Oxford

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Whenever we travel, I turn into a crazy tourist who wants to see as much as possible.  When we are in Australia, I make the kids carry around a journal and record everything they see and do.  Even though we have moved here, I still feel like it is such an amazing opportunity to learn about new places and people - history.

So today we ventured to Oxford.  We kept hearing what a fantastic, historic city it is and it did not disappoint.  Oxford is beautiful.

I can tell that I am not in the travelling mode yet because I was not quite prepared for today.  Usually Colby and I research and plan our touring path because neither of us likes the "guided tour" you can pay for to see and do things.  We both would rather "self-tour" around on our own.  Sometimes this is great, and some times it is not great.  Today began as one of the NOT great days.  I had downloaded an app to help us on our tour, but didn't realize that I had to pay to upgrade to the map version.  I didn't want to pay for a map that I could get just by stopping in at the Tourist Centre.  So when we stepped off the bus into Oxford, we started walking the wrong direction, away from the list of sites that I wanted to SEE.  I was feeling frustrated because I had a PLAN, and I didn't feel like Colby was following MY plan.  You would think that after 40 something years I would learn that things don't always go according to my plan...... So I proceeded to tell my sweet husband, in not so many words, that I was done being in charge if he didn't want to follow :)  I just wanted to see a few main attractions, check our the eating hall from Harry Potter, and then tour a museum; perhaps I didn't verbalize this to him.  Then to top it off, Arik, who didn't eat a good breakfast, ran out of steam and was having a melt-down; it was time for a break.  This is where Colby shines. He headed back to a spot we had seen earlier, stopped and had a FANTASTIC lunch on the Thames River, and rebooted our day.

The Alice's Shop in Oxford is the authentic Alice in Wonderland Shop because it is part of the original story. Situated across the road from Alice's childhood home, the Oxford University college of Christ Church, Alice's Shop was Alice's sweet shop 150 years ago. Lewis Carroll wrote the shop into the Alice adventures in Through the Looking-Glass and the illustrator, Sir John Tenniel, sketched two illustrations of the shop for the original book. An entire episode in the story takes place in the shop.

Oxford is the birth place of Alice in Wonderland and many inspirations for the stories came from Oxford. Alice's Shop is the most tangible link to an episode in the book still in existence today. 

Alice's Shop

Christ Church College, Oxford

Annika's favorite street

Radcliffe Camera

We finished the day wandering through the Ashmolean Museum.  

All in all an amazing and FUN day.

Since the Great Hall at Christ Church was closed when we first visited, we went back when it was open.

The Great Hall was replicated in the film studios to create Hogwart's Hall. Only one of our portraits moves, sadly, but many of the faces are the real "Wizards" who have changed the way we understand the world. As Harry and the new first-years enter Hogwarts they are greeted by Professor McGonagall. This scene was shot on the 16th century staircase which leads up to the Great Hall.

The kids standing at the top of the staircase, just like in the movie.

The Great Hall really is amazing.  Does it remind you of Harry Potter??
Also, there are so many Alice in Wonderland items in this room, such as the Firedogs below, just behind Annika & Arik.

These are the original Firedogs illustrated in the wonderful book!

Here is a stained glass window.  It is difficult to see due to the sun, but the story of Alice in Wonderland is incorporated into this window.