Anyway, Ginger and I stayed at the flat to clean up and pack. Since we had to take all of their bags with us because they were moving on to their walking holiday from Oxford, I decided John and I could fit our things in one bag if I left a few things like my jacket and sweater and "ditty" bag (my toiletries) loose and stuffed them into corners of the car. Brought all my things downstairs to where we store the suitcases and packed my things into John's bag except the loose things which we put on the desk. We put all the bags and their backpacks and jackets by the front door and just before we left I went through the house to make sure everything was locked and shut, went upstairs to make sure we had everything and found John's meds he'd forgotten, got in the car but wanted Ginger to have a heavy scarf so went back and got one for her, got back in the car and realized we might want our National Trust and English Heritage books, so went back and got them! Now we are ready! Halfway to Oxford, I thought and said out loud "Where did I put my jacket?" No one knew. Then with a very sinking feeling I realized that I had left all my things that were loose on the desk - my jacket, my sweater and my toiletries! Makeup, toothbrush, shampoo, all my stuff! Ladies - I know you understand!! Guys, you could probably get along with a twig for a toothbrush and be done with it. So with Ginger's help and red jacket, we have managed to keep me warm. I don't look so good but I'm warm! And they are sworn to secrecy about what the real me looks like!
We got to Oxford around 1:00 and found our B&B. Bill did a great job finding this place, one half mile from city center and John and I have a room at the top of the stairs that you have to practically bend over to get into. Charming. It's what they call a family room because there is a double bed and a twin, lovely coffee and tea set and wi-fi.
So off we went to the city center with a recommendation from Daniella our hostess to go to The Old Tom pub and have their Thai food. A 15 minute walk got us there and she was right, the food was great. We spent the rest of the afternoon at the information center getting maps and, yes, information! Maps, touring walks, colleges that would be open, etc. It started to rain but we were prepared with our gear and enjoyed walking and exploring the colleges that were open to visitors.
The architecture here is jaw-dropping. You walk through an old wooden Tudor doorway to a courtyard surrounded by more jaw -dropping buildings and the greenest and most manicured lawns you have ever seen. Tulips and primroses everywhere, trees starting to bloom and leaf out. We were able to go into one dining hall that looked like something out of Harry Potter with the long tables and benches and a large painting of Elizabeth I at the head on the wall, several of the Charles I and IIs, Lawrence of Arabia in his robes, and other historical figures - all oil paintings, who knows the worth? This was Exeter College.
We went into the church which was exquisite, stained glass windows, carved pews choirs and the organ pipes painted with blues and purples and golds. The brass plaques down the aisle commemorating different rectors of the college dated back to the 1400's and worn away with the many footsteps of students and worshippers. Then we went on to Jesus College and it was the same - green, colorful, ancient, misty, mysterious.
Next door to this college through a locked doorway, there was a bicycle storeroom area - probably once a stables - with the same function, storing the mode of current transportation. There must have been 200 bicycles in there. In fact on the streets, there were lines and lines of bicycles everywhere! (Visitors have to park outside the city and take the shuttle buses in; we were able to park at the B&B.) And the students - many of them in black jackets and white shirts were everywhere.
We learned a bit about Oxford University in our travels and discussions. There are 38 or 39 colleges. All are separate with their own faculty, administration, facility, etc. I don't assume, but I do imagine, that each college might have a focus on a certain academia. Each college is within a walled area which has its own dining hall, housing, classrooms, etc. Ginger and Bill took an Inspector Morris tour and their guide said that the dormitories are not as we would imagine with rooms off a hallway but the rooms are off individual stair cases that start at the ground floor and you walk up to your room off the stairs. If you want to go to a room on a different stairs, then you have to walk all the way down, go to that stairs and walk up to that room. So the students don't ask "what floor or hall are you on?" but "what stair are you on" or "what stairs did you live on?" should they meet a graduate later on in life who may have gone to the same college.
We were also able to visit Christ's Church college by going to Evensong at 6PM. Some of the colleges are open to visitors to come in and look around; some charge a fee, some are free. I believe I was quoted £11 to tour Christ's Church! So we got there at 5:30 and were able to walk the courtyard to the church and tour the church.
After the service the choir filed out garbed in black robes and hats to their school. We have since learned that there are three choir schools in Oxford for students such as these.
The Thai food was so good at The Old Tom that we went back there for dinner. Yum. (We have since learned that the bell in the Christ Church across the street is nicknamed the old tom, thus the name for the pub!) We sat next to a great group of fellows from town who told us of a wonderful 13th century pub that we wouldn't find unless we knew where to look, The Turf Tavern. So we'll look for that tomorrow. That's what we love about the pubs - everybody talks to you and shares information with you. We could go to a restaurant for a nice meal and atmosphere but we probably wouldn't get into much conversation with folks at the next table; plus the history of each pub is often intriguing. Aren't many restaurants around that date back to the 13th century likenThe Turf and most of the pubs are several hundred years old. The Old Tom has been in its location since the 1700's.
We returned to the B&B with the intent to get up the next morning at 4:45 to leave for the 6 AM service of a boys choir singing on top of a church tower for May Day - apparently a 300 year old tradition. Let's see if we make it.
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