September 10, 2018

A day in Oxford

A day in Oxford

All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.

J.R.R Tolkien

This quote is so fitting for today’s journey. I have wanted to go to Oxford the first two trips to England but time never permitted. So this trip, I made sure that I would spend one full day here. And one full day I spent indeed! I was on my way during the wee hours of the morning, 7:30am (for a girl on vacation, that’s early!), still fighting the jet lag. I have no problems falling asleep, it’s the feeling like a zombie when I wake up. 

I made my way to Paddington, where one of the train employees informed me that I’d need to print the tickets I’d bought. Yes, I’ll just whip out my portable printer. So she says I must go to this Internet cafe outside. Luckily I plan for spare time in case I get lost, so I had time. I must have been looking lost as this (much more helpful) train employee came and asked if I needed help. I showed him my tickets and he said email them to me and I’ll print them for you. My blonde knight in shining green train smock! 

Since I made it early and well in advance of my ticket to the Tolkien exhibit, I had the time to visit the University Church of St Mary the Virgin. I knew that you could climb the bell tower for good views of Oxford and the surrounding countryside. I’m always seeking higher ground when I travel as not many people think to get that perspective and makes for that much cooler of a shot! It was cloudy overcast but a bit sunny so the photos were hard. But it was really neat seeing the heart of Oxford for the first time from above as I’d not yet walked through the old area! I even had a kind man take my photo for me so I didn’t have yet another selfie. 

It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.

J.R.R Tolkien

The. Tolkien. Exhibit. Enough said. Just kidding. Everyone clearly knows I have a lot to say about a lot of things, and this (so much that I rambled on and on and on for 20 minutes with my parents giving them updates and cool facts on things they never cared to know about) is no exception!

The Bodleian Library has this special exhibit on now as he was an Oxford Scholar and Professor and lived there as well. In fact (fun fact #1)  Hobbiton is at the same longitude as Oxford! I am so incredibly fortunate that this was happening whilst I was here! Sadly. Not a single photograph was allowed. Upon entry, this giddy childlike giggle and smile came forth from inside me, kind of like Gollum did for Smeagol, but in a fun happy, not creepy weird way! I don’t think there was a moment I didn’t have the absolute dumbest smile on my face.

I got to see the maps he created for Middle Earth. The fact that he even made a Hobbit measurement system. Fun fact #2: He drew all the maps first before even fully writing as he needed them to be to scale and accurate for no plot deviations or holes. They are perfectly to scale, detailed as can be, held together with brown packing tape and well worn from constantly hauling it out to verify his story. I’m gonna throw fun fact #3 at you as well right now. He made the measurement systems for the all types of beings in his world so that no being ever travelled more than they could in “real” life in one day as he wanted the books to be as accurate as possible. 

The man was a genius. Brilliant. Talented. Fun fact #4: he often did the illustrations you see in some of the print versions first before fully writing the plot as a way to visualize the story. I should probably stop gushing right now. So, I will. 

Still round the corner there may wait, A new road or a secret gate.

J.R.R Tolkien

Next up was my scheduled tour of the Bodleian Library itself (or parts of it). My tour starts and I’m asked to wait in the Divinity School. Right away. The very first thing. Get ready for some more gushing as I cue the dumb, giddy smile again. The Divinty School, whilst stunningly beautiful on its own, was also the filming location for a lot of the Infirmary scenes in Harry Potter.

Next we got to go to Duke Humfrey’s library. I only wish I was allowed to take photos. Beyond the fact it is the very library that you see Harry go in to the Restricted Books section of the Hogwart’s library in the middle of the night, it’s also one of the first ever libraries, at least in “modern” terms. The books in this section date back to the 1600s. Sadly, even though Duke Humfrey’s donated over 300 massive volumes in the 1300s (that’s like someone gifting you 300 fancy sports cars in today’s money), they are almost all but destroyed thanks to the monarchy trying to control the media over the years.

Then comes Thomas Bodley, and as a young teenager he was saddened when he found out all the books were burned over the years. Luckily as an older distinguished gentlemen he convinced the school to let him build the library again and convince the London printers to give them one copy of every book they ever publish. Thus the Bodleian Library was born! The Duke’s library was full in just a few short years and is still filled with the same books from the 1600s. It’s a magical place. The Bodleian Library has more than 5 buildings now filled with books, and all media that they get every Wednesday from all the printers of London. 40km of stacks exist under Oxford. And they are now expanding into neighbouring towns as they are out of space! Ok, your history lesson is over!

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can.

J.R.R Tolkien

Back to geeking out about Harry Potter. The most stunning University in Oxford is Christ Church. And it just so happens that it’s stairwell into its dining hall is the ACTUAL one where Professor McGonagall greets all of the kids when they first arrive! Their dining hall? What the directors used to base the Hogwart’s Great Hall from. I can’t imagine eating every single day in this hall! The buildings and grounds were simply stunning. I had wanted to go to Trinity College but it was closed so I went to New College instead but with only a half hour to explore I spent a good chunk getting to the quad where the big tree featured in a few scenes from the movie were taken.

If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.

J.R.R Tolkien 

After alllll that siteseeing it was time for a beer. I knew of a place called the Turf Tavern down a teeny tiny back alley. It’s one of the oldest, if not oldest pubs in Oxford and was pretty darn cool! So I sought off to find it, and I did! I started with a pint then decided to eat dinner there as well. It wasn’t much needed after  a long day, though it may have gone right to my head, as I snoozed a little on the train back to London!

Now that I’ve probably put anyone to sleep who is still reading this at this point, I say thank you, and good night! 

  •  View of Radcliffe Camera
  • Not a selfie!
  • Divinity School
  • The only pic I could get
  • Oxford Uni’s own court
  • Christ Church
  • THE stairwell
  • The dining hall
  • New College
  • THE tree
  • Get me a pint! 
  • Church of St Mary
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