Tour Around Oxford

Today was a long and exhausting day. We woke up early, as usual, and headed to the Bodleian Library for our introduction session. The woman who led the session was very... interesting. Apparently we weren't supposed to take photos in the room she led us into. I didn't know that so I took a quick photo and then Mike tried to take one and she basically had a cow about it. Anyway, we had to have an "induction" into the library. We swore an oath aloud not to steal, destroy, damage, or burn anything and then signed a piece of paper. Then we got official IDs that will let us into almost every part of the huge library. There are multiple buildings all over Oxford. In fact, they ran out of storage for books so some books are stored in salt mines over one hundred miles away. The stacks in the Bodleian aren't open (except for the social science library and maybe another one) so in order to get a book you have to place a request and then wait anywhere from a few hours to a few days to get the book. So basically you really need to plan ahead. I am little worried about this research project that is coming up because I am not sure what I am doing and we really only have 5 days to do research and write a paper on it. But we can't just solely focus on that because we also will be attending lectures and doing other things next week. Though I am super excited to explore the library because is huge, old, famous, and amazing.

Photo of the room I wasn't supposed to take a photo in

After our induction, we met up with a man who will be lecturing us next week. His name is Robin Gibbons (I think?) and he is a Catholic priest (I believe?). He was a great guide and was full of really interesting information. In fact I learned so much that I forgot it all. The amount of information was overwhelming. We went to Christ Church, St. Marys, and New College. Those were the places we stopped, but we did walk by a lot of places and learned about them too as we were walking.

Radcliffe Camera

Bridge of Sighs

Place where graduations are held I think?

That's the door knocker that Brasenose College of Oxford was named after... It has an official name too of course. But everyone knows it as Brasenose.

 

Louis Carroll stayed here. You can't see it in the photo but there is a tree from which Carroll drew inspiration for the jabberwoky near by. Also the Dean had a ginger tabby cat which inspired the Cheshire Cat. 

 

Inside Christ Church College

 

Their faces are removed because during the Reformation, the Protestants did not believe in ostentatious forms of worship or iconography. Other parts of this destruction can be seen all over Oxford.

 

One of the only depictions of Thomas Beckett getting killed appears in this stained glass because Henry II felt guilty about his death so he didn't want many references to it around the country.

New College. Look at that spotless grass.

Oxford Boy's Choir practicing (I think?)

 

The tour ended and we were all exhausted and starving. I went to a pub for lunch with Ellen, Matt, Chris, and James. I finally ate some meat - just a chicken sandwich. I did try the ginger ale. I wish I had thought to take a photo of the bottle it came in. It was small, glass, and fancy. The ginger ale tasted a bit different from ginger ale in the States, but it was still refreshing. Ellen and I headed to the Ashmolean Museum and walked around a bit. We saw neat collections of rings, pocket watches, keys, and coins. I also checked out an exhibit on the Pre-Raphaelites. We didn't last super long in the museum because we were both tired.

Jewish marriage rings. Aren't they massive?!

Stradivari's "Messiah"

A Degas statue

 

This evening, Ellen and I basically just hung out in our room. We did venture out into the rain to grab a bite to eat at the grocery store. I got croissants, fruit, and an energy drink that Will recommended I try called Lucozade all for less than five pounds. It was a lot of food so I am saving the rest for breakfast. Tomorrow, Ellen, Rachel (maybe), and I are headed to the Cotswolds. I am so excited!! I really hope it stops raining though...