England Trip Day Six–Journal
This was our whirlwind tour of Oxford day. We spent a lot of time on trains. We would have left earlier but couldn’t get a taxi from Hever Hotel until later. Then we went from Edenbridge to Redhill to Reading to Oxford with some fast runs and a few missed trains in between. Luckily there’s always another train a bit later. When we got to Oxford, we walked to Regents Park College, Caitlan’s home college. On the way we went through a street market, and Jerome bought Greek olives with feta. Very yummy. We were able to get into KK’s room so we used her internet to call Mombo and Kyle. Also had some tea and a light lunch.
Then we went to the Ashmolean Museum and spent most of our time in the art gallery since our time was limited. They asked me to fill out a survey, which I did, so I got some free postcard art. I enjoyed the galleries. They had a Van Gogh, a Monet, several Manets, and a Matisse. Lots of Turner also. We took a walk down Cornmarket Street and saw Christ’s Church College from the outside (BEAUTIFUL!). Jerome was really into his door and gate picture-taking. We also saw the Isis (what the Thames is called in Oxford) where Caitlan rows, her Catholic Chaplaincy on campus (only from the outside), and St. Aloysius Gonzaga Church where she also goes sometimes (they have a solemn Mass, all in Latin–I guess those four years were worth it!). We picked up some crosses made from blessed palms to bring home as souvenirs. Janet got some holy water.
We went to The Eagle and Child for dinner. This is where the Inklings (JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis and others) met daily to read each others’ works. We had fish and chips and steak and ale pie. We met some people from Kansas. Afterward we stopped for ice cream but ended up having hot chocolate because we were cold (Jerome had ice cream with sprinkles). It’s where we saw the “Moona Lisa.” On our way to the train we stopped at Sainsbury’s for milk and some biscuits (cookies) and chips. We had gotten some baguette sandwiches earlier in the day for lunch tomorrow (tuna and chicken) at the deli/internet cafe next door to The Eagle and Child.
We made it to the train and read or did crossword puzzles on the way back to Edenbridge City. We walked to a gas station to call a taxi (we were supposed to go to a pub, but got our directions mixed up), but one didn’t come so Jerome and Janet walked to the cab stand and finally flagged one down. There was another couple with bikes who were also on the train and who also need to come back to the Hever Hotel, but they said they needed their own cab, so we went on without them. Just as well as they didn’t fit anyway.
I took a long hot bath later. I love the English tubs–long enough and deep enough with a nice place to rest your head. And the best of all–towel warmers. I will have both one day!! It was really good to see where KK spends her days. It will help me visualize things better. Her dorm is very old and monastery-like. But then, Oxford is old, right?