"It is all... like an opera."

As I was walking into city center this morning I could hear the chatter of neighbors, they sky was grey, and there were byciclists riding by. It was just as though I were actually walking through those magnificant BBC comidies that show on public television on Saturday nights. I thought at any moment Judi Dench would pop out.

Yesterday I took the Union Tour. The Union Society was founded in the 1800s during a time when student free speech was suppressed at Oxford. The Society is not affiliated with the University, but it is a student organization. Members and/or presidents include Benazir Bhutto, Tony Blair, and Margret Thatcher. The walls of the Union Library were the canvas for Morris, Rossetti, and Burne-Jones in the 1850s.

Today I got my official Oxford dairy (pocket calendar). After that I also visited the Oxford Castle. The castle tower is one of the oldest structures in Oxford. It was built a thousand years ago by the Saxons. The view from the top of the Castle was not as grand as the view from the top of St. Mary the Virgin Church. I visited the church yesterday and got the most spectacular view of the city. The picture in this blog was taken from the church tower and frames All Souls College in the foreground and New College in the background.

Before I headed back to the flat I stopped by the Oxford Museum of Science. The Museum is the original School of Science. I saw a calculator made in 1666. I think my brother would have appreciated that Museum more than I did. I do recommend the Museum though, there are fascinating gadgets there from centuries ago. Also, they have Einstein's blackboard on display.

Tonight I leave you with a quote from William Butler Yeats. He much more poetically expresses the magic of this city:

"I wonder anybody does anything at Oxford but dream and remember, the place is so beautiful. One almost expects the people to sing instead of speaking. It is all... like an opera." - William Butler Yeats