Oxford at first glance

June 23rd, 2007

We’ve now begun to settle into our new home for the next month, located 45 minutes outside of Oxford. The walk to The Vines, as it’s called, is simply amazing: a sudden turn-off from the main road leads you down a lane lined with old cottages and red-brick walls, all over-run with green. And the smell is so fresh, especially after a rainfall (which happens, strangely enough, about as often as it does in Vancouver).

We spent our first full day here on a walking tour led by Jonathan Kirkpatrick, a student at Oxford for over 10 years. School begins bright and early on Monday.

Though small, our road, Pullens Lane, is continually dotted by students from our program, the nearby Oxford Brookes University, and an international language school.

Linnea arriving at The Vines.

A room with a view.

The full class, almost 40 strong, on our walking tour of Oxford.

Some of the more experienced punters on the Cherwell (prounounced “SHAW-well”). (Just like Magdalen College is pronounced MAUD-lin, Gloucester Green is pronounced GLAU-ster, and bus is pronounced LORRY.)

Linnea taking one last look Christ Church (which is also a college, but don’t ever call it that) before we pass out of the courtyard.

Various Oxford myths describe these heads (there are a dozen of them) as the emperors of Rome or the Grecian philosophers. The best thing about Oxford is that parts of it are so old that its origins often lie shrouded in mystery, meaning that any story that sounds good will fly.

Another Oxford myth: C.S. Lewis came out of St. Mary the Virgin (the church out of the picture, to the right) one snowy day, pondering the things he pondered, when he looked to his right and beheld a lamp-post. Straight ahead of him (in the upper left of the picture) was a faun on a door-post, and on the door he saw a lion. Thus, Narnia was born.

Another picture of the inspiration for Tumnus the Faun and Aslan, the Lion-king of Narnia. (The fauns are the golden creatures on the door posts, while the lion is the creature in the centre of the door.)

6 Comments Add your own

• 1. Christo de Klerk  |  June 23rd, 2007 at 11:10 pm

  With all this about Clive Staples… have you gone to the bird and the baby yet?

• 2. mnl  |  June 24th, 2007 at 2:21 am

  Soon, my friend, soon. Apparently they serve quite a delicious plate of fish and chips.

• 3. Helen J. for Grandma Mary  |  June 24th, 2007 at 8:45 am

  Wonderful to follow your trail. Still enjoying the beautiful flowers you sent.
  I am visiting Grandma for a couple of days with Hilary and have added your site to her favorites…hmj

• 4. Greg McNally  |  June 24th, 2007 at 11:09 am

  Hi Matt and Linnea, I have decided to give gmail a try since my telus account is full of spam every day. Thanks for the fabulous pictures - wow what sweet experience you two are having…the thing you can’t see in the pictures of course, are the sounds, tactile experiences like touch and smell - maybe that’s the next wave of technological innovation Matt. Remember to use your Canadian EH! a lot so you don’t look and sound like Americans.
  Mom and I are at the beach today. Marcia, Trevor and Mika came for visit yesterday and stayed for supper and then we played Settlers of Catan. Marcia won.
  I have joined facebook and entered some pics from your wedding that I got from Marcia and Trevor - boy you two certainly are photogenic. Love Dad

• 5. Kevin Jenkins  |  June 24th, 2007 at 3:21 pm

  Thanks for keeping us in touch with your experiences. Enjoy Oxford! Love, Kevin

• 6. Gloria Wusyk  |  June 26th, 2007 at 10:09 pm

  Gordon and our 2 oldest granddaughters leave tomorrow, June 27th, for London and they are so excited to be going and to be meeting up with you at Oxford.
  God bless,
  Gloria

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