--The Howell's back garden from my window--



Here is my first official report from Oxford. I might add that I have tea and a biscuit even as I type.

Tuesday

I left Tashkent at 4:55. This meant that we (Burt and I) had to leave at the unfavorable hour of 2 AM. The early hour, however, proved be be the only real bother on the journey.

At the airport things went smoothly. My luggage was technically, Aeroflot only allows 44 pounds of luggage total. I put 44 pounds worth of things in my biggest bag and brought the small suitcase and my book bag on as my carry ons. Since my checked bag wasn't overweight they didn't bother to weigh the carry ons, so I was spared an overweight charge.

The small suitcase was a little bigger than they allow for carry ons, so when I got on to the plane, I couldn't stow it in the bins. Fortunately, my seat was 8A, in the first row of economy seats. With the stewardess's help I stuffed it under my neighbor's chair (the wall made the spot under my chair too small). It stuck out about 6 inches, but, not knowing Uzbek I couldn't apologize to my neighbor when he came. Actually, he was part of a rowdy Uzbek athletics team and they annoyed everyone by being really loud so I didn't feel too bad.

I made it safely through the Moscow airport. To my great delight the second Aeroflot plane was a nice new one. It didn't rattle so much and more importantly, the overhead bins were larger! That flight was very enjoyable. It was raining in Moscow and cloudy most of the way to London, but I did get a few very tantalizing glimpses of Germany, Denmark, and France.

All my luggage came through. Passport control and customs seemed well satisfied with my papers. I caught a bus to Oxford without trouble. When I got to Gloucester Green, I had 30p, just the amount needed to call the Howells. All in all it was a very fortunate and enjoyable trip.

So now I am in Oxford! Well, strictly speaking I am in one of Oxford's suburbs (Botley). I'm staying with Dr. and Mrs. Howell at the house they have rented for their time here. It's a small two bedroom flat with a nice back garden, a very small kitchen, and a very steep staircase. They tell me they weren't very pleased with the house at first. Dr. Howell fell down the stairs, the house had been left dirty, etc. However, they have learned to love the location, which is within easy walking distance of the city center and the countryside.

--The Howell's treacherous staircase--



I arrived at their house near 4 o'clock and we had dinner around 5. They were planning to attend an organ concert at 7, so we had some spare time. We decided to find The Vines on Pullens Lane, the house where I will be staying. Pullens Lane proved to be beautiful and The Vines quite a picturesque house. We knocked on the door and found the dorm parents (Jackie and Clint Bass) at home and amiable. They showed us around so I got to see my room early. It's a large room with a nice view. I'm looking forward to it and hoping to snag the top bunk tomorrow.

After our adventures at The Vines, we continued on to our organ concert. It was a good one with lots of Bach. We returned home, and so concluded my first day in the city.

Wednesday

After breakfast and a shower, we headed out on foot. The news predicted rain, but to our relief the weather was warm and dry the entire day. We walked south-west from their house to the postcard-worthy village of North Hinksey (read: stone cottages with thatched roofs and beautiful gardens). One of the amazing things about Oxford is that the countryside is within walking distance. So the walk to N. Hinksey was through meadows and over little streams and canals.

From N. Hinksey we went north-east to Oxford's city centre. They don't allow auto traffic through the city centre during daytime hours, so the streets were ours. We visited Christ Church and saw the Great Hall, the staircase, the quad, Tom Tower, and the Cathedral. It looks just like it does in the pictures, so being there felt quite unreal (by the way, look up images of Christ Church in Google; you'll find some nice ones). We also stopped in the porter's lodge to inquire about tickets for the Nine Lessons and Carols, which Oxford also has at Christmas. Unfortunately the concert will be after I'm gone.

From Christ Church we headed north on Aldgate St. and Cornmarket St. to 2 Frewin Court. That is where SSO (the program I'm in) has its headquarters. We met Simon Lancaster (head of student affairs) and Dr. Rosenburg (directer of the program). Mr. Lancaster showed me the student lounge and kitchen they have in the basement (Frewin Court is in the city centre, so students can hang out there between studying in the library and classes). Meanwhile, Dr. Howell chatted with Dr. Rosenburg (it appears that they are friends from a previous visit).

When all the chatting was over we continued our journeying. We passed the Bodleian Library and Radcliffe camera, All Souls and Brasenose. We went through the covered market. We stopped at the tourist information centre, where I got a calendar of events, and at the police station, where I got a free map. We returned to Gloucester Green and window shopped at the outdoor antique market.

We returned home for lunch of peanut butter and Nutella toast sandwiches. Then Mrs. Howell and I set out in search of St. Margret's Well (also known as the Treacle Well from Alice in Wonderland). We went north through field-ish, farm-ish land for half an hour til we reached the village of Binsey (pop 20). We went inside The Perch, a quaint pub with fires in the fireplaces and a low ceiling. Then we went to the church to see St. Margret's well.

--At Binsey--


According to legend, an unwanted suitor chased Frideswide (saint-to-be) through the forest but was struck blind by lightening. Frideswide prayed to St. Margret to heal him. A fountain of holy water bubbled up and Frideswide healed him. You go down three steps to the well, which is in a kind of cave.

As I said, the well is at the back of the church, so when we finished looking at the well, we tested the church door. It was open so we went in. We were looking about when the priest came in. He showed us the Saxon doorway and told us how old the roof was, etc.

After that we headed homeward. We had pizza for dinner. Since then I've been responding to my email and writing this. I'm very excited about tomorrow and I'm quite glad that I came in early because I can't imagine trying to see Oxford and get settled in all at once.

General Observations--

Everything here is small. Maybe compact would be a better word. The houses fit tightly against the others, doors, windows, rooms in general are smaller, the roads are narrow (Broad St., supposedly the widest, has two lanes in each direction,) and even the refrigerators are typically the size you see in dorms. This has both its downsides and upsides.

Downside: houses usually border right on the street, it can feel claustrophobic, only one person can go in the kitchen at a time.

Upsides: the saved space can be used for meadows, everything is within walking distance, you can learn to live without Costco.

There are lots of streams. I guess I should have expected this, considering that Oxford is in the Midlands. However, I grew up during the drought, so I am surprised by streams on principle. From the Howell's house to the city centre you have to cross probably five streams or canals. Besides the streams and canals Oxford has the Cherwell on one side and the Thames (which locals call the Isis) on the other. Dr. Howell says the footpaths along the Thames extend all the way to London, so in theory you could walk the whole way uninterrupted.

Oxford is amazing. I find, rereading my post, that I haven't explained this adequately. I think it is beyond my powers of expression, so you'll just have to come here to see it for your self.