An Excellent Saturday
I had a very nice day today. I got to sleep in, although all this waking up early has severely limited my sleeping-in powers - I could only stay in bed till 10am, then I couldn't lay in bed awake any longer. Doesn't help that there are only a few select spots on the mattress that don't have springs that poke you in the back.
Eventually I made myself a nice breakfast, which I ate outside on the patio since it was so nice out. I just watched the bumblebees in Dorothea's garden and ate frosted flakes. It was my week to clean stuff here at the house, so after breakfast I cleaned the bathrooms, the kitchen, and vacuumed my room and the hallway. It didn't really take that long.
Around 1pm, I got around to going downtown, and I had a pretty good time just by myself. First, I stopped in at Blackwell's bookstore, which is apparently one of the biggest Uni bookstores here, but compared to some Chapter's back home in Toronto, is wasn't all that special. I bought a novel called "the Oxford Murders" by some guy, and I read a bit in the store's "Nero" cafe (Nero's is kind of like Timmies, in that they are everywhere...but the coffee doesn't really compare. Nero's uses expresso in everything, so its all way too strong for my taste.)
It was actually SO weird reading this book in Oxford, not only because parts of it are set ON THE STREET I WAS READING IT ON, but also because the first few chapters describe almost exactly my experience coming to Oxford. The narrator is a student coming to Oxford from Argentina, and in the beginning he describes what it was like; for example landing on the plane, taking the bus into Oxford, taking a cab from the bus station to his place (which is up North of the city centre, just like my hotel that first day). Then he describes walking around town for the first few days, going to the exact places I went. It was almost creepy how similar our experiences were. Apparently, there is a part in the book where the narrator actually describes being in Blackwell's. I didn't get to that, but just as well cause that probably would have blown my mind.
Across the street from Blackwell's is the Sheldonian Theatre, one of the really famous Oxford buildings. I think there was a graduation going on at the time. Unfortunately, some people's grad day might have been ruined because there was this protest going on against Oxford's animal testing lab. Apparently, these protesters show up at EVERY graduation ceremony - not even just the science students who might use the lab.
I also stopped in at Blackwell's music store, which has a really good selection of sheet music...I bought 2 easy-looking viola pieces, one a Vaughn-Williams English folk thing (we played Vaughn Williams in QUCO, and I found it playable), and the other a book of 6 Irish songs. Hopefully when I get home I'll remember how to read Alto clef.
Then it was on to the covered market, which was interesting but very crowded. Dorothea told me after that it is much nicer to go on a Tuesday or something. It reminded me a lot like St. Lawrence market in Toronto, only fewer food stalls and more retail type stuff. I bought a silk scarf at one store, and a few other little things.
Lastly, I went to the high street stores (kind of like the large brand name stores at home - the equivalent of Sears, the Bay, etc., only they are located on the main streets rather than in malls), and bought 2 t-shirts, and a pair of jeans that I might end up returning. I just really need another pair of jeans.
Anyways, got back home around 5:30, ate dinner and watched the last episode of Glee (aw, it was good!), then at 7:30 I headed back out - the Oxford Sinfonia was playing probably my favorite classical piece at the moment, Beethoven's 7th, and I wanted to go even though I was solo. They were excellent.
I guess England played USA today, so there were definitely lots of crazy footy fans out and about. Apparently though it was a tie game, so I didn't notice any big hubbub after, but it wasn't disturbingly quiet after either.
Now I'm just making plans to go to London tomorrow and meet up with a Mmst friend! Jasmine is coming up on THursday, and the plan is to go to Scotland for the weekend, so I'm also looking up hotels in Edinburgh. Busy busy! Going to bed now.
Eventually I made myself a nice breakfast, which I ate outside on the patio since it was so nice out. I just watched the bumblebees in Dorothea's garden and ate frosted flakes. It was my week to clean stuff here at the house, so after breakfast I cleaned the bathrooms, the kitchen, and vacuumed my room and the hallway. It didn't really take that long.
Around 1pm, I got around to going downtown, and I had a pretty good time just by myself. First, I stopped in at Blackwell's bookstore, which is apparently one of the biggest Uni bookstores here, but compared to some Chapter's back home in Toronto, is wasn't all that special. I bought a novel called "the Oxford Murders" by some guy, and I read a bit in the store's "Nero" cafe (Nero's is kind of like Timmies, in that they are everywhere...but the coffee doesn't really compare. Nero's uses expresso in everything, so its all way too strong for my taste.)
It was actually SO weird reading this book in Oxford, not only because parts of it are set ON THE STREET I WAS READING IT ON, but also because the first few chapters describe almost exactly my experience coming to Oxford. The narrator is a student coming to Oxford from Argentina, and in the beginning he describes what it was like; for example landing on the plane, taking the bus into Oxford, taking a cab from the bus station to his place (which is up North of the city centre, just like my hotel that first day). Then he describes walking around town for the first few days, going to the exact places I went. It was almost creepy how similar our experiences were. Apparently, there is a part in the book where the narrator actually describes being in Blackwell's. I didn't get to that, but just as well cause that probably would have blown my mind.
Across the street from Blackwell's is the Sheldonian Theatre, one of the really famous Oxford buildings. I think there was a graduation going on at the time. Unfortunately, some people's grad day might have been ruined because there was this protest going on against Oxford's animal testing lab. Apparently, these protesters show up at EVERY graduation ceremony - not even just the science students who might use the lab.
I also stopped in at Blackwell's music store, which has a really good selection of sheet music...I bought 2 easy-looking viola pieces, one a Vaughn-Williams English folk thing (we played Vaughn Williams in QUCO, and I found it playable), and the other a book of 6 Irish songs. Hopefully when I get home I'll remember how to read Alto clef.
Then it was on to the covered market, which was interesting but very crowded. Dorothea told me after that it is much nicer to go on a Tuesday or something. It reminded me a lot like St. Lawrence market in Toronto, only fewer food stalls and more retail type stuff. I bought a silk scarf at one store, and a few other little things.
Lastly, I went to the high street stores (kind of like the large brand name stores at home - the equivalent of Sears, the Bay, etc., only they are located on the main streets rather than in malls), and bought 2 t-shirts, and a pair of jeans that I might end up returning. I just really need another pair of jeans.
Anyways, got back home around 5:30, ate dinner and watched the last episode of Glee (aw, it was good!), then at 7:30 I headed back out - the Oxford Sinfonia was playing probably my favorite classical piece at the moment, Beethoven's 7th, and I wanted to go even though I was solo. They were excellent.
I guess England played USA today, so there were definitely lots of crazy footy fans out and about. Apparently though it was a tie game, so I didn't notice any big hubbub after, but it wasn't disturbingly quiet after either.
Now I'm just making plans to go to London tomorrow and meet up with a Mmst friend! Jasmine is coming up on THursday, and the plan is to go to Scotland for the weekend, so I'm also looking up hotels in Edinburgh. Busy busy! Going to bed now.