A drive to the Cotswolds - Bourton-on-the-Water

• Czardas's Profile
• About this blog
• Entry from Bourton-on-the-Water

Trip Start Mar 29, 2011 Previous
Entry Trip End Apr 07, 2011

  Bourton-on-the-Water, England, United Kingdom
Monday, April 4, 2011

We get up and have breakfast at the hotel, then retrace our steps to the antique shop. I get lost and then start to think we will never find it again, until I see a familiar street and before we know it we are there but they aren't open.  We find a cafe and have some coffees and then head back.  Whilst browsing I also find some silver candlestick holders, which appeal.  The guy who’s stall has the egg cups, hasn’t arrived and we are told we will have to wait another half hour.  I am ready to take this as a sign that I am not meant to have these, but the lady then discovers the cabinet isn’t locked and she can finish the transaction.
After all this I then decide not to worry about the pewter ones, as Drew definitely is protesting, I am not sure if it’s due to the price or the look of them (he assures me it’s the look).  He has a plane; I like antiques – fair to me.

From there we collect the car from the underground car park and the place is deserted,  our car looks abandoned.  Unbelievable considering that only days ago, we drove around for ages trying to find a vacant spot. It obviously was due to us arriving on a busy Saturday.  We drive to the hotel, I hope out and grab our cases and we set a course to The Cotswolds – Bourton- on- the- Water. 

It is lovely driving down the country roads and past villages. We decide to stop at Lacock, which is where Harry Potter was filmed at the Abbey Cloisters.  It’s a really cute little town with a few shops and the mandatory inns.

Back in the car and we have noticed a change in temperature with the wind have a chill factor.  About an hour later we arrive at our destination and it is so pretty. It has a little river running through the centre of the township, with small bridges crossing over.  We find our lodging and it is absolutely gorgeous.  Our room has a cute 4 poster bed, lovely period furnishing and is really cosy.  The bathroom has a claw foot bath and no shower, which is fine by me but probably not Drew.

We head out to discover the town and realise our cash of pounds has finally run out, so we head to a ATM only to discover it doesn’t like our card,  even though it is a cirus one and used around the world before.  So it is only purchases with cards from here on and considering we leave tomorrow, we should be able to do it – maybe.

I then find another antique shop and what is the first thing I find in there?  Another set of egg cups but this more far more beautiful than the ones I purchased in Bath and a quarter of the price, oh crap.  Now what do I do?  We both really like these as they have a set of matching spoons and are really pretty.  No choice as I will regret not buying them otherwise.  Now I just need to find room in luggage for all of this.

We then do some more walking and we find a museum with Brum the car, which is the car that we donated for Make a Wish (a replica of course- ours not the museums lol), so we are pretty happy to see the home of Brum and we hope our wish child is doing well now.

We have arranged dinner at our hotel at 7.  We head to the bar a little earlier and i have the worst soda and lime ever.  Way too sweet and half a bottle of lime in it, totally gross.  We chat with a British couple who work with the flying doctors in Africa and how he travels to Australia to catch up with the originators of this wonderful service, we praise the RFDS and talk a little about flying, then it’s time to head to our table. 

We start with an amuse Busch of asparagus and watercress soup, which was light and tasty. I then ordered a parfait of chicken liver, served with brioche and beetroot relish. This was divine and presentation was wonderful being served on a piece of slate. Drew passed on entree but shared mine a little.  Breads were home backed ryes and foccacias, warm and crispy. We then order a Pino Grigio from Italy which is a lovely accompaniment to our superb meal.

Mains for me are a goats cheese and onion tart, which was gorgeous.  Drew had a lamb thingy, which resembled the old Food Nouveau days of a tiny portion on a whopping plate, it still looked yum. No photos as I would of needed a flash and the rules of Drews game, do not allow me to embarrass him photographing food in restaurants with a flash _ I learnt that one in Florence.  Desert was caramel soufflés for both of us.  Very light, served with a scoop of local ice cream on a bed of praline.

We head to bed and it looks like it is snowing outside but more likely a fine mist swirling around, I make a wish for snow but when I wake, there is no winter wonderland to be seen, only the sound of howling wind.  So we snuggle back into our cosy 4 poster bed and try to catch a few more zzzz’s.

Today is our final day and we fly out tonight at some late hour, so we are hoping to visit Blenheim Palace and Oxford before heading to the airport.

Slideshow Share

Post your own travel photos for friends and family More Pictures

The abbey where Harry Potter was filmed	The Dial House Inn	This bed really was cosy and comfy	More of our room
The bathroom - love the bath	Looking out our window	The river windrush in the main village	Little bridges for big peoples
The township   Comments!

Previous Entry