Oxford

A couple of weeks ago we went to Oxford for the day with a couple of friends. We had a great day of exploring and came home feeling much smarter than when we left :-)

This is the site the greets you as you step off the train.



I always like looking in old cemeteries. Must be the Irish in me. . .

This is Carfax Tower. We climbed to the top and got a great view over the city.

I'm not sure what happened with the layout of these next few pictures, but hopefully you just think it looks artsy.

Not a bad looking life, hey?

There are so many beautiful spots around the river and tons of quiet corners just calling out for a picnic.

Unfortunately, February isn't punting season, but I definitely want to come back in the summer to float down the river in one of these boats!

We went for a stroll through the Botanic Gardens which are apparently the oldest in Britain and date back to 1621.

We stopped for lunch at the Turf Tavern which, as you can see from the sign, has had some illustrious visitors.

This sign says "An Education in Intoxication". We didn't take advantage of that offer, but we did enjoy a tasty Sunday roast.

This beautiful church is the Church of St. Mary the Virgin.

The building below is the Radcliffe Camera. It is a circular library that was built between 1737 and 1749 and apparently is Britain's 3rd largest dome.

Next we visited Magdalen College which was founded in 1458.

The College has extensive grounds including a riverside path and, yes, a deer herd. Why you may ask . . . we have no idea but it certainly gives all new meaning to potential procrastination options while studying.

This is the dining hall in the College; it's a bit different from the sorts of school cafeterias we are used to.

This is a sculpture of Christ and Mary Magdalen, for whom the College was named.

Here we are outside of Christ Church College.

This is the dining hall in Christ Church, which some of you may recognize from the Harry Potter films. Thankfully, no flying owls made any appearances during our visit.

Lewis Carroll was the pen name of Charles Dodgson, who was a teacher at Christ Church, and who drew inspiration for Alice in Wonderland from many of the people and places around the College. Some of the stained glass windows in the dining hall have characters from Alice in Wonderland peeking about.

More Christ Church . . .

Below is a picture of Oxford Castle.

So, all in all, we really enjoyed our time in Oxford. In many ways it is a bustling little city but of course it also has so many beautiful buildings and a really tangible sense of tradition and history. It was a great day trip with terrific company!