I hope you had a lovely weekend, readers! Here’s a second recap of our trip last week to Oxford (so glad you liked the first post!). Again, I was only there for a wee 24 hour trip, and I spent roughly five of those in a pub with Matt and friends (one being a tipsy Oxfordian getting his doctorate in Classics — I highly recommend having a drink with one when you visit).
I’ll keep this short and sweet and let the photos (and my obnoxious arrowing) do the talking. Needless to say, Oxford is beautiful, lovely, and exceeded my already lofty expectations. The elusive British sun came out the second 12 hours I was there — just look at the Bodlien basking in its brilliance:
Matt and I have two friends, both are former Oxfordians, that showed us around. A good tip when visiting Oxford? Look up! There are stone faces and gargoyles and doodads (yes, doodads — my art history studies are paying off) clinging to the stone on every cornice, gable, and drain pipe:
The interiors are just as good:
What surprised me the most was that Oxford is even better in person than what you see in the movies. You know how you think “ahh, they’ve obviously just shot the pretty bits in every scene” whenever you see fancy places in films? Well, Oxford is made up of just pretty bits that comprise an entire town surrounded by fields and the Thames:
Isn’t it just annoyingly wonderful? It’s not as if I wasn’t jealous enough of people who get to study amongst massively impressive old libraries and eat in dining halls that are straight from Harry Potter (literally filmed in the Christ Church dining hall) — post-trip I’m a lovely deep shade of forest green.
p.s. Thank you all for your wonderfully encouraging comments about my career explorations — you guys made my week! xoxox
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Dear Cath!
I hope you had a wonderful birthday yesterday! I can’t wait to celebrate with you properly in a MONTH!!!!
Isn’t Oxford wonderful? I loved Agnes Scott, but I would have left in a second if someone had given me a ticket to study here (a ticket to Oxford? That’s how it works right? ;)).
xoxoxoxoxox,
Lar
sooooooooooooooooooooo beautiful!
I have to go to Oxford now!!! I just can’t believe that some people get to study there! I think Oxford is the place that has beams in the dining hall made from hundreds of year old oaks. When the builders built the dining hall they also planted oak seedlings so the beams could be replaced sustainably. How amazing is that?!? I’m so glad you had some sun! Maybe next time you visit you’ll get to stay longer AND have your twinie with you 😉
xoxo, cath
great photos as usual!!! and looking cute! btw happy birthday again!!!!
the outfit on my last blog post is not a dress. its a top from ASOS and a skirt from Hollister 🙂
Picture, if you will, very near to where I live, the ugliest strip mall you can imagine at a time of economic recession/depression (in 100+ degree heat) slated to soon be “upgraded” into a new Walmart Super Center and you will completely understand my pathetically sad whimmperings as I viewed your lovely photos of Oxford. Sigh
sad whimmperings as I viewed your photos of Oxford. Sigh
I LOVE your talking arrows, Lar! Looking at these pictures is definitely making me want to apply to get a PhD abroad so I can totally study in the glorious, gorgeous, beauteous buildings (and pubs) AND eat me some Oxford cake.
Gorgeous, my favorite has to be the bridge over the canal. Very picturesque.