Like every road trip, you tell members in your vehicle right before departure that there will be limited "smile stops" (phrase from my friend, Amy, because there is relief after a full bladder!) Well, Tyler made it about halfway and really needed the comfort break (I made him pose for revenge...mean sister!)
We arrived to Oxford (2+ hr drive) and dodged bicycles throughout...it was crazy how many there were!
Parking was a premium too...looks like we're limited to a 3-hr tour!
Stop 1 - world famous Blackwell's Bookshop on Broad Street & tiny pub, The White Horse (Lewis and his friends used to meet in this pub during the war)
Stop 2 - Sheldonian (across street), Oxford's most illustrious meeting hall designed by Christopher Wren
Stop 3 - The King's Arms pub (Lewis and his friends used to meet in this pub during the war)
So we decided to have a "pint"
Our different selections
Why not eat while we're at it! Tyler eating "Steak & Ale Pie"
Waiting for the food to be ready...so studious!
Starting our tour on Holywell Street (loved this picture!)
While on Bath Place, we saw the most unusual thing...
It was this skinny man in a slender suit with a briefcase, umbrella and Bolar hat charging down the sidewalk...I had to run after him to capture the picture (modern day Charlie Chaplin!)
Stop 4 - Mansfield Road to see where Lewis spent his first night in Oxford in Dec 1916
Tourist Moment - on Jowett Walk
Stop 5 - St. Cross Cemetery - graves of Hugo Dyson, Austin Farrer, Charles Williams (members of Lewis' circle of friends) also resting place of Kenneth Grahame (author of The Wind in the Willows)
Humor stop - another doorway Tyler surpasses in height!
Stop 6 - Magdalen College & Magdalen Tower (built 1490-1510 and more than 150 ft high)
Tyler was the true Navigator through this journey especially through Magdalen College
Humor Stop
Another Humor Stop
Stop 7 - "The New Building" dating 1735 provided C.S. Lewis a beautifully situated suite of rooms...marked was where Lewis was converted to a belief in God (theism)
Stop 8 - Entry to Addison's Walk
Named after the great English man of letters and graduate of Magdalen, Joseph Addison, this was a favorite walking place for Lewis and his friends
Humor Stop
Stop 9 - Deer Park - deer in this special reserve are kept as part of the Magdalen College grounds...once a year one of these magnificent beasts has the great honor of becoming a feast for the College & guests
Stop 10 - The Chapel - Lewis' conversion to Christianity in 1931
Inside
Humor Stop - We heard the organ playing and were curious
Choir/Organ
Stop 11 - The Hall - fine woodwork dates from the end of the reign of Elizabeth I or the beginning of James I
Modern day "Cafe' Bar"
The coffee was crap outta machine though...
Recreation
Nice place to enjoy coffee!
Stop 12 - Eastgate Hotel - since Tolkien was a Fellow of Merton College and Lewis of Magdelen College, this was a convenient place for them to meet
Stop 13 - University College - young C.S. Lewis arrived on 26 April 1917 to begin his academic studies as an undergraduate
Tyler loved this photo op
Stop 14 - Church of St. Peter's-in-the-East now converted into Teddy Hall Library, attended by Lewis on Wednesdays for Holy Communion
Stop 15 - "Bridge of Sighs" connects two buildings belonging to Hertford College
Stop 16 - Bodleian Library (main library of Oxford University) was where Lewis spent many hours reading and studying
Stop 17 - University Church is where Lewis delivered his famous war-time sermon "The Weight of Glory"
Stop 18 - Mitre Hotel was another favorite spot for C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien & friends
Time has expired...finding our way back to the car to drive home...it's been fun & exhausting!!!
Dinner time...we brainstormed pizza on the way home...
Oh, and it was Yum-O!
1 comment:
Oxford ...... ahhhhh those were the days.
Sarah
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