Trip to the UK, Part Four
January 31, 2009 | Filed under Travel
Today’s entry will be based on activities in Oxford.
City Sightseeing Tour – Oxford
This was definitely a wasted £9.50. The map of Oxford that they provided was misleading, encouraging you to think that the main attractions are far enough apart to warrant joining a hop on-hop off tour. However, the main city streets are well within walking distance of the train staton (fifteen minutes maximum), and with the attractions themselves within ten minutes of each other, it’s better to simply spend a day walking around by yourself with a map in hand. If you manage to find any where that rents out bikes (I personally didn’t because it was snowing lightly the day I went), Oxford would be a great city to explore on two wheels – nice flat terrain with no overwhelming hills.
Christ Church College
While I didn’t get a chance to actually go into the college itself (it was closed when I arrived), I could tell by the exterior that it was simply stunning. Amazing architecture in a Gothic style, with one particular building that I recognised as what seemed to have been the exterior of the Great Hall in the first few Harry Potter films – grab a photo if possible!
The extensive grounds on which its located are particularly striking in the chill of winter – with icy frost covering each individual blade of grass and all naked tree branches too, you feel almost as though you’ve walked into a winter wonderland.
Carfax Tower
The visit to Carfax Tower was almost worth the £2.10, if only for the 100 steep spiral steps to the top that will serve as your exercise of the day. Almost, but not quite. Like the previously mentioned Jewel Tower, the main appeal of the Carfax Tower is its historic value – its the only remaining part of a seventeenth century church. In the grand scheme of things though, seventeenth century is nothing to boast about as it appears as though much of the entire city of Oxford dates back to that time.
The only other thing that Carfax Tower has going for it is the views you can get of the whole city, but considering that most of the impressive buildings are more impressive up close with them towering over and dwarfing you, you’re better of simply taking photos of the tower itself and saving your £2.10.
Magdalen College
As what I would consider the top two colleges at Oxford (along with Christ Church), Magdalen College is worth a visit if only for the amazing monastery/cloisters-like courtyard at the center of the grounds. Harry Potter fans would be particularly willing to pay the £3 concession entry fee – they’ll recognise this courtyard as the same one used in the filming of the first few Harry Potter films! I fangirled a bit myself!
Bodleaian Library & Radcliffe Camera
Stunningly well-built architectural marvels, and well worth a ten-minute stop on your wanderings of Oxford, if only so you can take a couple of touristy snaps. As for actually going into the buildings, I don’t think it’ll actually be worth the entrance fee. From what I could see, much of Bodleaian Library was closed to visitors, regardless of whether or not you joined their guided tours. As for the Radcliffe Camera, I don’t know if the interior could ever beat the majesty of the exterior.
Rachael’s House
Note: This part of the entry isn’t necessarily written in the “guidebook” style, simply because Rachael‘s house obviously isn’t accommodation that’s readily available for everyone!
Getting to stay at Rachael’s, at a home with an actual shower with decent water intensity, was a godsend. For the first time in five days, I actually felt completely and utterly clean. Benefits of complete cleanliness aside, Rachael’s parents are just completely and utterly nice and ordinary people – how they ended up with an insane daughter like Rachael with her Simple Plan obsessiion I’ll never know. ;) Their dog (Meg) also has the most pitiful way of looking at you with these big puppy dog eyes – yes I am maltreated, she tries to convey, please give me all your food. She lies, she’s spoilt!
8 Responses to Trip to the UK, Part Four
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Frenns 4eva. <3
Rachael on January 31, 2009 #
Unfair, I tell you. You know all UK guidebooks (for snarkers) should come with X’s place, where you can get a,b,c,d,… XD
Rachael’s nice… not entirely sure where you get the insanity part D:
Vera on January 31, 2009 #
I wanna sleep on Rachaely’s couch!
Stephanie on February 1, 2009 #
This is bizarre finally posting a comment here after a very long time of lurking! But I finally feel like I have something worth saying as Oxford is my hometown and I’m studying English at the university in two years time (deferred entry); you were right about the Harry Potter references at CC; the formal hall is also where they filmed many dinner scenes and many of the staircases which may or may not be closed to visitors, I can’t remember, are where they based the ‘moving staircases’ scenes a few films back. As for the Camera and the Bodleaian, you didn’t really miss out on much, so I wouldn’t worry.
Glad you liked the city and England in general, and maybe you’d like to come study here in your potential move :)
Sarah on February 1, 2009 #
Going to a school built in the 60s with extensive reconstruction and modernization since then, I’ve always wanted to go to the older schools with all that amazing architecture. Yeah, my school is easy to navigate and has some really awesome interiors, but there’s something about those stone buildings…it’s like living in my art history book, haha.
marilyn on February 1, 2009 #
I love exploring cities with just a map and walking around (or riding a bike) although sometimes it is nice to get a hop-on hop-off tour (especially when I feel lazy)
There are so many beautiful buildings around in England, I just wish I could go see everything. Maybe some day I’ll get my ass down to Oxford to see the beautiful architecture there myself.
Chans on February 1, 2009 #
Magdalen College is definitely worth the visit!! There are deers in it … how fairy tale-like is it.
Minmin on February 5, 2009 #
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