we are very happy.

 

We did get a chance to walk the grounds at Christ Church College, but Saturday's storms had damaged the roof so tours were on hold indefinitely.

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