Oxford and Lewis: Part 4: Lewis!

 June 10, 2013: So we finally made our way to Oxford University, Christchurch College; the sun was lowering, but not quite dusk. We walked in through the huge, old, wooden doors/gates and the site was breathtaking!

You go through a little portico and then it opens up into a spectacular square, with bright green grass, and a fountain of `Mercury' in the center. The sun was low, so it shown off the white stone, lighting the whole place up like it was noon. In reality, it was 7:00 in the evening.

Inside the square, looking back at the door portico.

We were all a little stunned at the grandeur and beauty of it all. It was quite quiet, and almost felt reverent. Probably because there was so much praying going on....it was the beginning of Exam Week! :-) Students were moving about, wearing black robes, most of them open, worn like cloaks, over their regular clothes. We assumed it was protocol for the exams, but just added another layer of surrealism to us standing there.

Oxford University feels like its own little city. Not that there are shops or anything, because there aren't. But you are completely enclosed by the huge wall surrounding it, and there are ally-ways and hidden, winding paths everywhere. We got directions from the kind, uniformed Door Porter and made our way across the square, to find our lecture hall. 

Joseph, in the Oxford square. Entrance is behind him.

I fell in love with the purple tree.

The C. S. Lewis Lecturer was Dr. Michael Ward. He was President of the C.S. Lewis Society while at Oxford, has a Masters from Cambridge, and a PhD from St. Andrews. I can't even write here about the lecture itself. It was amazing and I couldn't write fast enough! There isn't enough space, and there is so much to say! But suffice it to say, I wept. For real. I did, at the end. Yes, I felt a little bit like an idiot, and hoped I was discreet enough to not have anyone notice, but his concept was such a revelation, and was so moving to me for some reason. I am so excited to read "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" series again now! Unfortunately, I didn't escape detection. And the worst person was the one who noticed. It was the lecturer! I went up to thank him, and as I shook his hand, he leaned in and whispered, I saw you weep. I was so embarrassed, until he followed it with (still holding my hand, and looking me straight in the eye) "I have wept over this too. Many times." I answered him with a grateful smile and said, "Well, Truth is Truth, wherever you find it." He smiled acknowledgingly, and then signed my notes. When I get home, I have to find his books: "Space or Heaven?: C.S. Lewis, Narnia and the Planets," "Planet Narnia", or "The Narnia Code." Fascinating.

 

As if I wasn't overwhelmed enough, we then went out into the courtyard for a little reception of Sparkling Elderflower water and Shortbread! I was drinking flower water at Oxford, and listening to the foremost world expert on CS Lewis! I could just go home now.

 

As we made our way back out, it was even more quiet than before. Lights were coming on, and the place was so empty. Windows of student rooms glowed, and the cut class refracted the light here and there. It was so beautiful, I didn't want to leave.

Entrance to another secret someplace.

Joseph in one of the outdoor halls on our way back to the square.

The clock tower above the entrance at night.

Heading back to the entrance.

The empty square at dusk.

 When we got to the door, a few students were there, who had attended the lecture as well. We were locked in! Love it! We waited for the nice porter (I don't know what else to call him, maybe the Gatekeeper?) who came and unlocked and un-barred the heavy doors. As we stepped out, it almost felt like we were walking out of the wardrobe of magic, back into reality, and I instantly missed the place.

The ceiling of the portico at the entrance.

Closer view. I couldn't tell what the colored things were.

 

 

 

 

They were shield crests! So cool!

A perfect Day.

 

Oxford and Lewis: Part 3: The City

 June 10, 2013: Have I said yet, how much I love Oxford? There is such a vibrancy here, which might have something to do with it being a University town, but the combination of the young people and energy, with the oldness of the architecture, tradition, and history, make it a really unique place.

 As we walked around the city, we decided to get dinner quickly before the CS Lewis lecture at Oxford. We had a 2 for 1 coupon for a restaurant called "Giraffe." There were three of us, so we decided that it would work out perfectly since Joseph could easily eat 2 portions. We would 4 different dishes, then share them all.

 It was a funky little place, very clean and colorful. The guy running it was super friendly and SO helpful. His name was Martin and we loved him. His accent sounded Eastern European. He brought us our food and it was amazing! Truly some of the freshest food I have ever eaten at a restaurant. And he let us use the coupon twice! 
TRAVEL TIP: if ever in Oxford, go to Giraffe! :-)

The most amazing Mango Shrimp Salad!! (I could eat this every day!)

After the carnage

Dinner was so good, and Martin was so nice, we decided to try and take Ben and Lora back for dessert. We told him we would be back and he asked, "Do you want your regular table? or sit someplace different?" Regular table? ...We had a regular table? Loved this place. We told him our `regular table'. :-)

So after the lecture, we ran back. We got there just a few minutes before closing, but Martin had our table all ready and when we said we were sorry, and would just take it to go, so he could go home, he said, "No! no! You are friends now!"

Picture from the outside.

 We told him we wanted to tell everyone about his restaurant and so he said we needed "presents!" Then he brought us all little giraffes and Merinda and me little napkin roses.

With Martin at Giraffe

 Go there.....For reals! 

On our way to Oxford University:

Such a cool tree, growing up an apartment.

The door to the Wesley Methodist Church.

This plaque on the wall says: On 14th July 1783 and several subsequent occasions John Wesley preached in this building. The first Methodist meeting house in Oxford.

Just a cool old wall and gate on the street.

Next: Oxford and Lewis: Part 4: Lewis!

Oxford and Lewis: Part 2: Tea and Dungeons

At Oxford Castle, Joseph and I had our first tea and crumpets. Ok, not really, it was herbal tea and a "Flapjack."  :-) But YUMMY!!  Now in America, flapjacks are just another name for pancakes, right? Well in England, they are little squares of oatmeal, sweet yumminess! Think of the best oatmeal cookie you have ever tasted, and times it by 3. I am obsessed! must.find.recipe!

Then we went off to the tour. The oldest part of Oxford Castle is from 1071 (yes, the year!) and at least part of it has been a prison from then until 1996! (not sure how I feel about that)

The beginnings of Oxford started in c.700 by the Saxons. In 1009 it was attacked by the Danes and then the Norman Conquest began in 1066. So in 1071 the first part of the castle was built. In fact, in 1135 Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote his "History of the Kings of Britain" while staying at the castle. This "History" is the oldest record of King Arthur, Merlin and the Knights of the Round table! yep...written here.
There is SO much history here. The tour guides are dressed as characters that had some connection to the place, like Monmouth. Our guide was a cute domestic Servant named Anne Green from the 1600's.

She was kind of "set up" by a Lord nearby because of a "pregnancy" that didn't go well, and she was hung. She hung for a half hour, not dead yet, the guards hit her in the chest, and pulled on her to tighten the rope, to get her to hurry up. When she finally "died," they took her body to "autopsy" it (that was something they did around here, for research), just as they were about to cut her open, she took a deep breath and opened her eyes! Talk about FREAK OUT! They said that she "survived her own hanging" and was revered when she could tell of her near-death experience and heaven.  

There wasn't much humanity (contrary to the picture above) given to the prisoners. There are pictures of prisoners around, and some of them were as young as 7 years old, lots of 12-14 year olds. Usually for stealing bread or a "leather strap." Curious about why they would want that.  One of the main things they did during the day was walk around pushing a huge wheel. (Remember Les Mis?) But the wheel did nothing. Not even grind wheat, or move water. It was just to wear down the prisoners. You can see in the following picture how the constant walking warped the floor. I would have gone crazy.

The ridges worn into the floor from the prisoners' walking in circles.

It was an incredibly huge place, with centuries of history changing and adding on, creating a maze of up narrow spiral stair cases, down to the Norman crypt in the basement.

Anne put Joseph in the Stocks!

...and left him there for a little bit!

 The "Norman" part of the castle is found in the bottom level. When they attacked the Saxons, the took over for a little bit. I was fascinated with the level of architecture and stonework here. I always thought of the Saxons and Normans as living in stick huts and being sort of middle-ages-primitive. But it was very elegant. The wall behind Joseph (above) is a burial crypt full of Norman bones. Pretty cool.

Part 3 next: The City...

Oxford and Lewis: Part 1

June 10, 2013: SO much to tell. It's amazing how much you can cram into one day! I am IN LOVE with Oxford England!!! The people are so nice and the city is so stunning! It is a strange mix of old, and I mean OLD architecture and functioning buildings, with trendy shops and boutiques. 

Nothing like Pizza Hut and the Opium Den! :-)

Just checking the time in town.

The roads are incredibly narrow and cobbled, and we just can't seem to get used to driving on the the other side of road. Joseph gets super freaked out when we ride the turn-abouts, but go the opposite way. For a split second he is sure that we are heading into a head-on collision to our death!

A friend joined us today and although we didn't get to Blenheim Palace we did get to the Oxford Castle.

 

Joseph, just lounging in front of Oxford Castle while we wait. No big deal.