Catching Up: May 27, 2011 Oxford!

Train ride's are lovely!

The train ride over to Oxford was so beautiful! Green and...totally breath taking. I see the cheese and I know that the cheese is cheesy, but I mean it.

The town of Oxford is beautiful as well. I love how much history is jam packed within the medieval walls surrounding the city. In 1234 A.D., Merton College (Tolkien's college) was founded.

Matthew, Andy, Nathan, Hannah and I atop the Sheldonian theater tower.

All the honey colored Oxford buildings are made of Cotswold stone and Christopher Wren's first building ever was the school's Sheldonian Theatre, which was modeled after Roman amphitheaters.

Little known custom: Apparently, when Oxford students pass their exams, they drink champagne and throw glitter at each other in the streets.

The first "quad" was at Oxford! The quad at Oxford is not only the place where four buildings meet, in the traditional sense, but it is also where the original four most important schools meet: grammar, logic, rhetoric, and theology.

View from the Sheldonian theatre overlook.
Photo by Andy

Sighs Bridge from the overlook.
Photo by Andy

Little known fact: The first folios were dedicated to the Earl of Pembroke who also has a statue in the Oxford quad.

After the first part of the Tim tour was over, we all went over to Pieminister to get the best meat pies! Andy and I both got the award winning Chicken of Aragon pie. It has chicken, bacon, vegetables, tarragon, onions and garlic. You can't really lose if you've got all those ingredients on your side. I got my pie with mushy peas, mash and gravy. Yummm.

After lunch, Tim bought us the most delicious cookies in the world from Ben's Cookies. I got a fresh from the oven dark chocolate chip cookie. Holy Moses.

Then we headed over to Christchurch College, the largest of the Oxford colleges. Beautiful. Cardinal Wolsey, who designed and built Henry VIII's Hampton Court, also worked on Christchurch. On a slightly different note, it's amazing to me how a little ivy growing up a wall can make something look ten times more beautiful.

We wandered around outside the grounds, outside the medieval walls, and arrived at Iris River where Lewis Carol would write Alice in Wonderland.

After a brief lie down by the river, we meandered back to the little cobblestone streets that go through the colleges. Andy and I kissed under Sighs Bridge. We went to the Science Museum to see what Einstein wrote on a preserved blackboard. Eventually we wound up at The Eagle and the Child pub, where J.R.R. Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings! There, I had a Pimm's. Mom and Dad, you must let me know if Pimm's is sold in the states. Because if it's not, then I am going to brings some back. Best summer cocktail ever. Seriously.

Pictures to come. Andy and I just have to coordinate.