End of Term

The Oxford term has come to an end. Students gathered from all corners of the United States have once again scattered to their homes and universities. Each of us takes home a unique experience which has challenged and stretched us more than we imagined.

Oxford vs. Cambridge, a national event

This past week several of the student in my house traveled to London to take part in the greatest English rivalry-- Oxford vs. Cambridge. As both schools go back into the middle ages, there is more tradition between the schools than any rivalry in America. England also has the distinction of boasting only two state school, Oxford and Cambridge. There couldn't be any other rivalry even if they tried!

April second was the date of both the football (soccer) match and regatta (8-man crew). When I purchased my ticket to the football game, I was under the impression that this was the main event. I mean, Europe in general and England in particular are known for their love of football, right?

Having been to a football match in Europe (Romania) previously, I was expecting a raucous crowd, but went away disappointed. English fans don't get excited. There were a couple of spirited cheers for Oxford (and against Cambridge), but nothing to the level I expected. Michigan football and Hockey games are much more spirited, in my opinion.

The crowd of about 1,200 students, family, alumni, and miscellaneous supporters watched Cambridge beat the Oxford Blues 1-0 on a silly goal midway through the second half. While the players were excited and disappointed at their victory or defeat (depending on which side you were on), the fans accepted the outcome without a fuss. It was very anticlimactic.

Having seen the football match, I was expecting to walk outside and watch the boat race without much difficulty or fanfare. I thought the main event was over.

I was wrong.

Over 250,000 people smashed themselves onto the banks of the Thames to watch sixteen men toil their way over 4.25 mile course. I had to laugh as I watched because boat racing is the worst spectator sport that can be imagined! From my vantage point near the start of the river, I could observe the race for perhaps 1 of the 4.25 mile course. After leaving the sight, everyone picked up and left. We had no idea who was ahead or who would win! It wasn't until the bus driver announced the Oxford victory on the way home that we knew the outcome.

However, it was a very exciting, and a culturally enriching experience. I felt apart of the long history between the two universities. It was a day well spent.

If you are interested in more background on the Oxford Cambridge Regatta, or would like to watch the entire race via video, check out The Boat Race Website.

C.S. Lewis Landmarks

This term has saturated me with the thoughts, stories, and landscapes of children's author and Christian apologist C.S. Lewis. During the Oxford term I studied his life and writings for eight weeks, reading the vast majority of his fictional works including the Chronicles of Narnia, the Space Trilogy, Screwtape Letters, 'Till We Have Faces, many of his essays, his autobiography, and several of his religious works. Getting such an intimate glimpse of an author is very enjoyable and insightful. Being able to live and walk in the same town in which he lived and worked adds even more meaning to my studies.

Lewis is closely associated with Oxford. He attended the University as a student and then went on to become a Don at Magdalen College. He lived not too far from where I am staying in Headington, and frequently dined with his friend J.R.R. Tolkein at the Eagle and Child which I pass nearly every day.

Nellie and I took the opportunity to visit the grave, church, and home of Lewis one Saturday afternoon after finishing up our essays. The small churchyard in which Lewis is buried stands in stark contrast to the man who has had a gigantic impact in the lives of countless numbers of people and continues to live on through his writings.

Although Holy Trinity Church where Lewis attended and is buried was not open for us to visit, we were able to see the "Narnia Window," dedicated to Lewis' memory, from the outside of the Church. Dedicated in 1991, the Window is next to the pew where Lewis used to sit weekly.

Lewis' home, known as The Kilns, is a very nice brick home surrounded by tall hedges. A spacious garden area speaks of Lewis' love of the outdoors, and a forest pathway just beyond his home has been renamed as "Narnia Woods." It is thought to be the inspiration for the woods which young Lucy stumbled into through the wardrobe. A recent addition to the forest walk is a very exciting rope swing which Nellie found particularly enjoyable (I had fun pushing her as high as possible!). One factor that I was struck by is the amazing walk which Lewis made each day to Magdalen College. From his home, I estimate the walk to be 3-4 miles. Lewis kept a very regular schedule and liked to be in his office early each morning.

Magdalen College is arguably the grandest of all the Colleges at Oxford. They are very proud of their reputation and restrict access to the college militantly. Nellie and I managed to get in despite their attempts to keep us out as we are card carrying Oxford students! We explored the quads and paths inside the college's huge campus on April 1, Nellie's 22 birthday. Magdalen is very unique in that it has its own deer herd. Grazing and roaming in "deer park" these animals serve some purpose; I'm not sure what it is though. If you would like to read the entire history of the deer at Magdalene, feel free.

Magdalen is known for its gigantic tower, creatively known as, Magdalen Tower. You can see it from anywhere in Oxford, making it useful for navigation. The bells of the Tower are frequently rung and can be heard all over the city. On Sunday mornings there is a cacophony of bells ringing over the entire city. Every church and college has a bell tower.

Lewis eventually moved to Cambridge, the other university in England, where he was Professor of Medieval Literature. He remains intrinsically connected with the city of Oxford, however.

Winchester Cathedral

During this part of my Oxford semester I get to hear a lot of lectures on British history (not so exciting) and take some amazing field trips (very exciting!). After a long four days of lectures on kings killing one another and fighting against the pope, raising taxes, building castles, going to war, etc, I got to board a double decker bus along with all my fellow students and head off to Winchester England to see the famous Winchester Cathedral.

The Cathedral has been in existence in some form since 1079. One of the amazing things about the Cathedral is the architecture which changes as you go into different areas. Two main parts of the cathedral are Norman in style (you can tell by the round arches and plain pillars), the cathedral construction was continued, but the style was change to Perpendicular Gothic (evident by the pointed arches and ornate carving and scrollwork). When closely looked at, you can see changes in the design of the cathedral. Evidently there was no "Master Plan" during the time of construction. Workers made things up as they went along. Window styles change, pillars don't always work out (there is one pillar that just ends, it doesn't do anything!), and fire required the rebuilding of several parts.

Our tour of the cathedral was led by Jonathan Kirkpatrick, one of our Junior deans. He is an amazing history buff and also attended primary school in the nearby Winchester College Boys School. He was able to tell us many interesting and funny stories about the city.

Our tour of the cathedral included a scary climb to the top of the tower and a walk along the roof. Access to the tower is through the narrowest, steepest winding staircase I have ever seen in my life. The picture of Nellie's roommate Laurie (below) gives a glimpse into the tight quarters and steepness of the stair way. We were able to see the bell chamber, housing the sixteen bells of the tower as well as the ringing chamber where the bells are rung. The view from the top of the tower was great! We could see all of Winchester.



Descending the stairs (not an easy operation), we went through a different door and found ourselves above the roof of the cathedral, probably 75 feet above the floor. We walked through the rafters and were able to witness the amazing craftsmanship with which the building was constructed. Rafters the size of oak trees cris-crossed the space and huge wooden pegs held everything together.

The picture at the left of of the cathedral knave. Note the amazing vaulted ceiling. When we were walking in the rafters, we were on-top of the ceiling! The goal of the gothic perpendicular style is to draw your attention up (toward heaven).

Bathrobe Blizzard

I previously posted pictures of the great Prague spring blizzard which Nellie and I had the privileged (?) of being a part of. You may have wondered where we were during all the excitement. The answer, is on the 26th floor of the Corinthia Hotel-- at the pool!!

During our research on things to do in Prague, Nellie found a five star hotel that allows guests to use the workout and pool facilities without actually staying at the hotel. Lucky for us, we chose the right day to relax poolside! After working out in the gym for an hour, we had "home church" next to the pool and then jumped in while watching the snow fall all over the city. The view from the pool was amazing (see the snow picture from my previous post).

Pool side home church was nice and relaxing, but was more out of necessity than anything. Through our exploration of Prague, we did not come across a single active church. Yes, there are many large cathedrals and "church shaped" structures, but they were not living churches, just empty shells; tourist points on a map. Prague is in desperate need of Christian influences. As it has only recently come out of communist dictatorship, men and women are desperately needed to build up the church in this area.

My favorite part of Sunday was the amazing bath robes that the hotel provided for us. Having never experienced the luxury of a bath robe before, I felt like royalty. Nellie laughs at me every time I mention it. Unfortunately, for some strange reason, I don't have a picture of my amazing bath robe. You'll just have to take my word for it!

The Corinthia Hotel is has a little bit for everyone. Later in the week, Nellie and I returned to eat at the Beer and Bowling Bar. After a wonderful Czech feast, we bowled three games. Nellie is an amazing bowler and a fierce competitor! The hotel provided a great place to relax after dark.

Watching a blizzard while swimming in a pool is a great experience. You really should try it!

Views From the Air

On our first full day in the city of Prague, Nellie and I wandered over to Old Town Square. This square is a central point in the city. It is surrounded by magnificent buildings, towers, and churches. We climbed the Old Town Hall Tower which was built little by little starting in 1338. From the top of this vantage point, we could see all the way across the city. The red terra cotta building tops provided a colorful display. Being able to see the breadth and scope of the city during my first day was very nice. Later on I learned that at one point Prague was larger than both London and Paris. Its size since then has remained constant, while that of London and Paris has grown.

This was what we saw from the top of the tower. The building in the distance is St. Vitus' Cathedral located in the center of Prague Castle. Note the color of the buildings. We were amazed by the beauty of the contrasting colors of the buildings.

If you look at the picture from my previous post that has the twin spires, you will also see the Old Town Hall Tower where I took the above picture. You can also see the river which separates the town into two distinct parts. Looking at these two pictures will give you some perspective as to the expanse of Prague.

This is Tyn church. The Gothic style architecture is much more impressive from the outside than from the inside. Gothic churches tend to be oriented toward style and impression rather than function. Prague is well know for its Gothic architecture which can be seen throughout the city.

Here you can see the actual square and the roads leading into it. Note the white, pink, and yellow buildings in the center.

On the day that Nell and I climbed the Old Town Tower, it was sunny and cold. We were not prepared for what happened the next evening-- six inches of snow! The spring blizzard that we experienced would have been the talk of the town in Michigan. The people of Prague didn't seem too concerned however. After the Saturday evening/Sunday morning snowstorm, skis began to appear in the hands of men and women as the rode the metro or walked from place to place. The next time that Nellie and I climbed to a high vantage point to look over the city, the view was quite a bit different as snow had settled onto the tops of the houses and streets.

The next few days were very cold and windy. We alternated between walking outside and visiting museums and shops to thaw out. Thankfully, there was always a McDonald's nearby at which we could sit and melt for a while! One thing that did surprise me was the complete absence of Starbucks, that great commercial giant, from Prague. They seem to have stores in every city in the world. I guess they haven't made it to the Czech Republic yet!

The snow and cold had no effect on our enjoyment of the city. We were able to do almost everything that we had planned on plus a few bonus stops along the way. The transportation system made traveling from one side of town to the other easy and relatively simple.

Hope you enjoyed these aerial view of Prague. If you are looking for a European destination, I would definitely recommend a stop in the Czech Republic!

Return to Oxford

Dear family, Friends, Citizens and Strangers:

I am back at my desk with fingers eager to write about the many adventures and sights that Nellie and I experienced during our Spring Break trip to the city of Prague. We were unable to find a suitable location in Prague to update blogs, and so over the next few days we will try to post pictures, stories, and thoughts from our journey. As with any monumental experience, describing everything that we saw and did would be impossible (and would probably bore you to tears). I will attempt to give you some of my favorite moments and pictures, and Nellie will do the same. The best part, is that we come with the pictures and stories! So if you want to hear more, please don't hesitate to e-mail or leave a comment!

Overall, our trip was a great success. We navigated the bus, metro, air, and tram systems of two countries and a foreign language! Prague is packed full of history, some tragic and sad, and some triumphant. We saw the important points of Prague's history and heritage including Stare Mesto (Old Town Square) Nove Mesto (New Town Square), the Astronomical Clock, Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, the Jewish Quarter, churches, performance houses, stadiums, and some neat coffee shops and Resteraunts.

Now that I am back in Oxford, I will be re-focusing on my studies which begin in earnest tomorrow. Looming in the near horizon is an important essay on the development of American Literature, two case studies on British culture, some field trips to important British landmarks, and daily lectures on British history and culture. Although there is a lot going on, I will add more posts from Prague as I have the opportunity to do so. For now, please enjoy a few of our many pictures!

This pictures is taken in front of the River which divides Prague into two distinct areas. Visible behind me are the tall spires of St. Nicolaus Church and St. Vitus' Cathedral

One of the most enjoyable adventures that Nellie and
I had was a cruise along the Vltava River.

This view of Prague is taken from the Castle Steps looking across the river into Stare Mesto (Old Town Square) The single spire near the center of the photo is the Town Hall Tower on which the famous Astronomical Clock can be found. Across from that tower is the impressive double spire of the Tyn Church.