Oxford wasn't our first stop (London was), but I'll be blogging about our short but lovely time in Oxford as it gives a little taster to our stay in overall stop in England.
We arrived in Oxford from London early in the morning on the 14th, energized by two whole days of leisurely exploration of England's grand capital. At Oxford, we were met by our friends, the Oxford Gargoyles, Oxford university's co-ed jazz a cappella group. We had hosted them for a few days in March when they toured the East Coast, so we were equally excited to have the favor returned.
All of us were thoroughly blown away by the quaint beauty of Oxford University, the second-oldest surviving university in the world. While Harvard may have just celebrated its 375th anniversary, Oxford has been around since the 11th century. That's even older than I am, so that's saying a lot. (For our alums's benefit: Long story short, I served two years in the Singapore army, so I'm a 23-year-old sophomore old man.)
We were given a tour of several colleges, including Worcester and Christ Church. Each college is steeped in history in its own rich way, and I appreciated how the meditative tranquility of Oxford found expression in its Gothic architecture.
Despite the glorious scenery and buildings, the best of our Oxford stop was punting. Punting, akin to rowing a Venetian gondola, is quite a big thing in Oxford, so we were quite excited - if not a little curious - at the entire prospect of being in a boat propelled by pushing a pole against the river bed. The 12 of us were split up into three boats of somewhat varying expertise in punting, so one boat (the members of which shall remain anonymous) had a bit of a struggle against the strong river currents. Nevertheless, in classic English fashion, we enjoyed a lovely tea consisting of scones and muffins on the river.
I can safely say that punting was the best experience we've all had so far. It was a totally new experience, and it was made wonderful by the generous and fun-loving Oxford Gargoyles. Many snaps to them!
We rounded off our short day in Oxford with a short gig at a nearby pub. We took turns singing a few songs with the Gargoyles, to much enthusiasm and applause by the audience. Here's a video I found on youtube which showcases us:
Eventually, we had to leave for Zurich, Switzerland via Heathrow, but not before bidding farewell to our gracious and wonderful hosts. We truly enjoyed our stop in Oxford, and we hope we can return soon. Stay tuned for many more tour updates! :)
Photo credit: Alex Miller
We arrived in Oxford from London early in the morning on the 14th, energized by two whole days of leisurely exploration of England's grand capital. At Oxford, we were met by our friends, the Oxford Gargoyles, Oxford university's co-ed jazz a cappella group. We had hosted them for a few days in March when they toured the East Coast, so we were equally excited to have the favor returned.
All of us were thoroughly blown away by the quaint beauty of Oxford University, the second-oldest surviving university in the world. While Harvard may have just celebrated its 375th anniversary, Oxford has been around since the 11th century. That's even older than I am, so that's saying a lot. (For our alums's benefit: Long story short, I served two years in the Singapore army, so I'm a 23-year-old sophomore old man.)
We were given a tour of several colleges, including Worcester and Christ Church. Each college is steeped in history in its own rich way, and I appreciated how the meditative tranquility of Oxford found expression in its Gothic architecture.
Despite the glorious scenery and buildings, the best of our Oxford stop was punting. Punting, akin to rowing a Venetian gondola, is quite a big thing in Oxford, so we were quite excited - if not a little curious - at the entire prospect of being in a boat propelled by pushing a pole against the river bed. The 12 of us were split up into three boats of somewhat varying expertise in punting, so one boat (the members of which shall remain anonymous) had a bit of a struggle against the strong river currents. Nevertheless, in classic English fashion, we enjoyed a lovely tea consisting of scones and muffins on the river.
At the end of our journey, Ben and Sean did a wonderful bridge-hopping stunt, whereby one stands on the deck of the punt, grabs the bridge as it passes overhead, then climbs across it as quickly as possible and drops down onto the punt as it passes out under the other side of the parapet.
I can safely say that punting was the best experience we've all had so far. It was a totally new experience, and it was made wonderful by the generous and fun-loving Oxford Gargoyles. Many snaps to them!
We rounded off our short day in Oxford with a short gig at a nearby pub. We took turns singing a few songs with the Gargoyles, to much enthusiasm and applause by the audience. Here's a video I found on youtube which showcases us:
Eventually, we had to leave for Zurich, Switzerland via Heathrow, but not before bidding farewell to our gracious and wonderful hosts. We truly enjoyed our stop in Oxford, and we hope we can return soon. Stay tuned for many more tour updates! :)
Photo credit: Alex Miller
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