Every hour I spend sitting in the reading rooms of the Bodleian Library the more I wish I had. Especially when the sun is streaming through the windows, illuminating the small stained glass pictures set within. Looking out of them I can see patina laden domes and delicate stone spires. Above me are portraits of great men and scholars, keeping watch over those who follow their footsteps. At my fingertips are every book ever published in the UK since the 1600's. It is amazing that I get to spend my time in so hallowed a place.
Another room adjoining the library is called the Lower Camera. It is one of the most beautiful rooms I have ever been in and I get to spend the majority of my time this year in that very place. It is a round building with vaulted ceilings and old wooden desks; it looks like something out of a movie. The only problem is that the huge arched windows complete with wrought iron decoration and stone arches cause it to be bit chill. I was so distracted from my reading the other day because my hands were so cold I had to leave, causing very little actual work to get done.
I've also been doing a lot of city exploration and coffee shop hopping in the past few days. I want to have an amazing feel for this city before I leave. I visited a hole-in-the-ceiling coffee shop that I had been recommended to and loved it. The walls are all a shocking pink and the windows are lined in an indigo. It too, was cold, so I didn't get to spend a decent amount of time there. I think fall has officially arrived here. The weather has been threatening to turn nasty again, drizzling a little every day. Today I discovered an outdoor market with amazing deals. The fruit and vegetables were all so fresh and beautiful I ended up buying a ridiculous assortment: apples, peppers, garlic, carrots, peaches and tomatoes all for under 6 pounds.
In other news, I was elected President of the Junior Common Room today. The JCR is our version of student government minus anything political. Basically we just plan outings and activities for the rest of the crew. I've already got a list of ideas and a strong committee behind me, so it's going to be a fun semester!
Tomorrow is another field trip and then the rest of the week will be spent in class and at the library writing my two papers due next week before our fall break, which I will be spending in The Lake District.
1 comment:
Hi Lizzie,
I’ve caught up on your blog entries and enjoyed them. Your descriptions are vivid. My one visit to Oxford it poured rain the whole time. I blow dried my hair under a hand drier in the bathroom at a theatre where we saw “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead."
Enjoy all your discoveries and explorations. I'll enjoy reading about them.
Prof. C :-)
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