After a hefty and much-needed 11 hours of sleep, I woke up and had my first English breakfast. Eggs, cereal, and toast were on the menu, and I paired it with a hot cup of green tea. The best part: the dining hall offered jam, peanut butter and — get this — Cadbury milk chocolate spread for toast. Needless to say I was all over that. My kind of breakfast!!
The first lectures were extremely enlightening. Not like your boring ol' classes where you listen to two hours of dull rambling, but very engaging. Afterward I took a solitary stroll around the block. There are really beautiful trees with flowers on them, and the smell is fantastic. It was nice to get out in the sun — temps were near 60 degrees here today!
An interesting house I spotted on my afternoon stroll!
The front (top) and back of my residence, Wycliffe Hall. GREEN GRASS! Nice.
I did a ton of exploring! I feel like I could wander this city for years and it would never get old. It is such a privilege to be on the campus, and mingle amidst the buildings. The streets were packed as dancers, music, and tourists filled sidewalk to sidewalk. I tracked down an ATM and now have means of purchasing…which I did…
Oh, the shopping! There is everything here. I feel so naive for insisting on buying many things before I left. No need. Trendy shops line the roads, with trendy clothes for — you guessed it — all of England's trendy people. The style here is seriously fantastic. I love seeing all the chic men, women, and teenagers peruse the streets in their tights, flats, boots, and leather bags. They make me feel like a slouch, but I am trying to take away from the fads and perhaps eventually blend into the crowd. I got a neat pair of shoes and some fun sunglasses today at a neat store called Top Shop, both a bargain. (Side note: When I heard Britney Spears and U2 playing over the stereo in one of the stores, I couldn't help but do a little dance and feel at home…though technically U2 doesn't belong to us, but BRITNEY…she's ours!)
After a bit of shopping with a friend, we hunted down a little café called Harvey's, where I consumed one of the best raspberry muffins and mochas of my life. I carried my mocha into a store a bit later and could have sworn I heard a British woman say to me, "So you don't like the tea?" I am thinking that it is a bit different here, that it's not the norm to drink coffee during any given time of the day, and getting coffee drinks at certain times of the day is frowned upon. I'll catch on eventually.
This evening I went on a Ghost Tour through campus. The tour guide enlightened us of various haunted buildings, etc. Not too much about ghosts, but more of a history of Oxford and a brief touch on some premises claimed to be "haunted." The tour was highlighted by stories of the crazy William Archibald Spooner (originator of spoonerisms), Bill Clinton's residence on Grove "Grope" Street during his stay in Oxford as a Rhode Scholar, and a building where a student took his life by jumping from a window after completing his final exam and knowing that he'd failed it. Interesting nonetheless, and walking through Oxford in the evening with nothing but the street lights casting shadows on 14th century buildings is very eerie, as though I visiting the past.
During the Ghost Tour!
I passed through a pub, Oxford's very first and award-winning Turf Tavern. The pub is curiously hidden and located by means of small, covert passageways that our Ghost Tour guide luckily pointed out to us (thanks, Stuart)! I didn't have a drink as I don't much care for beer, and as it is Saturday night the place was packed. Poking my head in was experience enough for the evening, and I mostly enjoy seeing the townspeople having a good time. That makes me happy!
Meandering through the streets brought my friend Kayla and I to another establishment, a small deli called la Croissanterie. We grabbed a stool near a group of teens playing a card game they called "Shithead." I figured they would be more friendly, but surprisingly we said a few words, told them where we were from, and they wanted nothing to do with us. So much for mingling with the locals! Yikes.
Killing time with my neighbor, Courtney. We are #24 and #29, respectively.
A break for a while, and I was off for a late night snack at a food cart called Hussein's. I've been told numerous times to try the fish and chips, but as I don't eat the first half of it, I instead ordered the most deceiving vegetarian kebob I have ever witnessed. I thought I'd be getting a stick of skewed veggies and tofu, so when the friendly worker handed me this monstrosity:
I was more than a little concerned. Delicious, but not exactly a healthy late night treat! The worker would yell to me from the cart, "Hummus?! Lettuce?! Sauce?!" and kept piling it higher and spraying it with chili sauce. I sat on the stairs of a monument and ate my "kebob", until a friend and I were approached by a mad drunk man carrying a liter of something or other and yelling/flipping off every bus and car in sight. He was harmless I believe, and we sat through about five minutes of his insistence that he was better than everyone else, and that no one should put up with anything. Another soon came along, and that was our cue that we were sitting on homeless grounds. A quick "Well, lovely chat, we've got to run!" and we walked away at a brisk pace!
A bit more adventuring, and we decided we weren't ready for the clubs. I am okay with that! It's been a long, wonderful day!
Tomorrow morning I am going to a Sunday service at Christ Church! I mentioned it in yesterday's post, but it is a beautiful structure. During the week they charge a fee for a tour, mostly because Harry Potter was filmed in it, etc. but on Sunday there is no charge. Yay!
I am going to try and keep up daily, but I really want to spend every moment I can out and about! There is too much to do here to waste the moments...
I am so, so thankful for this experience. Until tomorrow — !
Jenny
The moment you mentioned the beauty and fragrance of flowers accompanied by the sun it made me think of this--
ReplyDeleteNext time a sunrise steals your breath or a meadow of flowers leave you speechless, remain that way. Say nothing, and listen as heaven whispers, "Do you like it? I did it just for you."
-Max Lucado
I can't even imagine the beauty you've yet to take in.
PS: I'm verging on emerald
cadbury milk chocolate!? for breakfast? ooof, nice. you're going to come home after this is all over and start melting cadbury easter eggs all over your toast.
ReplyDeletethat's sad that those teens turned their noses at you. i thought we'd be better received of late, but guess not. at least the homeless don't judge.