Oxford & Bibury

We checked out nice and early to pick up our rental car and headed off to see Oxford University. Geoff and I had both been there a few times but the girls hadn't, and Tennie and Ceci would love to attend Oxford one day.

First things first, we bought some Oxford University sweatshirts to add to our minimal warm clothing.  The forecast for the first 10 days of our trip only mentioned one or two days of rain and high 60s or low 70s.  We each only packed an outfit or two warm enough for the first two weeks of our trip!  These sweatshirts got a lot of wear right away.

While eating lunch we met some American high-school students who told us about a program called Experience Oxford, which allows high-school students to spend a summer month at the university taking two classes and getting a feel for the tutor/student teaching method unique to Oxford.  Tennie has her eyes set on that for next summer!

We took a tour of one of the smaller colleges from a student who had just graduated.

We toured Kings College too, a much bigger college.

Harry Potteresque, or what?

A dilemma we faced every day at every site of the trip was, "Do we stay with our planned itinerary, or do we skip something and stay at a place we wanted more time with for a little longer."  It was torturous, really.  We wanted more time everywhere we went.  We gave in at Oxford and gave up an afternoon exploring the Cotswolds, but as soon as we arrived at our town for the night, we knew we would want more time there too. 

We pulled into Bibury where we had an Airbnb and could hardly take in the charm.  Even Geoff who wasn't all that interested in visiting this part of England during our planning sessions was completely smitten.  This medieval village really hadn't changed much over the centuries.  We ate dinner at an old inn before calling it a night.  It oozed with warmth and history and loveliness.

In the rear of the restaurant there was a little, quiet patio full of bird song and peace.  It looked exactly like something Geoff's mom Mesha would have created.  I saw so many elements from her own back patio.  I understood the influence her visit to the Cotswolds had on her many years before.

Our Airbnb could not have been more ideal.  It was clean and comfortable and as cozy as it's surroundings.  First of all it had this adorable little green house.

This was the view of the house.

We realized here that Airbnbs are the way for us to go in the future.  We have outgrown a hotel room.  This was only to be confirmed again and again over the weeks to come.