Tuesday, March 31, 2009

March 31 - Early Morning on the Thames




Last night we had a delightful meal at The Perch. Check it out: http://www.the-perch.co.uk/
Joining us was Karen Essex, who is also delightful! Check her out! http://karenessex.com/


Below are random pictures taken along the Thames this morning. Tee actually got up early to join the biker and runner! Now it's off to catch the train to Scotland.








Monday, March 30, 2009

Poking Around Oxford - March 30, 2009

It was in the wee hours of the morning that we went to bed following the smashing victory of the Heels over Oklahoma.



Boo and Tee watch game thanks to CBS Online.



Boo gets the bull by the horn....



Terrell gets the bull by the.....




Julie Irving and Buie at St. Antony's College


In the afternoon we had lunch with Boo's St. Antony's colleagues. Julie Irving is Director of the Senior Associate Members Program. She is amazing and has helped Boo acclimate to life in Oxford -- find a doctor to remove his stitches, find his luggagge lost by Air India, survive his rental car-bus incident and his bicycle-car incident. For more details, you must comment! Otherwise we are happy to report he is still with us.



And we continued to soak up the town's ambience and are loving that spring is arriving -- daffodils and all.



"Daffodils" - by William Wordsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line ,
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling leaves in glee;
A poet could not be but gay,
In such a jocund company!

I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Spires - Sunday, March 29, 2009

“I wonder anybody does anything at Oxford but dream and remember, the place is so beautiful. One almost expects the people to sing instead of speaking. It is all... like an opera.”

William Butler Yeats



St. Mary's
Scottie and Buie were up for an early morning run along the Thames, while Tee got a few extra snoozes. Then it was off to see “the city of dreaming spires.”
We wandered through the grounds of Christ Church and Merton College, snooping in wherever we could. Saw several sites where “The Golden Compass” was filmed; the neatest was the site of the blimp scene at All Souls’ College.
We also met Simpkins, the college cat of Hertford College!




Simpkins the Fifth




We climbed the St. Mary’s Church tower…which dates to the 14th century. Definitely our cardio
exercise of the day! At the top we were greeted with beautiful views of the Oxford as well as a gargoyle or two.





Gorgolye at St. Mary's...Buie and Scottie looking out to Oxford.

We stopped for pictures at the Oxford Union, where Uncle Donald debated Winston Churchill back in the early ‘30s. As Uncle Donald tells the story, Churchill had the topic of debate changed just before they began, putting Donald at a great disadvantage. Afterwards attendants would leave the hall, either through the yea or nay door, thus casting their vote for the debate. Churchill invited Donald to join him at his favorite pub and ushered Donald through the door that cast his vote for Churchill.
Lunch was at the Turf, the oldest tavern in Oxford.
Bill Clinton, Thomas Hardy, C. S. Lewis, Margaret Atwood, Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair, Ben Kingsley and Elizabeth Taylor are among the famous who have dined and raised a pint at Turf Tavern!



We ended the day by attedning a lecture on Henry VIII, the kick-off event of the Oxford Literary Festival.









Saturday, March 28, 2009

Scottie and Tee Arrive


Tee and Scottie Arrive London Heathrow

Chai "Tee" Latte!








Boo's Flat at Folly Bridge

10:00 AM London time (6:00 AM EST), our big 777 touched down at Heathrow airport. After a rather rocky ride in with the wind, the flight attendant announced, "Well, after that smooth landing (sarcasm), welcome to London!" He must be on good terms with the pilot! But we were happy to be back on Terra Firma.
It's a bit chilly and windy, but no rain. Ah the weather -- we'll try and post more interesting news as our trip goes along.

At the airport we had a wonderful brother/sister and father/daughter reunion! Great as well hearing that the Heels had zigged the Zags. As we waited for the bus, Scottie surprised both Boo and Tee with the news that she had brought (smuggled) Bullock's NC BBQ and hushpuppies into the country. They were gone within minutes of arriving at Boo's flat. Yum, yum.
After an hour long bus ride from the airport into Oxford, we got off our bus early to walk through downtown (we will try to earn our calories as we go along) to Boo's flat. Of course, Tee's first question upon landing was if Starbucks was in England, so our first stop off the bus was at one of the two local Starbucks for a little chai tea latte. Apparently there are two Starbucks here in Oxford -- we will probably visit both, though the other is a "fricking zoo" acccording to Boo.

As a point of interest, Oxford University is the oldest English language university in the world. The town of Oxford dates from the 8h century. And, it is beautiful.
Stay tuned!

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Itinerary

The Grand Itinerary for Scottie, Terrell and Buie (March 28 to April 7, 2009)

March 28, Saturday

1015 United 924 Arrives at Heathrow, London

1300 London Oxford Bus Arrives in Oxford

1330 We arrive at Flat 2, 1 Folly Bridge

Lunch? Sleep? Rest of day open.

March 29, Sunday

1000 David Starkey on his new work on Henry VIII at the Sheldonian Theatre

Rest of day open. Tour Oxford and St. Antony's College?

March 30, Monday

I may need to meet Karen when she arrives (?) Day mostly open.

1900 Dinner at the Perch

March 31, Tuesday

1136 Depart Oxford on train for Oban

2126 Arrive Oban and go to Aros Ard

April 1, Wednesday

Go to Mull and Iona? (Unplanned)

1600 Pick up rental car from Munroes of Oban (01631 564 463)

April 2, Thursday

0700 Ferry at Kennycraig to Islay

1000 Little Ferry at Askaig to Jura

1400 Little Ferry from Jura go Askaig

1500 Ferry at Askaig to Kennycraig

1735 Arrive Kennycraig

1900 Arive back at Aros Ard

April 3, Friday

0811 Depart Oban on train for Oxford

1814 Arrive Oxford

April 4, Saturday

Open Day: London and a Play? Stratford upon Avon? Blenheim? Be lazy?

Bus to Stratford: http://www.mkdayout.btinternet.co.uk/route_50.htm

Train to Stratford: http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/en/pj/tt
(Leave Ox at 1136 arrive Stratford 1311; Leave Stratford 2300 arrive Ox 0012)

Bus to Woodstock and Blenheim Palace every hour all day.

April 5, Sunday

1000 Ian McEwan Garden Marquee, Christ Church

1230 The Carver Lunch in Christ Church Hall

1430 Philip Pullman and the Children's Poetry Competition

April 6, Monday

1640 Scottie on United @ Heathrow

Open Day: London? We could be tourist all day and spend the night in a little hotel in
London?

April 7, Tuesday

1200 Terrell United 919 Heathrow

Monday, March 23, 2009

Getting ready!

On Friday, March 27, Scottie and Tee will meet up in Washington, DC to head to London to meet Buie for a 10 day trip to England and Scotland!