Day 3: Oxford - Day out at University Parks & Addison's Walk

Was woken up at 5am by an unknown call from home. Managed another 2 hours of sleep before it's time for breakfast. The weather seems fabulous today - clear skies, sunshine, and not too cold. I decided to spend the day at Oxford today.

Took the Victoria line from Euston station and arrived at Victoria station. These stations are always so busy and it is so easy to get impatient with people who don't get out of the way.

It took me some time to figure out the direction of the coach station as I haven't been here for ages. Anyway, I got lucky and came to the Oxford Tube stop enroute to the coach station and hopped on the 9.20am bus. Traffic was horrible in London as it was rush hour, and we were still at Shepherds Bush at 9.47am.

Thankfully the Oxford Tube bus was comfortable with power points for laptops and free wifi, so it wasn't hard to while away time while the bus chugged along. Finally got off High Street at 11.00am. Made my way to the Bodleian Library admission office to renew my library card. It was very easy to miss the office as the door off Broad Street was closed and the only clue was the smallish sign on the door. The renewal process was pretty quick - hand in application form, snap photo, card issued.

The Bodleian Old library hasn't changed much, but the New library is undergoing major renovations, and it will be renamed the Weston library when it reopens. Had a quick walk-abouts at the Old library, quick glance at the Duke Humphrey library, then popped over to my favourite library - Radcliffe Camera via the underground link. For the first time, I noticed there is an underground tunnel from the Old library to Rad Cam. I never knew about this! I knew there were underground tunnels that contained all the millions and millions of books that cannot be on all the shelves (you'd need a really HUGE and MASSIVE library for all of them so they'd stored them underground and will retrieve books for the readers if they ask for it). Bodleian Library is a copyright library in the UK and a copy must be given to the Library for all published books.

Radcliffe Camera

Statue of William Herbert outside Old Library

Had a quick look at the Divinity School again before moving off. The fan-vaulted ceilings are still so beautiful. In fact, I had a strange dream 2 months ago. I dreamt that I was visiting a very old "enchanted" forest and I came to this very magical tree where its branches were like the Divinity School's fan-vaulted designs. Harry Potter fans will also remember scenes of the Divinity School in the film.

I went over to Sheldonian Theatre that is just next to the library. It must be the view from atop the cuppo that earned the city the nick "City of dreaming spires". The theatre is Christopher Wren's first completed design. It is also the venue for the Matriculation, Graduation, and Encaenia ceremonies.  

Inside Sheldonian Theatre

Views towards Teddy Hall and the Bridge of Sighs

New Weston Library works in progress

The Sheldonian Theatre is ringed by head busts, which I always found very eerie whenever I walked past the place in the evenings. They are large head busts, and they don't look good.

Heading down from Broad Street, my next stop was my College but alas, it was closed! I rang the porter twice but no one would open the door. I guess I will have to miss it this time.

All Souls College, and its towers - where the term 'Ivory Towers" originate 

Boswell on Broad Street

There is now an underground link to the music shop

Blackwell's Norrington Room

Signboards like these are common to advertise events

Popular pub with students - just off Broad Street

Oxford's main shopping street - Cornmarket

The Big Works bookshop for cheap books now replaced by itsu

Clarendon shopping centre

Christ Church Tom Tower from Cornmarket

Westgate shopping centre

Local library where I used to go to borrow CDs

As I turned towards St Giles, I saw that Balliol College was opened to visitors. I used to come here for supervision with my Professor a couple of times a term. However, I simply cannot recall where his office is now. Incidentally, I also cannot recall where my department was located, so it is very telling how much I hated the University and subconsciously or conveniently missed these memories ;)

Balliol College

Ashmolean Museum at the start of St Giles

St Giles landmark

The famous pub along St Giles

From St Giles, I crossed over to the Lamb and Flag passage. It's the route I used to take to walk back to the Annexe from the College.

Pitts River Museum, besides Radcliffe Science Library

Radcliffe Science Library - where I used to work occassionally

Rhodes House

My next stop was the University Park. It is one of my favourite places in Oxford. I used to take the route through the park to get to my department. However, my favourite spot is the area around the Rainbow bridge over River Cherwell. The College has a punt at Wolfson College boat house and to get there, we'll have to walk northwards from the bridge. I still remember lovely punting times in the summer with College friends. Across the bridge is a whole new world of meadows and woodlands. In spring, buttercups would grow wildly, and in Enid Blyton's words, these are 'fields of gold'. I did not have the time (nor the energy) to walk further afield. But it is enough just for me to be here.

Rainbow Bridge

Cross the rainbow bridge, and it's a world of buttercup meadows and woodlands

Summers are for punting, alongside a family of ducks

Exiting from South Lodge, I made my way down St Cross Road. Had a quick glance at the Law Library as I used to work here too. It's the closest library to my flat. From my flat, I used to take Holywell street to get to Broad Street. I have walked this street countless of times.

Old St Cross Church

Balliol's residences - used to occasionally buy take-aways from their kitchen

Bodleian Law Library

Mysterious Holywell cemetery besides the Annexe

Holywell Street

Holywell Music Room - oldest in Europe

My last stop for the day was Magdalene College, and I ended the day strolling Addison's Walk. I used to enjoy walking here for some quiet moments and to think about things. Like Kyoto's Philosopher's Path, there is a path along a small stream that meanders out alongside the Cherwell River, encircling the Deer Park. Legend has it that there used to be 41 deers - one for each of the Fellows of the College. I am not sure if the tradition lives on today, but there are still deers for sure.

As I made my way back to Gloucester Green station, I took a wrong turn and ended up at the train station instead. Strangely, I recall the route to the train station very well and only found the bus station after I retraced my steps. Finally left the University town on the 6.50pm bus. Traffic was horrible as can be imagined and we reached Victoria coach station close to 9pm. Couldn't do anything else for the evening and retired to bed early.