Since i would only be spending a day in Oxford, i knew i was going to have to fit a lot of things in, but it still managed to be a pretty relaxing day. The very first thing we did was go to Oxford castle and take the tour. It was really awesome cause the employees took on the roles of people who were either held in or worked at the prison and made it all the more enjoyable. We climbed up a teeny spiral staircase to the top of a tower and got some pretty cool views. We then got to see the cellar and the teeny prison cells. I would not have wanted to be a prisoner in there, let me tell you. The prison was actually in use until about 1996, can you even believe it? They had a large area with the history of the prison set up, so I got to learn a lot about it. Outside the castle, they have this massive mound where a fort used to be, so i climbed to the top. It was a lot higher than i thought it was from the bottom but it was really cool. Afterwards, we walked down the Main Street in an effort to find the Carfax Tower, the last remaining section of a 13th century church. We just about missed it and a guy handing out maps pointed it out to us... It was literally right beside us, we had just passed it. We didn't go up to the top, but it was still really cool to see such an old building in the middle of a shopping area! From there, we went to see the Radcliffe Camera, a beautiful building that i am sure everyone would recognize if they saw it. Next to it was the Bodeleian Library, which they used for the Harry Potter movies! I didn't go in because it was expensive, but they had a little exhibit that was free. That was really interesting, it had a ton of middle eastern books with beautiful script and illumination. Right across from the Library was the Bridge of Sighs, a covered bridge that resembles the one in Venice that shares the same name. Funnily enough, the architect had not intention of copying that bridge, it just came out that way. From there, we stumbled upon the Sheldonion Theatre, another piece of beautiful architecture. I would love going to school in Oxford, the buildings are to die for. Imagine going to school in such a place. After that, I decided to go in the Museum of the History of Science, cause it was free and I happen to like the history of science. My travel buddy and I split up from there and I spent a good hour at least looking through all the cool scientific contraptions from days past.
After a quick lunch in Starbucks, I walked to New College, where they filmed that part in the Goblet of Fire when Malfoy is turned into a ferret. The court yard was absolutely beautiful and it was so cool to experience it. The College also has access to a large garden that is surrounded by the old city wall, so i walked the length of it. I left New College and as I was walking through the back roads to get back to the main road, I had a near death experience. Only in Oxford would 2 stone roof tiles fall to the ground and smash in the spot you were only seconds ago. Definitely a heart pounding moment. After that, I was going to go to Magdalen College, but it was way to much money even though i've heard it is beautiful. So instead, i went and peaked into the Botanical Gardens as i didn't feel like paying, before walking down the Dead Man's Walk bordering the Christ Church Meadow behind many of the colleges. I walked through some of the old and less busy streets and just wandered until i found the Christ Church Cathedral. The building itself is absolutely beautiful from the outside and i managed to peak inside one of the court yards. Christ Church is probably the most expensive of all the colleges for tourists, so i didn't go into it. After all, i'm pretty sure they only used a staircase for the first HP film. From there, I went to the Modern Art Museum, because it was free and to waste some time. I don't really understand moderm art, but whatever. Afterwards, I went and walked around the shopping centre, but of course everything in England closes really early so the only thing still open was Primark. Since it was after 6 and most things were closed, i just went back to my hostel and used the wifi for a while before catching my train back to Nottingham!
x brianna
p.s. i have pictures but blogger won't let me add them since i'm on my ipad and this is a google website and all this complicated stupid stuff. those of you who are subscribed can see my oxford pics on facebook, i'll try adding them when i've got my computer running again.
