Saturday 17 August 2013

Oxford Canal....







Moved down the Oxford canal and I must say it's a very nice rural trip with plenty of meandering stretches that almost turns back on itself.

Plenty of traffic in the opposite direction as they headed  North from the Cropredy festival where Fairport Convention, Alice Cooper and 10cc played to  name a few.

Moored up in Oxford checking out the town and trying to plan the winter schedule.

 

 




Passed this classic but havn't been able to identify it yet..  Sort of a Del Boy Sportster......





Tait getting very competent steering, well he's had a great tutor, exiting a blind corner...


Had a morning where it got a bit chilly compared to the last months weather but by the afternoon was back to tee shirts....


Steered through the narrows...



A shower of rain then the evening turned out great.... looking from our overnight mooring...





Chinese laundry??.. clean clothes infused with the aroma of the plants...





 
 The RH side of the new Cropredy marina... just puddles...





The LH side and entrance has water in undergoing a "leak" test for 2 weeks..   still a lot of work to do....



 


A couple of well groomed donkeys.....













 







 







 




Monday 12 August 2013

1 More Aboard.....


Spent another day in London. Had a good look at the Borough Market then spent time just wandering and tubeing  around.

It was a day that ended in Y and  I'm not sure  if that had anything to do with things but just like our last visit 5 days before by 11am the whole place is crowded...




Had a look around Trafalgar Square...
 



This rooster is 15ft high and the creation of German sculptor Katharina Fritsch. Called Hahn/Cock it is a lighter side of the British defeat of France at Waterloo in 1805....


Joined the "In Crowd" and  got pushed from side to side down Oxford and Regent streets....




If you can afford to shop in either street then that's where you buy a stroller for your dog...
Even had the "alive"model"....


Around Trafalgar Square all types of street performers push their luck....

But none could match the cash in this Dudes bin..




C'mon all you wise guys and leave a comment below on how he stays suspended off the ground. He was there 1.5 hrs that we saw. He was putting his right arm on peoples heads that stood close for a photo and also crossed his legs and tilted forward about 30-40 degrees.

Iv'e got my it worked out, how about You???



 


The  Albert Hall..  only entered the foyer....



The building next  door had a Sexual entry way....

 



Talking about sex appeal.....

 


You know what it's like.. left you r country of residence and couldn't take your favourite beer in any quantity....  and like you'd just love a couple of them..

Well I found it.....






Tui beer stubbies, the genuine ready to drink,once  chilled down, article....

At two pound eighty pence a bottle it's still warm  on the shelve.......




 

Tait arrived for his week aboard courtesy of a ride from London with mates Dan and Callie......




Tait, Pam, Dan, ( who has had parts in neighbours and winners and losers), Callie and Leonie ....


So we planned to travel 3-4 miles with our new crew then Dan would push bike back to retrieve their car...   Worked out a treat...

If you join a crew you gotta do your apprenticeship, like start at the bottom...

 




Stage 1.... watch someone else do the work..


 


Stage 2... just hold the rope...




 
Stage 3...  Geeezzeeeesss  got this canal life sorted real quick......




Stage 4...  there's no more steps after Captain...

 
 

We moored then Dan biked back.. nice sunny day so we adjourned 30 metres along to the pub and drank and thought about Dan biking...




The Two Boats quieter as we passed  on a Monday morning...



Then further along the canal....
 




Theyv'e tried real hard on the out door setting here...


 
Going up a double lock we came across Elly and Carol on the winlass's and Mick and Barry waiting to enter the lock...



 


A quick hello as we passed, maybe a chance for a beer next time.... Yeah Na Yeah Mate....


Todays "Catastrophy" ......




Started off as a narrow boat then decided the centre section should be a Benetau yatch, then turned the top into a freak'n market garden...


A couple of tow path dog shots...


 
Very disobedient these two... trouble getting them to obey that so hard "Sit" command  for a photo...




The dog on the right is 15 yrs old...

Onto the Oxford canal now for a scenic stress free cruise........ 
Wait a minute,  What was that??  some DICK just side swipped our moored boat while passing an oncoming boat.....  Slow Down Village Idiot......







 



Sunday 11 August 2013

Lotsa Stone Part 2..







We moved on to  Chipping Campden another village with this time some thatched roof houses.
They're kept immaculate  with  hedges  and  gardens beautifully landscaped..













Awesome hedges... not your normal straight lines...



 
 

Lawns and Buxus all trimmed as neat as the thatch...






 

Guard dogs on duty...



If you can afford to live here you can afford to drive..

 




Not sure... but being a "Boat Tail" adds a few  grand on.....






Or a Morgan....





 
 My pick of the houses here....







If the plantings cover the window cut a window in the plantings.....




 


Old School Door.... The cast iron cross above the door has a threaded rod, and nut, that goes through the house to the opposite exterior wall to hold it all together...






Another thatch but a bit like the "Lada" model...





And the " Ford Fairmont" model...





 



Lunch stop at the Fox pub.... Great Barrington.....    Pam, Jean (Pams friend from way back), and Leonie.....


And the sun continues to shine....