Wednesday – 199 Steps to St Mary the Virgin Church
After posting yesterday’s blog at the Coliseum Café, we took a short ocean ride on Whitby’s old lifeboat, the Mary Ann Hepworth. It just rides out of the harbor out a short way, but it was fun. The captain was a pirate.
Lifeboat Gallery (Click Any Pic to Bring Up Gallery Window)
After landing we headed for the east side of Whitby where the 199 steps lead up the East Cliff to St Mary the Virgin Church and Whitby Abbey. It was on the tiny beach below the steps that Dracula shipwrecked and then climbed the 199 steps to reach the top. I counted the steps to be sure there were 199. There were. After our climbs up and down hill towns all over England, I can tell you that 199 steps is nothing! Today was the warmest day we have had on the trip, and the steps were teaming with tourists and kids on school trips. At the top we visited St Mary’s Church and saw Whitby Abbey just a short walk away. Since we had visited there on arrival day in Whitby, we didn’t go back.
Gallery of the 199 Steps
After the easy descent, it was lunchtime. England is famous for fish and chips, and Whitby is famous for having England’s best. We had previously enjoyed an excellent fish and chips at Hadley’s, but this time we opted for Trencher’s which supposedly served the best fish and chips in Whitby (and, therefore. the best in England, and, therefore, the best in the world). It was a 20-minute wait in line to get into the nice restaurant, and we can ascertain that Trencher’s serves a superb fish and chips. Elaine had a rosé while I had a Theakston’s Ale brewed in Yorkshire. (Inspector Banks loves Theakston’s.)
Lunch at Trenchers
Then it was back home to Galatea Cottage for a leisurely afternoon of packing up for Friday’s departure to Oxford. Dinner was eggs, ham, and potatoes as we used up the remainder of our groceries. Our next two nights in Oxford and a final night in Windsor will be in B&B’s, so no more home cooking.
Thursday – Arrival in Oxford and an Afternoon at the Ashmolean Museum
The ride to Oxford was about 4.5 hours and was uneventful. Because of congestion, they (who is they?) suggest that you park in a Park & Bus Ride lot outside town. None of that for us! We arrived in the city that is home to BBC’s Inspector Morse, Inspector Lewis, and Endeavor in time to visit the famous University of Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum of Art & Archaeology before checking in at our B&B. We found a parking spot right around the corner, and traffic wasn’t bad at all. So there, they — damn the Park and Ride! The Ashmolean is free (£5 donation suggested), but we also paid to see a fantastic special exhibition of Raphael drawings (no pictures allowed). After a wander around the museum, it was time to check in at the B&B.
Oxford Gallery
Our B&B, the Coach and Horses, is just outside Oxford city center on St Clement’s Street. We have a very nice, spacious room on the third floor. Lots of restaurants about to choose from. We chose Moya Slovak Restaurant for tonight’s dinner. Just a two-minute walk from the B&B, it was so good that we plan to return for an encore tomorrow night.
Starters
Joe: Fish Cake – Sea trout and smoked haddock bound with potatoes, roasted red and yellow peppers, spring onions, petit pois, fresh herbs and breadcrumbs, served with home-made tartar sauce and green salad
Elaine: Dumplings with sauerkraut in creamy paprika sauce.
Mains
Joe: Confit of Duck Leg – Large, crisp and tender, slow-cooked in duck fat, served with red cabbage braised with apple and star anise; with gratin potatoes
Elaine: Segedin – A creamy pork and sauerkraut goulash, gently seasoned with paprika and caraway, served with knedla, or sautéed potatoes
Desserts
Joe: Orechovy Zavin – I lost the description – look at the picture.
Elaine: Bublanina (Bubble Cake) – A light sponge studded with fresh berries, served warm with home-made vanilla custard
Nice 2 days. Always wanted to do a Home Exchange with someone from Oxford. Place sounds great and the food looks better. Morse and Lewis are retired and gone but young Morse (Endeavor) is fun to watch. Enjoy. F
Will you miss the English country side and lighthouses? Your dinner starters would have been my dinner, with the dessert to top it all off. Enjoy Oxford! Love Cindy