Oxford, Cardiff, and Stratford-upon-Avon

I've been to Oxford three times, but I always seem to time it wrong, arriving just when the businesses and colleges are closing. This time I arrived in Oxford around 4:30 and all the shops close at 5. It is still a lovely city to walk through and each trip I've tried to complete more of the CS Lewis walking tour. The first time, I walked through the rain after dark, with an umbrella while I followed the online tour guide.

The second time, I arrived just early enough to tour Magdalen College. The college is centuries old, with some of the original buildings. It also has its own deer park with trails through the woods and along the river. Imagine having that in your own college!

This time, I once again timed my arrival wrong, but I didn't really have an option since I had class earlier in the day. I checked into my hostel, which was really quite nice and had posters of famous Oxford alumni. I was pleased that my room was right beside The Chronicles of Narnia poster!

That night, I decided to finish the main part of the walking tour by visiting the Eagle and Child pub, where the literary group, The Inklings met. Since it was a Friday night, it was quite crowded so I just took my pot of tea and found one of the little counters.

They had Narnia and Lord of the Rings board games...who wants to come back with me to play them? They also had a bunch of quotes carved into the pub, but since it was crowded, I decided not to disturb everyone by shoving through to take photos of every single quote!

The next morning I took a coach (bus) to Cardiff Bay and Cardiff with UK Study Tours. It was only about a two hour ride to Wales and we went through some of the English countryside. There is a bridge and a toll to get to Wales and then signs are suddenly in both English and Welsh. We stopped at Cardiff Bay first, where most of the buildings are surprising new (built around 2000) and are all called variations of "Millenium Building/Centre/etc." It's also right along the harbour.

The city of Cardiff was an interesting blend of both old and modern buildings. Of course, there was Cardiff Castle. After climbing some steep stairs and a spiral staircase, I reached the keep.

This time, I once again timed my arrival wrong, but I didn't really have an option since I had class earlier in the day. I checked into my hostel, which was really quite nice and had posters of famous Oxford alumni. I was pleased that my room was right beside The Chronicles of Narnia poster!

One of the rooms in the castle featured the most amazing library. The rooms were really spectacular.

I returned to Oxford that evening. The following morning, I checked out of my hostel. I had a couple of hours before I needed to get to the coach station so I just took my baggage with me. I somehow managed to fall and completely faceplant. My glasses went flying and it probably looked exactly like that scene from Theory of Everything. If you haven't seen the movie, you can watch the trailer on YouTube and see the bit that I am referring to! The side streets in Oxford are mostly empty early on Sunday mornings, but I almost gave the elderly British man walking the other direction a heart attack!

I took a coach to Stratford-upon-Avon. I was hoping to see everything in one afternoon, but there was simply too much to see in just one day so I'll have to go back at some point if I can! I began by touring Shakespeare's family home, which was 60% original. There were actors and actresses inside reciting various soliloquys and scenes from various plays. They also have guestbooks and glass where visitors signed their names over the centuries which includes signatures from other great British authors including Charles Dickens and Lord Alfred Tennyson.

I also visited Hall's Croft and Harvard House. I didn't have time to make it to Anne Hathaway's cottage, so I'll have to do that if I make it back! Then, I went to Holy Trinity Church to pay homage at Shakespeare's grave, like a good English Major.

Everything in the city closes around four and my coach did not leave for a few hours, so I walked along the river Avon and enjoyed the beautiful old buildings on the rainy Sunday!

Thanks for reading! My much promised Iceland, Part 2, Italy, and London updates posts are coming soon!