The Journey Begins

OXFORD, ENGLAND -- March 21, 2006

From my first few moments in Oxford, where I spent Day 1, I found myself enamored with this smallish but bustling town known for its colleges which rank as the oldest -- and among the best -- in the country. As my bus moved along the streets, I peeked out the windows at Gothic arches, ecru-colored stone buildings centuries old, fringed with such elegance that rock appeared as fine as lace.

Gargoyles stared at me from nearly every direction, and the cobblestone streets only added to the old-world charm of Oxford. Although the weather throughout my stay in England was sub-par, every now and again the sun showed itself. Fortunately, gloomy gray skies did not give way to rainstorms too often.

I met my Couch- Surfing friend Ryan at a nearby coffee shop, and we took a leisurely stroll through the city. I tried my first English tea and was a bit disappointed with it, to be honest. I have never been much of a tea drinker, but I have decided that England is not the best place to pick up the habit :)

Everything seemed so small in Oxford, as compared to things back home -- the houses, the living space, the cars, a typical restaurant meal. I think the only things that exceed American proportions are perhaps the English tolerance for alcohol (as Ryan can attest!), and the cost of living!! Prices listed on menus looked similar to what I would see back home, but the dollar-to-the-pound ratio was very discouraging (1GBP=1.8USD).

In case any of you plan to actually make a trip to Oxford, the colleges I most enjoyed were Christ- church and Magdalene. Each college is built with 40-foot walls surrounding a central courtyard, and finished off with ornate Gothic arches, gargoyles, and celestial spires. I know this is short and not very poetic, but believe it or not, it required a decent time investment as I am now in Morocco and adjusting to the lovely Arabic keyboards here!!Next log will detail some of my explorations in Bath, Stonehenge, and the Cotswolds... so stay tuned!

~Melanie --Posted by Melanie to The World Beckons. And She Moves. at 10/11/2006 01:28:00 AM