Re-Visiting the Thames River at Oxford, England 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Re-Visiting the Thames River at Oxford, England 2019/Carlos Pueblo

On the next day of my visit of the canal at Oxford, England, I went to the waterway, the river parallel to the canal through another direction. The entrance is on the other side of the train station with wider river yet with a canal lock facility and barges are waiting in line to pass. It has a touch tone control of the lock and digital cashier to take the fee. I saw a small office by
the path side yet there was nobody at hand and I watched barge captains helped each other to manage the system. It is a functioning network of the canals and rivers trust. There are more barges moored by the banks of both sides. At the beginning, we are still at the city vicinity and the river gradually moves away from the city yet still with parks, grass lands and some water sports facilities. I marched even farther than my previous two visits of the city and I attempted to reach my physical limit. I enjoyed watching the rowing crowds, a three days 100 miles marathon, passing 4 bridges hanging over the river, and turning back after a lovely village.

The spring was there of my visit with many different flowers decorated by the residents on their front and back yards. The first bridge after the entrance is a small independent township at Oxford that I know it is existed. The bridge is a busy street to a part of downtown while on the other direction is going to the suburban area. I must get up and down of the bridge in order to continue my walk by the river. The second bridge is not far away which is the Subway Sandwich Store located. I know a waitress from Eastern Timor. There is also a private high school with a nice rose garden on the campus which I remember well and also
inside another bridge is adjacent to a famous Oxford College. A small gift shop appeared on a famous movie is attracting many tourists. A row boats renter is on the river by a restaurant. I kept on marching and saw people engaging the rowing sport. Usually there is a person sitting on the rear to control the speed and direction while another coach is riding a bicycle on the path following the boat and provide the yelling to make a progress. The rowing length is lasting a couple of miles.

There are two paths for the pedestrian however one path is interrupted somewhere  and back on. On my side, there are green fields for seasonal geese and ducks, some cloth covered horses, etc. Everything looks so nice and peaceful. I ran into the finish line of a 100 miles three days marathon. Some one introduced me the activity and was quite interesting. I forget
the starting place which is about 30 minutes train ride down on the track to London. English and European appreciate the pass of the cold winter and open up their spring sport activities immediately. Many of the participants were accompanied by their friends or family members to enter the final station. I try to find the name of the marathon in vain, some advertisers yet no name, neither can I Google out the details.

I kept on going till a rowing club where I used its mobile toilet in order to march further. The station provides pier to land the boat to the river and some simple warehouse to keep the boats. There is a luxury sail vehicle by a side stream with a tall sail and a mansion is behind. I went on back to my path and pass that third bridge. More activities on the river and I ran into a beautiful set of lock with a small path to a beautiful village. I was curious and went inside to visit. I was very impressed of the date flower blooming. It is a residential area and I don't see a way out to a business area and I return back to the river.

I had a good length of conversation with a barge owner. He lives on boat and rents a mail box at town. This is what he says that you don't pay tax for the boat house. It is quite safe for his property, of course, the public safety is quite well in the U.K. also the neighbors keep their eyes on the intruders and help each other.