Oxford University

This afternoon we took a tour of Oxford University’s campus. It was interesting to learn that C.S.L. and J.R.R.T. both studied at Oxford at the same time; they were even friends. Oxford Uni has the oldest Gothic-style tower in England. Much of the architecture is medeival in style, and the color of the stone reminiscient of Bath. The final verdict? M and I both agreed that Cambridge University has a prettier campus than Oxford University.

Blenheim Palace

This morning we visited Blenheim Palace, a World Heritage Site, outside of Oxford. Blenheim Palace is Winston C.’s birth place. On a tour, we saw his mother’s birthing room and listened to recordings of him addressing his country. I overheard one elderly woman comment to her friend, “They don’t make statesmen like Churchill anymore, do they?!” After touring the palace, we walked along the lake and visited the gardens. The palace grounds are beautiful; we enjoyed strolling through the sweeping vistas amidst ancient trees and through piles of colorful fall leaves.

Bayham Summer Party

Today we spent one of the final days of summer at Bayham in Kent.

Paella in Cambridge

This weekend we visited Uncle D in Cambridge where he taught us how he makes his signature dish, paella.

Cotswolds

Visiting the Cotswolds is like stepping into a Jane Austen novel. I didn’t know places like it still exist. The Cotswolds is a string of villages connected by footpaths and narrow roads, dotted with widely dispersed stone homes separated by sweeping vistas. Lavender wisteria which decorates many of the stone houses and the acres of canary-yellow rapeseed fields reminded me of our recent trip to France’s Loire Valley. The Cotswolds is the most remote place we’ve ever visited during our time living in England: the rural setting is abundant with cows and horses, and as many sheep roam Kingham as squirrels scamper in Green Park. Whoever said English food is tasteless has never left London to eat at a little pub in the countryside. English cuisine is at its best in the remote towns outside of London; the Eight Bells in Chipping Campden did not disappoint. To top of the fish & chips with mushy peas and lamb burger, we had home-made, organic chocolate-orange and fresh berries ice cream, a perfect conclusion to a countryside visit.

Cambridge

Of the trips we’ve taken in England, our visit to Cambridge is my favorite. Cambridge is a feast for architecture lovers: it is a beautiful city to walk around and marvel at the colleges and churches. The student population gives the city a youthful energy; Cambridge is definitely not a “stuffy” place to visit despite the fact that it is the home of England’s best science and math university. Of course, a trip to Cambridge isn’t complete without punting on the River Cam, a relaxing boat ride after a long day of exploring. (Check out yoga buddy CC’s travel photos since moving to London at http://www.christinerchung.com/gallery/Welcome.html).

Salisbury & Stonehenge

This weekend we traveled west of London to visit Salisbury and Stonehenge. The city of Salisbury is crowded with quaint thatched houses that surround the 13th-century Salisbury Cathedral. I had visited Salisbury nine years ago when I was a student and had since forgotten how magnificent the cathedral is, especially in comparison to its modest surroundings. The highlight of our time in Salisbury was the mid-day prayer which asked both visitors and pilgrims to pause and ponder the devotion of the men who built the cathedral centuries ago.

At Stonehenge we visited a very different type of place for worship. Constructed thousands of years BC, the Druids performed pagan rituals and built a burial ground at Stonehenge, whose stones are arranged in a perfect circle. Visiting Stonehenge is a humbling reminder that we spend only a brief speck of time on earth, sandwiched between prehistoric and future peoples. The question is, while the Egyptians left pyramids as reminders of their civilization and the Druids Stonehenge, what will survive us?

Bath

Yesterday we took a trip out to Bath, our second venture in leaving London and exploring what the rest of England has to offer. I was not disappointed. Bath is amazingly well preserved; the city’s crescent residential buildings, the Roman baths and the Bath Abbey have been well maintained and create a feel of historical grounding. Our trip overlapped with the end of the Bath Festival. Tribes of dancers and performers were entertaining crowds in all the city’s squares, and we were lucky to listen to the Bath Minerva Choir rehearse Mozart’s “Requiem” inside the Abbey. Unlike many of the other places we’ve visited in the last year and a half since we moved to London, Bath strikes the perfect balance between offering opportunities to learn history and sightseeing with shopping and entertainment.

Leeds Castle & Canterbury

Today we spent the day exploring the English countryside. In the morning we visited Leeds Castle. The weather was gorgeous, and we indulged ourselves by eating vanilla-chocolate fudge from a vendor at the horse fair. Later in the day we visited Canterbury. After exploring the small town (which was A LOT more commercial than I expected) we saw Canterbury Cathedral. The crypt was the highlight of our trip to Canterbury. It was a very peaceful subterranean space that reminded me a little bit of Istanbul’s Basilica Cistern.