Anticipating that the walk in fresh snow that fell during the night, I left extra early to be in at the university by our 8am departure. I walked the longer way to the tube as it is a more gradual incline and I expected that High street would have been gritted and less slippery. Not so, but not bad. The fresh snow was powdery and easy to navigate. We departed by coach to Oxford. The countryside was lovely covered in snow and we arrived to a only a light cover on the ground in Oxford. Our guide, however, was less fortunate and unable to get through without chains.
So we had a two and a half hour self tour before being asked to meet up at 12:45. I found a sandwich and most of the students settled on Pie Minister for steak pies. It was far too cold to enjoy walking around, but we did.
One of my favorite butchers offered poultry: undressed or dressed.
Also some rabbit (if I had to guess).
For me, the best part of the wait were street musicians. In particular, there was an accomplished tenor saxophone doing some very engaging riffs and expected numbers. There was also a violin player walking on a tightrope—his music OK, but the circus value was excellent.
We met the tour guide in front of MacDonald’s which was probably some measure of revenge on Americans for introducing that cuisine to England.
Our tour guide (in purple gloves) took half of us around Oxford University buildings and Christ Church College. She was very knowledgeable and students found many familiar scenes from Harry Potter movies.
Below is Oxford University Library.
Here is the dining room made famous by Harry Potter Movies. It actually the dining hall--being set for supper--for the students at Christ Church College. We finished in the Cathedral with a Q & A session which was very lively.
Around 4pm, we boarded the bus back to London. As I write, all but one student is sleeping soundly. They have a birthday celebration tonight and I hear they were out late last night since there were no classes today.
Our CSU students are a really good group.
I plan to poach some fish and dress some vegetables, soak in a hot bubbly tub and call it a day. That was about 6 hours of walking in 25 degree weather—some of the time, when it warmed up, snowflakes were falling. I may turn on the television since I am too weary to read. I could say it is a shame that I have cable and have had no opportunity to watch, but that is not really a regret. I am hoping the streets in Hampstead are not as icy as the ones around the university which are now very cold and slick.
As my evening ends and yours begins, I wish you “Shabbat Shalom.”
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