To Oxford We Went

Three days into arriving at London, Diane and I decided we should probably travel before classes start on Tuesday. We hadn't unpacked and had hardly bought any food or basic necessities, like toilet paper, knives, forks, and laundry detergent. Yet off we went on Thursday to Oxford.

After running around the city of London for four days, I was excited to see the English countryside. When we arrived in Oxford it was hard not to think of Harry Potter, fairy tales, and Jane Austen. The city is a romantic labyrinth. Winding roads bring you to churches, colleges, and castles all crammed into 18 square miles. It was just as grand and impressive as I pictured it would be. Christ Church is one of Oxford's 38 colleges. Inside it is a beautiful college that you could easily mistake for a castle. When we toured it we walked up the stairs that were filmed for the Harry Potter movie! The dining hall pictured in Harry Potter is also in Christ Church, but the day we went it was closed. I was so disappointed, but only for a moment. It's hard to be sad in such a beautiful place. After the college, we walked to Radcliffe Camera an impressive building and then to Bodelain Library. We saw it all.

Christ Church (aka Hogwarts)

It's hard to imagine studying at such a inspiring place. I wouldn't be able to study when all I would want to do is walk around and stare at the buildings! Most of the colleges were closed to visitors, but when I peeked I saw walls painted with crew scores and kids milling on manicured quads. It was another world, and it felt truly English.

This was my first time staying in a hostel. To say I didn't have trepidations would be a lie. I was so nervous of murders, crazy people, dirty rooms, loud guests, and bed bugs. Luckily, I knew how to check for bed bugs and didn't find any. The experience of staying at the hostel was one of the best parts of going to Oxford. I met such interesting people from Spain, Cuba, Latvia, and Australia. Diane and I stayed in a mixed 4 bed room. Our two other roommates were married men who either worked at Oxford or were there for a conference. Meeting such fascinating people made the trip so much better.



After one and half days, we took the 2 hour bus ride back to London. The quiet, archaic streets of Oxford were amazing to visit, but I truly love the bustle and crowds of London and couldn't wait to get back.