Chinese Gardens and the market

On Saturday (feeling ever so slightly worse for wear thanks to the night before), I had a little lie in and went out to Saturday craft markets. The weather was amazing and there were so many stalls to look around. It is a really cool market.

The market extends out to the river. So I walked along it to get to the Chinese gardens.

There are also some Japanese gardens but the transport there was not obvious so I decided to go to the Chinese gardens instead which were walkable. 

It is only a city block but they designed it to make it feel much bigger. (I took a tour as well as wondering around on my own).

The floors had geometric patterns which reflect the yin and yang. And there is a large pond with bridges over it in many places. 

One of the many very cool doorways.

The tea house

Many fish.

One of the pagodas. 

The moon door.

I sat outside the tea house with a mug of oolong tea for quite some time, reading and watching the dragon flies. I drifted back to the hotel and grabbed some sushi for a late lunch (the sushi was so good). I was going to sit in Pioneer Square, a big public square not far from my hotel, but there seemed to be a protest going on. As I had seen on the news a riot which started as a protest and got a little out of hand only the week before, I decided against this, headed back to the hotel and chilled out (with a nap) and dinner out. 

Food and Wine Tuscany Tour

On the Saturday we went on what was described as a Tuscany Food and Wine tour. It was more a tour of places associated with food and wine for the most part. The first stop was a vineyard and winery where we did a wine tasting so at least it started well. The winery was called Abbadia Ardenga, near Montepulciano. The views were lovely and we got a brief talk outside with an introductory glass of wine before moving inside for a view of the cellars and a full tasing. 

View from the winery.

It was only about 10.30am so a little early for wine, but hey, we were on holiday so why not? And the wine was so good. 

The winery's best wine.

They mostly make Brunello di Montepulciano (made with Sangiovese gross grapes). It can only be made in this area and is very nice. It has to be aged for 5 years before it can be sold.

We got a tasting of 3 different wines. I even got Caroline drinking and enjoying red wine! We also got some fresh bread and homemade olive oil. 

After the tasting we went to Montalcino. We had a wonder around and look at the views as the town is set on a hill. There wasn't much to see and most of the shops were shut for lunch.

Streets of Montalcino

View out.

Community garden

From there we went to Pienza. We were supposed to have another wine tasting with some cheese, but it was inside a shop which was too small for our group and so more than a little chaotic. So we grabbed the wine and then left the group to go and get some lunch. We found a lovely little restaurant and I tried polenta with a wild boar sauce which was amazing.

The last stop was Montepulciano, the hilltop town the wine is named after. We got dropped off at the bottom of the hill and walked up. And up and up and up. On the way up there was a statue of a horse I really wish I had stopped to take a photo off (I didn't want to loose the group and it was too dark on the way down). This horse was anatomically correct (and oddly detailed) and look very happy with himself. 

We headed up, looking for the central square where there was a Christmas market. Which of course was at the very top of the hill. The very long hill.

But we did make it and the markets were very colourful. 

It was dark when we walked down and enjoyed the lights. I am looking forward to Christmas now.

The tour was ok though not what we expected. And though the guide was good, she was more there to get us from one place to the next. And you better not be late for the bus. On the first stop a couple were about 5 minutes late, and the bus was starting to leave without them. Oddly enough after that, everyone was early for the bus!

Around Oxford

I had to move out my apartment on Saturday (I was not sad to leave there!). I got kicked out at 9.30am and wasn't allowed into the next until 3pm. But it worked out. Thankfully they took my bags and suitcase to the second place so I could spend Saturday wandering around Oxford. 

So I spent the day slowly making my way across town to my new place, starting with the castle, which I seemed to have missed only previous visits. It didn't open until 10am but I could not find anywhere to get a cup of tea before 10am! I ended up sitting on some steps near the castle ignoring the very rude waiter who was opening the castle cafe. He slammed down the outside chairs and tables right in front of me. I wasn't doing anything wrong so I just continued to smile sweetly and read my book. (Which no doubt annoyed him further.)

Oxford castle tower.

I got on the first tour of the day so it was a small group. Afterwards I saw the people flooding in and was very happy I got there early. The tour is lead by prison guard, as  the castle was actually a prison from 1785 until 1996.

Opening the tower

The old St. George tower is still standing (built in ~1074AD) and you can climb up the top, with a thankful stop part way up to look at a cell. The castle and likely the tower was also where Empress Matilda was trapped by her cousin Stephen in her fight for her crown in 1141AD. (She snuck out in a snow storm and walked straight past Stephen troops who weren't the brightest.)

Stocks.

 The view from the top is worth the climb (up extremely steep steps).

View across oxford

The sun was still attempting to come out

Archery window  

 Coming down was more nerve wracking than going up. Suddenly you realize how steep the steps are and how small they are. My boot was bigger than some. I was very relieved to reach the bottom safely.

door heading down.

After the tower, they take you to the basement part of the old normal church (built 1072AD). It was used as their morgue and is now where, unsurprisingly, they do the ghost tours. Though as they require you to be there in the early hours of the morning, I will not be doing. I like my sleep too much.

Norma church

One of the prison wings is sill left. They converted the others into restaurants and a hotel. (Because nothing says a romantic evening more than staying in an old prison cell. Or if you are lucky where they used to do the hangings!)

Cell 

Wardens office.

 They only closed the prison in 1996, and that was because it was the worst prison in the country. Apparently they defied a few human rights (though personally I think for some they should reopen it). There was no glass in the windows so it was freezing in the winter. And there were 3 men to a room about the size of the average American walk-in closest.
The museum upstairs was interesting telling the lives of some of the prisoners and the escapees. Though at one point you had to choice to enter one of 2 doors.

Death's door. 

Or the alternative.

The ticket also includes entrance to the mound. After a tea (finally) and piece of cake, I headed up there. You have to buzz to get through the gate and are supposed to have a ticket but I think anyone who buzzed was going up.
The mound is where the oldest part of the castle used to be. It was the safest part of the original castle and the most heavily defended. It was torn down in the Civil War so King Charles II could use it as his headquarters again. It took them 5 yrs to pull down, starting 1652. Only the mound (which was man-made for the tower) and the well are left.

View from the mound

Castle court yard.

After the castle I wandered around and did some window shopping. The indoor covered markets are interesting and I'll be headed back as the food looked very nice. I did however treat myself to some Hotel Chocolat. I have missed really good chocolate. 

Treats.

I still had a few hours to kill so after lunch went to the botanical gardens, conveniently on my way and reasonably cheap to get in. I have been there before but it was in february so not as pretty.

By the river.

The green houses were very pretty.

Orchids

 And they had tones of these bug eating plants. I spent a happy few minutes looking inside them. And found one with its dinner.

Bug eating

Wasp dinner.

 They have a pretty lily pond inside one of the greenhouses.

Giant lily pads.

Reminds me of Tenerife.

 I decided not to go to the Palm room as frankly I am a little sick of Palm trees after the Palmetum visit a few months ago. (They really aren't the prettiest or most interesting of plants.) So I focused on the pretty flowers instead.

After the greenhouses, being outside was very nice. The weather wasn't great on Saturday (though it was a lot better than it is right now!). 

Gardens

Woodland

My favorite part was the Morton seed gardens at the back. Basically they threw a bunch of seeds around and left it. It looked like large patches of wild flowers, and I personally much prefer that to the throughout rigid gardens.

Walk way through the seed gardens.

The paths meander around nicely and there are plenty of tucked away benches to sit and relax in good weather. 

Having killed enough hours, I walked the rest of the way to my new apartment. It is so cute! I think it is someone's basement (though the houses here seem to have a lower level in general). But it is very nice and reminds me of a little Hobbit hole. It's small  - 2 people would have to get on very well and do some interesting choreography when both are moving around the bedroom at the same time as there isn't enough room to fully open any of the doors. 

But it is perfect for one and everything works! No more blowing down a pipe to flush the toilet. Luxury! Plus the shower is amazing. And there is a little patio and rock garden off the bedroom. Given Oxford in October, I doubt I will be using it but still it's cute. There's a note saying to keep the door shut as little frogs come to visit. I am definably going frog hunting at some point. :)

I am also conveniently right next door to a Chinese takeaway. So Saturday night was happily spent with takeaway, a bottle of wine and TV. And I spent Sunday being lazy. It has been a long time since I had a lazy day. So I managed to get all my washing done and make enough food to last for most of the week. Which is going to be needed as my commute is over 3 hrs a day. I really don't want to cook when I get back.