Skip to main content

So Many Photos, So Many Stories


We have had a spectacular adventure, one full of surprises.  That's one of the special things about going somewhere new, where everything you see is new and engaging.  You operate on your loose agenda, in our case, and then are amazed as you stumble upon the unexpected.  Such was the case in Oxford, England.


Our itinerary became a little tight as we made our way from Cornwall, the southwestern area of England, with two stops prior to our time in London.  The first stop was Bath, the second Oxford.  Both stops would be relatively short, so we knew we would have little time to fully explore these towns.  In Oxford, we had one full day, so we set off for the visitors center to get a town map and formulate a plan to see some of the colleges which make up Oxford University.
 

It's always great fun to explore someplace new... and the history and literary atmosphere in Oxford is so rich.  We happened to be there on graduation day for one of the colleges, and the visual treat was great fun.   Colorful robes flying, students dressed in formal attire. 


And we soon rounded a corner and found ourselves in front of Christ Church College, and it's spectacular cathedral.  I knew that the great hall in the Harry Potter films was based on the great hall in this college, so of course I needed to see it!  But surprise after surprise greeted me as we wandered the grounds, and it's historic buildings.

First, the hallway and stairs leading to the Great Hall.  Another Harry Potter location, where students were greeted at the start of each new school year.

 
Then the hall itself, used as a dining hall by the college, with the faces of former teachers, students and founding fathers, as well as important history in the life of the college looking down from the surrounding walls.


Stained glass windows, always beautiful in their color and storytelling, and docents in select locations to fill you in on the "story" behind what we're seeing.

And here comes another surprise.  We came upon a wonderful docent delighted to fill us in on the stained glass window she was standing under.  Did we know the story of the Alice window?  No?  Well let me tell you!


Lewis Carroll was a mathematics instructor here at college.  No, of course that wasn't his real name.  Only a pseudonym. Dodgson met Alice, the daughter of the dean of this college, and they courted on the grounds.  The Alice window has a portrait of each of them, as well as the book characters conjured by Dodgson during his years here.  You can see the characters he created around the edges - Alice, Dodo, the Mad-hatter, and others.  Amazing!  And another connection?  Just look carefully at the fire-dogs  - inspiration for the long-necked Alice of story fame.

 
 
From Harry Potter to Alice in Wonderland.  And later in the trip, in Westminster Abbey, the resting place of Lewis Carroll. 

So many stories to tell!   I'm so glad I have found my muse again- it's been awhile since I've wanted to dig into my writing.


There's much more to come! 

Enjoy!

Comments

Relyn Lawson said…
Oh, how wonderful! I do love a good story. I've been spending a lot of time chilling and not doing much blogging. Till now. I wanted to tell you that I got the Linky going on my Things I Learned In June post. I am hoping you'll want to play along.
Sandy K. said…
Thank you, Relyn. I'm so glad to be back blogging and can't wait to catch up with everyone. I will definitely check in on your Things I Learned post...thank you for asking!
Jeanie said…
Hi, Sandy -- oh, I can't wait for more of these! When I think Oxford, I think Inspectors Lewis and Morse! How fun to be there in person!

Popular posts from this blog

Hidden Gem

Thank you, Georgia , for helping me focus on the hidden gem, the place we love to go and not be found. Not far from home...it IS home. We call it "out back," and once there we are transported to a private place, not visible from houses or road or the casual observer. I couldn't choose just one photo, so I created a collage of this special part of our world. Enjoy.

Happy Week- being home and loving photography

Roamin Meets the GPS- Stories from the Road Lisa, my favorite Curious Girl , created a wonderful idea for a week of "happy" posts. Share those things which make you happy, bring joy to your life, and generally fill you with happy thoughts (I do love the movie Hook , with Robin Williams). We are just returned from our fabulous 23-day, 5600 mile, 10 state, 4 time-zone adventure, and I am filled with happy thoughts today. I am also aware of the piles of laundry, the dirty car, the grocery shopping, and the weary body. Those are not the things I'll share today! Today it's about the joy of road-tripping. The miracle that we live in such a country that everywhere you go you see something to celebrate. I love driving down the road and seeing something new, or different, or unexpected. We drove for a very long time across the upper mid-west, while following signs for "Wall Drugs." Apparently this is a historic stop, originally a place for those who crossed the coun...

100 Blessings

It's funny how a project takes on a life of its own. I started out making a list of things I'd like to take pictures of - piles of M&M's, rocks on the beach, license plates hanging on an old garage door. Then I decided it would be interesting to find 100 items about "me," celebrating my 100th post with items about me/my life/etc. This way I could tie my compulsion to blog in to my theme. So, I started THAT list. And when I was done I decided all the things I was collecting, ideas as well as items, were actually blessings. Things about my life that make me who I am and allow me to keep striving to be the best I can be at what I do. Each activity isn't necessarily a blessing, it's my ability to do the things I love to do, and be with the people I love to be with. This became an introspective activity, and that's probably where I am in my life right now. If the shoe fits..., so to speak. So, welcome to my 100th Post ! Without everyone I've met thr...