Weekend Update.

Here are some of the pictures from our last Friday in London: 

Tyler in front of Purdey and Sons: 

We did go in and have an amazing lesson in gun making and the history of Purdey. Tyler was in heaven, and I was having fun, too.


Then we went across the street for a pint and to watch the British Open. We had talked about going to the Open, but the bus we would have ideally taken was full. Worked out in our favor though.


Had a nice dinner and topped it off with a stop at my favorite new gelatto (sp check is trying to change that to gelatin) place --

Mmm cinnamon gelatto! Delicious:

They shape it into this floral design -- 

Back in Oxford since Saturday and adjusting again to the solo tourist life. As I headed west to Oxford, Tyler went south to Brighton. Here are some pictures he sent me on Sunday from his views of the English coast:

He said some of it felt like Coney Island and there are rocks where you would presume sand.

Here you can see the "Brighton Eye"spinning along by the sea.

While he was clowning around, I was taking in some culture at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. 

"Britain's Oldest Museum" 

They have collections from all ancient civilizations. 

This ceramic plate is from Iraq. I thought it was interesting because it depicts several quail, and the man at Purdey spent quite some time explaining to us that quail are only indigenous to China, India, and I assume Iraq. All the Western quail were imported from those countries for "shooting parties." Lovely! 

Also, in a recent email conversation, my mom asked if I had seen any "reject china" shops where I could potentially purchase more of my china pattern, which I would not label reject, but maybe they would have some. 

Well, I haven't seen any, but here is a nice dinner plate just for you, Mom!

They also had a great exhibit of hand painted Chinese fans like this one. I took a lot of pictures of these, but here is just one of some fish. the others are bees and insects! Lots of preying mantis images. Reminds me of my 6th grade bug collection!

Also on Sunday my class took a tour of Merton College, one of Oxford's oldest colleges. 

Here is an image of the cathedral exterior:

That is what you see from the street, but when you walk through the outer gates, a whole secret world is revealed.  

Here, the entrance to the hall where students of Merton take their meals:

As you walk through the school's quads and gardens, you come to The Meadow which I believe is associated with Christ's Church College, but is open to the public and just beyond lies the river. 


It was really the most beautiful day I've had here.

This picture shows the boundary of Merton and the Meadow. The wall is the former Oxford city border. Probably built in the 11th or 12th century.

Behind these narrow stained-glass windows is a wooden room full of books. It is one of the oldest functioning libraries in Oxford, and seeing it all was astonishing. I don't think I was prepared. It was like stepping back in time. The books are all leather-bound and they smell... like old books! Delightful!

Here is the interior of the cathedral, specifically the Quire area. The ceiling is beautifully painted with different depictions of angels, and the side windows are original to the building.  Apparently the large stained-glass windows above the pulpit were replaced after Queen Elizabeth I's army laid siege to the college and shattered the originals when attempting convert them from Catholicism to Anglicanism.  Today, it is a Catholic cathedral.

Really fun! 

Class is going well and I have a big day tomorrow.

Will hope to report back then!