heath: Christ Church and Oxford Gardens

I actually managed to get up at 9am, had a quick shower and breakfast at the flat (raspberry yogurt and a banana) then I headed out. I planned a route that took me from my place, which is on the western outskirts of the city, in an eastern direction around the southern ring road of the city. That part of the city is a lot of new construction, mostly flats, an Ice skating rink, and a gas station. My general plan was to head north into the center of the city where a lot of the University's colleges are.

I really wanted to see Christ Church, which is one of the larger and more ancient colleges, but since it is also a functioning Cathedral and the seat of the Oxfordshire diocese, it is open to the general public, unlike most of the other colleges. (If I feel up to it, I'll try to explain how the collegiate system here works-- I'm still pretty befuddled by it. Suffice it to say that the University is made up of many independent colleges, membership of which is usually required to enter the inner sanctum of their grounds. Most of the college are cloistered by old mossy stone walls topped with iron fences that make them seem really mysterious and romantic). Like this:

Anyway, here is a picture of Christ Church's central spire as seen from the High Street.

[By the way, I recommend that you click on this and the following pictures. They are big files and you can see alot more detail at their full size]

The College is bounded on the east by a meadow that supposedly is used by English long horned cattle. I didn't see any The cool thing about Oxford is that it is bordered by two rivers that are prone to sever flooding (I guess that doesn't sound that cool). But it means that it makes it unfeasible for the city to expanded into the flood plains so surrounding area maintains a really rural quality. Here's the Christ Church Meadow.

It smelled really good. Now I get what Turner and Consatble were up to.

Here are some views of the east side of Christ Church opposite the Meadow.

I should mention that much of the Harry Potter movies were filmed inside Christ Church, giving it a kind of tourist celebrity (notoriety maybe a more apt word.) So when I was waiting in line for entrance and an American family in front of me asked the admissions clerk if this beautiful center of learning and religious devotion commissioned by Henry VIII "is Hogwarts, right?" I got too embarrassed for/by my fellow countrymen to go up and ask for admission in my nasaly Chicago accent. In short, I didn't go in. And I really wanted to see those floating candles. Oh, well.

I left Christ Church and started wandering (North, I think). I came to the Oxford Botanic Gardens. They happen to be my favorite place in Oxford so far. Here's the entrance.

And the hero of our narrative on the inside.

Bridge and boats!

Apparently, anything will grow in England; and it will grow better than anywhere else. Oxford is tiny. The whole place is probably the same size as my neighborhood in Chicago, Ravenswood. But the place is so dense and complex, and its streets are so crowded that it can feel as stressful to walk on the High Street as it can to walk down any street in the Loop at 5pm. But the gardens are the most serene place I've ever been. All you hear are the birds and the church bells and all the old flagstones have this really good wet and gritty feel under your feet. Everything was so still and I could have believed I was the only person there (I'm not sure that wasn't the case).

Before I left the house I made a hummus and cheese sandwich. I ate it at a bench with this view.

Another of Oxford's many canals runs through the Garden.

How do you like them apples? Seriously, do you like it? I imagine they frown on picking them--I restrained my self.

English bees are cute.

A lot of the buildings in Oxford have this weird brain-looking facade. I wonder what it's supposed to be. Coral? They're not so brainy here that they actually put brains on their buildings, right?