Under Stars and Over Seas: London Learning and Oxford Quirks

The people of Oxford walk like they know exactly where they are going at all times. There is no wandering, and more often than not, my long strides have been overtaken by an impatient Brit with places to be.

The buildings of Oxford are the exact opposite. Strongholds and fortresses, they remain still for hundreds of years, watching on as the city bustles around them. It is because of these monstrous castle-like structures that I am almost never watching where I am supposed to be going. Earlier this week there was a lecture on the architecture of Oxford, and it has helped me to recognize the Classical and Gothic styles around me.

I could wax poetic about the beauty of the structures here and the various attributes of the two types of architectural styles, but I wouldn't want this to turn into too much of a lecture (at least more so than it already will be).

The past few days have been full of tours of Oxford and learning all that I can about the city, tutorial system, Oxford essays, and research techniques that are about to consume my life for the next eight weeks. Needless to say, I am feeling both under and overwhelmed.

Oxford is most definitely a university city, filled to the brim with libraries and colleges sprawled about almost haphazardly. I'm told that Oxford is rather uniform compared to other British cities, which look like someone dumped out a pot of spaghetti and decided that was where the roads would go. Having been to London now, I can agree wholeheartedly.

Of the many colleges within Oxford (which never seem to stop and always seem to pop out of nowhere) I've been placed into the New College of Oxford University. I'll have access to that particular college's library and campus, as well as the ability to eat in their dining hall. We toured New College the other day, and I was almost too excited to be attending a university that looks like something right out of a Harry Potter movie.

Coincidentally enough, New College was where they filmed several scenes from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. My obsession-filled heart may have almost exploded at this news, and prompted a flurry of pictures and some excited screaming.

The libraries, of course, are where the real magic happens. The largest library in the city of Oxford is the Bodleian Library, a multi building masterpiece that owns over 11 million books. Most of them have to be kept twenty miles outside the city in storage because the several mile long underground vault has long been filled up. The library received nearly 11 thousand books every day because of the man who founded the Bodleian who was a smooth and convincing talker as well as a wealthy man. He arranged for every book that is published within the country to send a copy to the Bodleian, so that it's collection could be continuously growing.

This means that the library is so incredibly valuable that you need a special pass just to get inside. I had to sign away part of my soul in blood in order to get my card. I'm kidding, but there was an actual induction process where I signed saying I agreed not to destroy or set fire to the books or library. None of the books are actually allowed to be taken outside of the library either, so a good portion of my time could be spent cooped up inside this fortress of literature with a stack of books on Shakespeare. What a terrible way to spend an afternoon.

The Bodleian was also a filming spot for the Harry Potter movies, holding the rooms that have been used for the Hogwart's hospital wing and library.

I've done more than just walk the cobblestone sidewalks of this university city though; earlier today was a day long outing to London. That was only after the snow this morning, which had my roommate and I, both native Southern Californians, in an excited panic. We walked our twenty minutes to the bus stop in the snow, but the weather didn't stick, becoming just windy and gloomy before the bus even left. The drive took about an hour and a half, and we got an hour long driving tour of the city first, where all of us foreigners had our faces and cameras pressed against the windows, mouths agape as we passed landmarks we'd only seen in movies and TV shows.

Big Ben continuously astounded me with how enormous and gorgeous it is, especially lit up at night. We got off the bus and walked around quite a bit as well. We got to see Buckingham palace, the Parliament building (Westminster Palace), which are both absolutely incredible, as well as the Westminster Abbey, which has quite the history to it and within it.

During Henry VIII's reign, the king set about creating his own church away from the Roman based one in order to try and secure himself a male heir without going to hell for divorcing and then killing his wives. Because of this attack on the current church, the abbey faced the threat of demolition like so many of its kin. Fortunately for the abbey, the majority of Henry's family was buried inside and so the building could not be brought down. However, it ceased to function as anything but an abbey; kitchens, dining areas, washrooms, and the like all shut down.

Now, the abbey is open to the public but closes early on Saturdays, so we didn't get to go inside, but our guide gave us enough explanation of what is inside that we now all want to go. The Westminster Abbey houses the tomb of the unknown warrior in a grave of black Belgian marble and surrounded by artificial poppies. The warrior has been awarded the highest military awards by both the British and the Americans after World War II, awards which are displayed within the abbey. There is also a plaque that reads 'Remember Winston Churchill', though Churchill himself was buried elsewhere. His body was housed inside for a short period out of respect, as was an American man named Peabody, whose funds provided housing for millions of needy and homeless, and continues to do so today though the man himself is long gone.

The Parliament building is just across from the Westminster Abbey, their detailing almost identical upon first look. At second glance however, distinctions can be made, though no one would really guess that the palace was (re)built three hundred years after the abbey. The Parliament building, named Westminster Palace, was a gift from Edward VI (Henry VIII's son), who was not using the space and allowed the Parliament to use it for its debate chambers. It burned down not long after, and a competition was held for an architect who could create a new design that closely resembled the nearby Westminster Abbey.

Outside the Westminster Palace is a statue of a man named Oliver Cromwell, who was incredibly important for the short period of time when England was a republic before it regained its monarchy and became a constitutional monarchy. Of course, once the monarchy was reestablished, Cromwell's already dead body was dug out, three years after his death, and hung, beheaded, and drawn and quartered, just to be sure his threat to the crown was really and truly gone. Talk about beating a dead Cromwell.

We were also given the chance to see the outside of the Tower of London, a building that once housed both political prisoners and a polar bear. The London Zoo took the animals once it was built, but royal families continued to use it both as a home and as a place to store those who were prisoners and considered threats to the throne. In many of Shakespeare's plays, including Richard II and Richard III, the tower is mentioned as the place where political prisoners have been brutally murdered. It also rings true for real life.

The one place we did explore internally and in depth was the Churchill War Museum, which was created out of the underground war rooms that Churchill used during World War II. Churchill, ever the defiant man, chose to often stand outside during the four months London was bombed nightly and watch the air raids.

War business was conducted in the not-really-bomb-proof-concrete-slab-somewhat-protected-underground bunker for six years. When the war ended and the workers received the call that their work could be ceased, the lights in the map room were turned off for the first time in six years and everyone went home. The bunker was locked up and left just as it was, books on tables and maps on walls. Years later, the decision to turn it into a museum was made and restoration to the bunker begun. It now houses an incredible walking tour of the war rooms and a museum dedicated to Churchill's life, both before and after his time as Prime Minister.

In the sparse bit of free time we were allowed to wander for, my roommate and I walked over to the British museum beside Trafalgar Square, where many statues and fountains are laid out strategically. My absolute favorite figures are the faulty lions of Trafalgar Square (the ones at the foot of Nelson's Column). Of course, not everyone knows that they're faulty, but the famous lion statues are in fact not truly and completely lion replicas. The artist in charge of creating the statues, Sir Edwin Landseer, took a very long time planning, before going to the London zoo and requesting that when a lion died its carcass be sent to his studio so that he could study and recreate it. He had to wait two years for a lion to die, but a carcass was eventually brought to him. The dead lion started decomposing before the artist could finish, however, so the paws of the lion statues had to be modeled after cat feet instead, making them 'faulty'.

In addition to the lion statues, there was also a giant blue chicken, whose origin story I don't know, and several street performers floating above the cobblestone. While sitting and eating our sandwiches (a staple food item in England, though these we'd made ourselves) a photographer came up and asked if he could candidly photograph us for a student portfolio of his. We agreed and giggled our way through our conversation, trying to pretend that we weren't being photographed by a stranger beside a giant blue chicken statue.

All in all it was a very informative, incredibly beautiful, and very exciting trip to London, one that I will hopefully be repeating in the near future.

Until then my tutorials start this coming week, and I've already got two papers to write with a third assigned on Monday. My classes will all only be every other week though, and so far I've got every Thursday booked for classes, with a third class date yet to be decided. But I am excited for what is to come, and ready to tackle nearly everything I can.

So until next time, good night Oxford and good afternoon California,

Sam

One of the New College buildings

Another New College building; this one has classrooms and a large grassy lawn

They filmed scenes from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in this Courtier hallway

This is where Malfoy was turned into a ferret in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire movie

More New College buildings

Bodleian Library (or at least one of them). This particular one was used for the hospital wing in the Harry Potter movies

Buckingham Palace

Tower of London

Trafalgar Square

One of the Faulty Lions of Trafalgar Square

The Blue Chicken Statue (I wasn't kidding)

King George and Queen Mary Monument

Churchill War Museum War Room

Churchill War Museum Alarm and Siren signs

Churchill War Museum

Churchill War Museum War Room

Churchill War Museum; the door was full of master keys for the entire bunker

Churchill War Museum Map Room; this room operated for six years day and night without stopping, constantly trying to break codes and plan for enemy strikes