Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Day 5 – Exploring Oxford

This morning our class enjoyed a lecture by Dr. Swicegood. He shared with us some interesting anecdotes from students and friends of C.S. Lewis. I always find personal stories about public figures very fascinating. It makes them seem more real to learn about their different quirks and personality traits. We also discussed how C.S. Lewis’s works have influenced some of our thoughts and beliefs. Way to go Dr. Swicegood!

After class we had the rest of the day to do as we pleased. Some of the students took this opportunity to travel to London, and some of us decided to stay and explore Oxford some more. Before eating lunch a few of us decided to stop at the tower of the University Church to get a better view of the city. We paid our two pounds and climbed our way up a long treacherous flight of winding stone steps. Though my legs were a bit tired and I was two pounds poorer, the trip to the top of the tower was definitely worth while. Our perch on the tower gave us a beautiful view of Oxford. Even though the afternoon skies were a bit dreary, we could still see out into the surrounding countryside. An excellent picture taking opportunity!



After picking up a quick lunch in a local sandwich shop we shopped around in some of the Oxford gift shops. Recently I have decided to start a teapot collection, and by recently I mean yesterday. I’ve always been a little jealous of people who collect certain items such as stamps or shot glasses, so I thought that I would like to start a collection of my own. I found an awesome teapot shaped like Big Ben in one of the shops and I thought that would make an excellent start for a collection! I think everyone was able to find something interesting in the gift shops. After we made our purchases we walked over to Christ’s Church. The outside of the church was beautiful, but we arrived about thirty minutes to late and were not able to explore the inside. The gloomy skies had begun to produce a light drizzle, which quickly turned into a blustery downpour. We quickly found shelter in Blackwells Bookshop. For anyone that enjoys reading, this place is absolutely amazing! The shop has an incredible selection of books. With four stories and such a wide variety, it’s hard not to find something to enjoy. My favorite floor housed the second hand books. They had such a wonderful collection, we even found a couple of old copies of C.S. Lewis’s works.


After such a busy weekend, we decided to spend the evening at Logan House. We ordered pizza and lounged around in the common room writing post cards and editing our blogs. We then watched a movie, courtesy of Dr. Perry, about Thomas Beckett, the archbishop of Canterbury that was murdered in the cathedral there. It was interesting to learn more about this tragic story after having witnessed first hand the beautiful cathedral in which much of the movie took place.


Canterbury Cathedral-- the candle on the floor represents where Thomas Beckett was murdered.

The trip is now half way over, and I am trying my best not to think about having to return home, back to reality. Everyday has allowed me to discover and to experience new and wonderful things. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the week will bring!

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