So, I received a challenge from my neighbor/
floor mate/friend (wait...do i have any friends...oh, that's right I'm
every one's friend) that I wouldn't top 7 travel blog posts. Actually, I don't think it was a challenge, but I really miss Laird, so everything is becoming
competitive to me in my Laird
withdrawal. Anyhow, that means with one post down and 5 weeks left, you guessed it, I'll have to up my turnout if I want to surpass 7.
Unfortunately, I have no idea what to write about, since apparently (according to my sis) everything I say about Oxford is "
stratford-upon-boring" (I liked that one Anna, but it cut me to the core). You must know that yesterday I met with the Head Gardener of Green College and he led me around
Holywell Street/manor, the neighborhood of Catherine Lloyd (the woman whose journal I've been trying to see) and then we went into the
Bodleian and looked at the journal (SUCCESS!). I'm not sure what I want to do with the information, it wasn't exactly what I hoped, but these things have a way of working out, right? of course right!
As to pub/club/bar adventures, Amanda... I'm trying to think of something exciting to tell you. I haven't been out in awhile because of a cold and my super-hip asthma (clubbing with my inhaler in hand, hot, right?) The last night I went out was Friday night. We walked for 20-30 minutes to a neighborhood near Jericho in Oxford to a Pub called the Anchor where there was a jazz concert going on. There weren't really any tourists (minus ourselves) and we had a couple approach us to talk as well as a guy from Oxford and his girlfriend. They mostly talked politics and were very anxious to convince us to vote for
Obama. It was really quite funny considering a friend and I said that we were supporters of
Obama, but the girl at the pub wouldn't listen. She still seemed to think we needed to be convinced not to vote for McCain... (thick-sculled Americans... we're so stubborn). It was fun though, very chill.
We've gone to some interesting places so far on evening excursions. My favorite place (and by favorite... I mean not at all) is a cement pit buried in an abandoned alley called the Purple Turtle. (It sounds like it should be located somewhere in
Aggieville... sorry K-
staters...) Maybe that's why I'm so biased against it... no, it's pretty bad. Our RA says it's a last stop on a big night out... so pretty much a last resort. Let's not talk about that anymore...
While I was in London I was able to do quite a few fun things. We went to
Romeo and Juliet in the park, Pizza Express, saw Jack Black at the premier of
Kung Fu Panda (yeah Anna, you're jealous), and even made it to a London club to meet some people from the States. It wasn't the classiest place since Grease Lightening was playing when we walked in the door (really? yes) but my Guinness was only £1.50 (super cheap for beer here... usually £3) so I didn't complain. There were so many people there that you could hardly move without bumping into people. Some of the guys were feeling pretty friendly, but despite the sweet/innocent facade I put on... I can be pretty tough, I held my own. I remember a lot of pinching... London
sleazebags... (makes Uncle Willie a little less funny, huh?) we moved our girl crowd to the outskirts of the chaos and had a good time, but didn't stay too much longer. After I met up with the Butler program people we mostly stuck to pubs... places we could either stand outside or sit inside and talk over a pint... or two... I tried new stuff at every place I could. It was fun to ask someone at the bar what they would suggest and it was usually pretty good. My favorite time was when I had a conversation with an old guy who was at this classy pub with a group of his friends. He was very charming and interested in the states (not a creepy old man...a sweet one, but with very bad teeth...of course). He started talking with me about beer and made a suggestion... which I went with. Way to go random old man!
Anyhow, back to the books. I'm reading
Taming of the Shrew for my Shakespeare class. We're also going to see it tomorrow in
Stratford-upon-Avon. Pretty exciting!
Oh and Anna, I did eat fish and chips the other day (it was a little overwhelming), but I am in full support of midnight stops at the kabob stands for cheese and chips (I go for chips, ketchup, vinegar and salt... don't knock it 'til you've tried it). I know you don't really care, but I'll have to tell you about our formal dinners later... I live for those!
Oh, and I think I should tell you (Anna... no one else will get this) that "If I were a woman, and I wasn't around, I think I should be in love with Rick!"