Oxford

Ever since we were here in the UK years and years ago Jude has wanted to see Oxford. Well we finally made it and its our last major stop on our return to London. Oxford is of course a university city. It has its origins way back in the 14th century when it was an ecclesiastical centre of learning. It was perhaps somewhat demeaned when several of our Australian Prime Ministers took up residence here as Rhodes Scholars but despite the famous drinking antics of one of them it continues on unabated. It is amongst other things a city of bicycles….

They’re parked up everywhere – I have no idea how you find your own (maybe it doesn’t matter). There are kids, students, adults riding everywhere and the myriad of buses just skirt around them (as do the cars) We actually drove in first up, got scared and couldn’t find parking anyway so went back out of town to a park’n’ride station and caught a bus back into town.Then we caught an open top double decker for an orientation tour around the city…

which dropped us off opposite the above building which features a statue up top of Cecil Rhodes who amongst other things founded Rhodesia (now of course Zimbabwe) and provided funding for the foundation of the Rhodes Scholarship to which 83 persons are admitted each year. Having been dropped off here we then partook of a foot tour of one of the oddest parts of Oxford…

almost an enclosed city in itself of, the Bodlian Library. An amazing range of architecture within such a small confined area. And apparently housing a copy of every book ever published anywhere in the world.

Nearly out of day we had to take in at least one of the colleges, this one Baliol…

and I don’t remmber how old but it is very and it’s one of 38 similar colleges. Is this a good environment for study?

Before we got to  Oxford we overnighted in the little village of Wansford -what a quaint place…

and this was just the hotel. The rest of the village was a picture out of the history books….

just a little spoiled by the trappings of modernity (whats wrong with the good old horse and cart? – actually I do know – they leave piles of stuff everywhere and you’ve gotta grow vegetables and roses to get rid of it)

Memory is a wonderful  thing for those that have it. Before we get back to London I have to revisit some of the places I’ve missed reporting on such as the Scottish Village dating back to the 1700’s…

which is truly astounding when all around the area you see….

buildings of similar vintage – Oh to be one of the better off of the time.

There is more I’ve missed but eventually I will catch up. We’ve actually been in Florence for the last few days with ineffective internet so blogging has not been possible. Now in Modena, sick as a dog and missing out on Ferrari (well big deal I hear you say).