Though we stayed the entire time in London, we spent a day in Oxford and a day in Cambridge, which we got to by train. That was all we saw of the English countryside (which simply means we will have to make a return trip!). We enjoyed both days immensely and I'm so glad we we visited these two towns.
We ducked into the Ashmolean briefly, but since we had already been to a lot of museums in London, we were more interested in seeing Oxford itself. The prominent Martyrs' Memorial is worth seeing and mulling over (what faith! what dedication to principle!), but I was more moved by the actual site of Cranmer, Ridley, and Latimer's martydom, marked by a cobblestone cross in the middle of Broad Street. It is well worth knowing the inspiring story of these Oxford Martyrs.
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Walking around in Oxford was a lot of fun. We saw the Bodleian, various famous colleges and churches, Carfax Tower, Christ Church Cathedral (though only from a distance--we weren't allowed to get any closer--boo!), and we visited Blackwell's, which actually is now a series of specialized bookshops.
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Just walking around and looking at the architecture was a treat.
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| Oxford's Oldest Saxon Tower |
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A highlight of Oxford was eating at the Eagle and Child, the hangout of the Inklings!
By the way, we ate mostly at pubs and, despite the reputation of English food, we thought the food was very good. Steak and ale pie, fish and chips, bangers and mash, Cornish pasties, the full English breakfast--none of it was a disappointment. In fact, the worst food we had was as at an "American/Italian" restaurant, where Dave says he was served the world's worst calzone!
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Coming up next--Cambridge!
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