We could not just walk by this historic city so we decided to take a “rest” day here. Not that it was all that restful as we spent the day exploring the city, including a boat ride on the Thames and a walking tour of the university. So many famous people studied here, including CS Lewis, JRR Tolkien, 13 out of 31 British Prime Ministers. Many scenes from the Harry Potter movies and Inspector Morse TV series were filmed here. It’s difficult to grasp the concept of time in Oxford, as teaching first began here in 1096 – 1000 years ago.
Our walking tour group was about 20 people – there was actually a couple from Edmonton in the group. What are the odds?
Ken’s thoughts: oh boy, this is exciting, I was hoping to get smarter through soaking in the centuries of super concentrated brain power that have walked these streets but instead I asked our boat tour guide maybe the dumbest question he had ever been asked, judging from the look on his face. All I asked was how many tourists called the Thames by the name exactly how it is spelled rather than calling it the “tems” . He said, nobody has ever called it that. Ok. The English do have some quirks in their pronunciation all right as the kind of person (me) who would think that Magdelane College is pronounced like its spelled instead of the correct “maudlin” are just expecting things to be all too straightforward. Oh well, at least here in the world’s most prominent university town I didn’t see anything misspelled today, even on the chalked menu boards in front of cafes, so at least grammer is still observed here, unlike most places. Very incorajing!
Passion FlowerAlice in Wonderland conceived here in Oxford. Apparently Alice was the daughter of one if the Dean’s and she used to go for walks with Charles Dodson “aka Lewis Carroll”. She was apparently a chatterbox and one day told him about a dream she had about following a rabbit down a hole. And from there a children’s classic was born. Peter likes the different geese – lots of noisy Canadian geese but also white fronted geese which we get at home. Took a 45 minute boat tour with Henry. It’s a great way to hear the stories behind the city. This house cost 1.2 million pounds (about $2.5 million Cdn). These are the boat houses where each college rowing team keeps their boats. Bottom is for boats, upper is for bar or gym. Apparently the races are not about who can go fastest to win but who can create the mayhem by knocking their opponents into the water. Basically pretentious bumper boats. Met lots of amateur punters who we scattered chaotically given that their total experience on punts was probably as long as we were on our boat. Henry seemed to enjoy that. I wanna go the Alice in Wonderland shop. There are also many Harry Potter shops in addition to the traditional Oxford tourist glitz. This town is packed with tourists. Desperately trying to hide the Starbucks cup. Not cool but at least cold. Climbing hydrangeaCat grotesque. I always called these gargoyles but apparently gargoyles are water spouts and if they don’t spew water when it rains, they are called grotesques. I learn something new every day. Site where the “Oxford martyrs” were burned alive by Bloody Mary (Queen Mary) in 1555. She was the daughter of Henry the 8th but was Catholic and wanted to bring Catholicism back. So she burned heretic Protestants alive, hence her name Bloody Mary. The accused had to watch their compatriots being burned – it took about an hour for them to die. After watching the carnage, one guy decided to save himself by converting to Catholicism but later decided that wasn’t right and he unconverted himself. So he was also burnt alive… But he had a friend put gunpowder around his neck and as soon as the flames hit his head exploded and death was instantaneous, instead of an hour of agony. Peter wants to know if that counts as suicide? Luckily we are more civilized now? It’s called the Weston library after Garfield Weston (yes, the Canadian Weston family) who donated 25 million pounds, $50,000,000 (that’s millions!) to the library. I guess that’s what it costs to get your name on a building in Oxford. It houses 14 million research books which are not permitted to leave the library. School of DivinityThe first printing of the Oxford dictionary was done in this building. Oxford, the city of dreaming spires. Apparently Hitler gave orders that Oxford not be bombed as he wanted it for a capital after he conquered England. Pound sand buddy. CS Lewis came out the church doors on a snowy evening, saw snow falling in the lamplight, looked across the alley and saw the door below, with the centaur (who became Mr. Tumnus) and the lion (who became Aslan)…and thus the tales of Narnia were born.Aslan the Lion King of Narnia.Peter’s idea of heaven, made frustrating by the inability to buy any books. Indeed, it was thest manga/graphic novel/game store I’ve ever seen.Trust Ken to find another Citroen.Ken spent some time talking 2CVs with this Frenchman and had fun showing him pictures of his own little yellow Deux Chevaux.Ken’s baby 2CV. Isn’t it cute? 🙄 Peter got himself a Belgian chocolate and banana crepe.Bird exhibit at the Bodleian library, followed by the pet exhibit. It meowed. Looks a bit like our Jake only scruffier. The real JakeSchool of Divinity. The first “classroom” for the monks who initially began their studies here in Oxford. Probably more famous now as a film set. The infirmary for Ron and Harry in Harry Potter, plus where Professor McGonigal attempted teaching the boys how to dance.Chair made from wood from Frances Drake’s ship.All I can say is a lot of neat stuff has happened here for sure! The treats cupboard in our strange little B&B.
