The bus that took me from Barcelona to Girona.
Nov 19, 2009
These are examples of the African vendors of rip-off designer handbags that I saw in Rome last year. It goes that the guys will carry all their goods in a big sheet, lay out the bags on the street on the sheet and when they get word that police are near by they pick up their goods and carry them like this. In Barcelona there was just as much of this illegal trading.
Nov 17, 2009
Finalising Barcelona...
So the last full day I got to potter in Barcelona was another tour, but of a different kind. I decided to take a walking tour of the gothic quarter in the morning and it was well worth it. An older Spanish woman walked a group of mainly over 50s women around the centre of Barcelona pointing out some of the older stories. Barcelona is an amazingly old city - Roman built and there is still quite a bit of the ancient city there if you know where to look. The 25 or so of us weaved in and out of the cobbled laneways, the busier ones have a feel much like Melbourne's laneways and the small ones are like stepping back before the days of cities as we know it. The smell in some of the smaller laneways was like pure sewage, but once you get over that there were treasures to be seen. The archeologists have a uncovered some amazing things including the Forum of Barcelona - I think there are 4 full columns in this underground area we went to look at. I thought those things were only in Rome! It ws amazing - no reproduction, a full proper ruin! We also got to see some of the old Roman wall. In fact it was really interesting cause the guide was saying that when houses near where they thing the wall used to be get to be sold, they look at them and assess whether they will sell for a high price. If not, the state repossesses them, knocks them down and then the government hand the land over to the archeologists to dig up and find any artefacts, or ideally some more of the wall. (Barcelona, like all Roman cities was a walled city for protection against enemies. They built a wall around it, and then had gates into the city. Other interesting things we got to see was the church where Gaudi went before he was in an accident and was killed by a tram (oops, bad luck methinks!) and that same church has bullet holes from the Spanish Civil War. Actually Barcelona shows many signs of where the civil war was fought. On the side of the Barcelona Cathedral also there are big indents in the stone (which is a miracle in fact) and it is left over from when there was a market held there in medieval times and when the knive sellers would sharpen their knives!
The walking tour was really interesting. I also met another Australian there, who despite being a liitle obnoxious to the tourguide, was pleasant enough. At the end of the tour she joined me in the authentic cafeteria and we sat up at the bar having a hot chocolate and a chat. Although she looked no older than 40, it turned out she had a daughter aged 32! It's those kind of surprises I like when I'm travelling; the people stories that challenge your expectations or assumptions. We lamented that it would have been nice to have known her a day before because we had both thought about going to a Burlesque night that was being held in the city and looked really good, but were both a bit uncomfortable with the 'woman going alone' factor. Also, in Melbourne a burlesque crowd is largely young women, but I thought perhaps it could be old men in Spain? Or is that my silly notions again?
By the time I a writing this, it has been nearly a week since I have been in Spain and it really was a fabulous experience. The icing on the cake was that final afternoon though when I went along to the Sagrada Familia. In short this was a cathedral planned by Gaudi which he worked on for 40 years but has been going since the 1800s. He knew that if it was going to be following his plans then this church complex would take generations. He set it up so it could be funded entirely on public donation, and as work continues on it, this remains how it is funded. Of what exists so far each facade looks different and each is amazing - and inside, the work is still going strong but it's looking amazing with the highest ceilings and the poles which support the ceiling are designed to look like trees. The whole design concept of this enormous church is about bringing together nature. I just like the idea that each generation gets to put their mark on what is sure to become THE landmark of Barelona. It's amazing and I was so happy to wander around with the audio guide for a good couple of hours here.
After all that walking I was simply exhasuted and didn't have a late night at all. In fact I opted for a couple of my favourite things before a relatively early bed time. I got a fresh baguette, spanish ham (why hadnt I realised that this would be such a joy) and a hot chocolate from a UHT container like the one I had seen a guy make for me when I was at Montjuic. I sat happily in the hostel and ended up having a fabulous conversation with an American girl who had just spent the last 3 months living in Morocco.
All in all my time in Spain was good. A bit of a challenge at times because I think I was just pretty tired coming off the back of work, and remembering what it is like to be in a place that doesn't speak English. I'm glad it was just a manageable four night stint. The trip back to London was relatively painless although the flight was the roughest I have ever experienced and I really thought we might crash in the record winds. But safely we landed, and it felt good to get back to a little more of the known. I didn't go out as much as I had expected, but it definitely reaffirmed how much a hostel's character can change your experience of a city. I enjoyed the hostel but think I would have chosen differently if I were to go back again. I felt very old there. Still I was comfortable, the location was great and I had a great time in Barcelona all up.
The walking tour was really interesting. I also met another Australian there, who despite being a liitle obnoxious to the tourguide, was pleasant enough. At the end of the tour she joined me in the authentic cafeteria and we sat up at the bar having a hot chocolate and a chat. Although she looked no older than 40, it turned out she had a daughter aged 32! It's those kind of surprises I like when I'm travelling; the people stories that challenge your expectations or assumptions. We lamented that it would have been nice to have known her a day before because we had both thought about going to a Burlesque night that was being held in the city and looked really good, but were both a bit uncomfortable with the 'woman going alone' factor. Also, in Melbourne a burlesque crowd is largely young women, but I thought perhaps it could be old men in Spain? Or is that my silly notions again?
By the time I a writing this, it has been nearly a week since I have been in Spain and it really was a fabulous experience. The icing on the cake was that final afternoon though when I went along to the Sagrada Familia. In short this was a cathedral planned by Gaudi which he worked on for 40 years but has been going since the 1800s. He knew that if it was going to be following his plans then this church complex would take generations. He set it up so it could be funded entirely on public donation, and as work continues on it, this remains how it is funded. Of what exists so far each facade looks different and each is amazing - and inside, the work is still going strong but it's looking amazing with the highest ceilings and the poles which support the ceiling are designed to look like trees. The whole design concept of this enormous church is about bringing together nature. I just like the idea that each generation gets to put their mark on what is sure to become THE landmark of Barelona. It's amazing and I was so happy to wander around with the audio guide for a good couple of hours here.
After all that walking I was simply exhasuted and didn't have a late night at all. In fact I opted for a couple of my favourite things before a relatively early bed time. I got a fresh baguette, spanish ham (why hadnt I realised that this would be such a joy) and a hot chocolate from a UHT container like the one I had seen a guy make for me when I was at Montjuic. I sat happily in the hostel and ended up having a fabulous conversation with an American girl who had just spent the last 3 months living in Morocco.
All in all my time in Spain was good. A bit of a challenge at times because I think I was just pretty tired coming off the back of work, and remembering what it is like to be in a place that doesn't speak English. I'm glad it was just a manageable four night stint. The trip back to London was relatively painless although the flight was the roughest I have ever experienced and I really thought we might crash in the record winds. But safely we landed, and it felt good to get back to a little more of the known. I didn't go out as much as I had expected, but it definitely reaffirmed how much a hostel's character can change your experience of a city. I enjoyed the hostel but think I would have chosen differently if I were to go back again. I felt very old there. Still I was comfortable, the location was great and I had a great time in Barcelona all up.
Nov 15, 2009
Hola!
Leading of from my last teasing post I am sitting here on the bus back to Girona (alternatively spelt Gerona) airport after my Barcelona sojourn. It's been an amazing 4 nights here filled to start with with fear & trepidation & a certain amount of left over angst from the last time I just couldn't seen to come at getting on the plain to Spain. But it has been worth it.
Day 1: Plain to Spain
It was late in the day by the time the plane touched down for the bumpiest landing ever in Girona. All was dark outside & it was with hesitation that I left the airport into a swarth of moustachioed, cigar smoking men and a humidity that I hadn't felt for a while. Climate wise it felt much like Sydney after flying in from the arctic. I was pleased to see my famed Barcelona Bus waiting for me to take me & the many gay girls it looked like I was sharing the trip with into Barcelona. It was so nice to see some of Our People cause it had been a bit barren in Oxford. Girona itself is a city with a lot of history but no time on this trip and an hour away was Barcelona.
Getting into the bus station now required me to navigate the Metro train system. It seemed much like other European undergrounds but always a bit daunting! I was warned by a guard who helped me buy a ticket about pickpockets and with great caution I managed to get there! Station Pg de Gracia. Something that struck me was how much Barcelona smelt like Paris, Rome & to a lesser extent, Marrakech; that pungent wave of sewage smell in different parts of the city, unpleasant but familiar too. I got off at the right station but the wrong exits. The stations are so big that taking the wrong exit can mean you end up 400 metres or more from where you wanted to be! Eventually I found the hostel after going to a couple of shops and being suprised to realise that very little english is spoken here.
The hostel was big- 7 stories with big dorms, a common room/ kitchen/ rooftop bar/ chill out space/ laundry & all the regular facilities. I stayed that first night in a 12 bed mixed dorm and made up my bed- initially paying for 1 blanket and then freezing & going down for another. That first might I had a wander outside and then ended up hanging out at the bar with some guys from the room San Gria is a lovely drink of choice & it was nice to have some chats about nothing. I was moved by one boys story though who had lost his male partner of 16 years just last month in a motorbike accident and he was coming to party in Barcelona & try and get over it. So sad. It want a late night by Barcelona standards- actually none of my nights were... But I had fun & given I was woken at 5am by drunken boys being silly, I was happy for the sleep.
Day 2: Hop on & Stay mainly on bus.
I got up & enjoyed a standard but great breakfast. The atmosphere in the hostel in the mornings was groggy with lots of people skipping breaky for sleeps- if they were home at all yet! Time on free internet & planning the day ahead ;) I had organised to go in a single sex room but they had mixed me around & so I had to hang around til 11. I ended up having a couple of short walks - the bank & supermarket. Brushing my teeth was a milestone since I had my toothpaste confiscated @ the airport. Once I was in & settled with the girls room I headed out & got on the hop on hop off bus which stopped just outside my door! Again! I opted for a 2 day ticket & went fo a circuit on the Red route!
Up I popped on the top of the open bus, taking in the most of the warmer weather with a tshirt & jacket. I had not anticipated the wind when our bid careered down the Barcelona motorway!!! Brrrr. This was a great idea though because it allowed me to see a huge amount and get an overview of the city iN a not too scary way We went past La Pedrera an apartment block by Gaudi (pronounced Gow-Dee) which is all stone waves and ripples. Amazing to see. And we went past a palace and monastery and old villages and government quarter and La Sagrada Familia- which Ill talk more about later. I ended up getting off the bus in the city centre and strolling down La Rambla which is the main tourist drag- a very wide boulevarde with street performers- lots of those statue performers with elaborate costumes & souveneir stands and eateries and a huge number of people! It was a couple of hours wandering around her where I found 2 things of particular interest- a big fresh food market- though nothing in size to the queen Vic- called La Boqueria and an old friend from Amsterdam, Maoz- the best falafel salad place ever!! So I had a great stcky beak & enjoyed the colour of the market and fruits I hadn't seen before. I had Maoz for lunch and managed to find my way to the hostel before my feet dropped off. I was pleased to find that I was staying only 10 minutes stroll from the city centre in the heart of uptown shopping & fancy restaurants. It was also a pleasant surprise to chat with some girls @ the hostel- two sisters froma turkey with only a little English between them & an american student who was living in Italy. I ended up having sinner @ a place on La Rambla with her & it was good to have some company and solidarity in the no seafood stakes in a largely seafood diet of Barcelona. It was easy and though not a late night I enjoyed being out at night.
The impressions of that first real day in barcelona were really varied. First- an aundance of tourists. I have never seen so many tourists in one city- it's not even high season! Also- just how European the city is. It didn't really fit my picture of Spain, and as I learned from the tout guide the city considers itself Catalan rather than Spanish and it has more of an affinity with Italy- it was one of the few Spanish cities founded by Romans, Mexico & Cuba because it is a potty city and the influence to/from sth America is huge here. It's also the closest Spanish city to France and so you can see French style buildings and window boxes and louvres in most of the buildings. Except the Modernista ones- of which Gaudis are the most famous. My impression of the tourists was an unbalanced collection of college students- the majority couldn't speak English?! I really enjoyed that first day. The sun shined & I proved I could enjoy myself despite feeling a bit scared. Oh and I nearly forgot... I had my first official Spanish hot chocolate! I sat in a choclateire much like Koko Black and I expected to get a hot chocolate that was goodbut oh my, it exceeded my wildest dreams! I had a chance to savour the spices and watch as my spoon stood vertical in the chocolate sludge. It was wondeous and probably the most relaxed I gelt the whole time in Spain.
Day 3: Oh I do like to be beside the seaside.
This was the day of taking the hop off hop on bus on the blue route which took in the sights of the 92 Olympics and the port. I followed the previous days example and stayed on to listen to the commentary butwas more well dressed for the wind! At Montjuic (Mount of the Jews) which was the Jewish burial site in olden days (code for not sure of the date, year or century) but is now a fabulous lookout and the site of the Interrnatiomal Exhibition of 1900 ( or thereabouts) which has a huge building-cum-gallery, I alighted the bus. Buttercup & I took some great pics and then she pointed out to me that I could have a hot chocolate overlooking Barcelona. Afterall, that would be very Spanish. So I did. And... I noticed he poured the choclate from a uht carton and heated it up... And it, like the previous days was fantastic!
Back on the bus, and I got to see the Olympic stadium and two sets of cableways leading to the mountain peak- one looking over the mountain & the other going from a tower in the middle of the docks over the water up the mountain. While acknowledging that the views would be spectacular I felt I could give it a miss ;) the one going over the sea looked like it was older than a world war 2 veteran, best I spare it the angst of lugging me up the mountainside. The harbour area was much like Darling Harbour but very pretty and there's a giant statue of Christopher Columbus pointing out to sea. It was lovely to give me a sense of seaside Barcelona but I got off for a better sticky beak at the Barri Gothic- gothic quarter oh the city. Here the architecture was entirely different, all dark stone, gargoyles & spires. I went inti the Barcelona Cathedral- and it was just amazing. All arches and ornamental spires and in the cloister a full forest & geese and aquaduct. Stunning architecture but also a very peaceful place. I loved my time there. I didn't potter too long in that area but I did come back a day later. I found some vintage shops, had a traditional hot choc with free churro to dunk, went to another fresh food market & also enjoyed wandering back to Maoz for another falafel & salad explosion of taste. I had grand going out plans but was so exhausted by the end that an early night won out. ... To be continued.
-- Post From My iPhone
Day 1: Plain to Spain
It was late in the day by the time the plane touched down for the bumpiest landing ever in Girona. All was dark outside & it was with hesitation that I left the airport into a swarth of moustachioed, cigar smoking men and a humidity that I hadn't felt for a while. Climate wise it felt much like Sydney after flying in from the arctic. I was pleased to see my famed Barcelona Bus waiting for me to take me & the many gay girls it looked like I was sharing the trip with into Barcelona. It was so nice to see some of Our People cause it had been a bit barren in Oxford. Girona itself is a city with a lot of history but no time on this trip and an hour away was Barcelona.
Getting into the bus station now required me to navigate the Metro train system. It seemed much like other European undergrounds but always a bit daunting! I was warned by a guard who helped me buy a ticket about pickpockets and with great caution I managed to get there! Station Pg de Gracia. Something that struck me was how much Barcelona smelt like Paris, Rome & to a lesser extent, Marrakech; that pungent wave of sewage smell in different parts of the city, unpleasant but familiar too. I got off at the right station but the wrong exits. The stations are so big that taking the wrong exit can mean you end up 400 metres or more from where you wanted to be! Eventually I found the hostel after going to a couple of shops and being suprised to realise that very little english is spoken here.
The hostel was big- 7 stories with big dorms, a common room/ kitchen/ rooftop bar/ chill out space/ laundry & all the regular facilities. I stayed that first night in a 12 bed mixed dorm and made up my bed- initially paying for 1 blanket and then freezing & going down for another. That first might I had a wander outside and then ended up hanging out at the bar with some guys from the room San Gria is a lovely drink of choice & it was nice to have some chats about nothing. I was moved by one boys story though who had lost his male partner of 16 years just last month in a motorbike accident and he was coming to party in Barcelona & try and get over it. So sad. It want a late night by Barcelona standards- actually none of my nights were... But I had fun & given I was woken at 5am by drunken boys being silly, I was happy for the sleep.
Day 2: Hop on & Stay mainly on bus.
I got up & enjoyed a standard but great breakfast. The atmosphere in the hostel in the mornings was groggy with lots of people skipping breaky for sleeps- if they were home at all yet! Time on free internet & planning the day ahead ;) I had organised to go in a single sex room but they had mixed me around & so I had to hang around til 11. I ended up having a couple of short walks - the bank & supermarket. Brushing my teeth was a milestone since I had my toothpaste confiscated @ the airport. Once I was in & settled with the girls room I headed out & got on the hop on hop off bus which stopped just outside my door! Again! I opted for a 2 day ticket & went fo a circuit on the Red route!
Up I popped on the top of the open bus, taking in the most of the warmer weather with a tshirt & jacket. I had not anticipated the wind when our bid careered down the Barcelona motorway!!! Brrrr. This was a great idea though because it allowed me to see a huge amount and get an overview of the city iN a not too scary way We went past La Pedrera an apartment block by Gaudi (pronounced Gow-Dee) which is all stone waves and ripples. Amazing to see. And we went past a palace and monastery and old villages and government quarter and La Sagrada Familia- which Ill talk more about later. I ended up getting off the bus in the city centre and strolling down La Rambla which is the main tourist drag- a very wide boulevarde with street performers- lots of those statue performers with elaborate costumes & souveneir stands and eateries and a huge number of people! It was a couple of hours wandering around her where I found 2 things of particular interest- a big fresh food market- though nothing in size to the queen Vic- called La Boqueria and an old friend from Amsterdam, Maoz- the best falafel salad place ever!! So I had a great stcky beak & enjoyed the colour of the market and fruits I hadn't seen before. I had Maoz for lunch and managed to find my way to the hostel before my feet dropped off. I was pleased to find that I was staying only 10 minutes stroll from the city centre in the heart of uptown shopping & fancy restaurants. It was also a pleasant surprise to chat with some girls @ the hostel- two sisters froma turkey with only a little English between them & an american student who was living in Italy. I ended up having sinner @ a place on La Rambla with her & it was good to have some company and solidarity in the no seafood stakes in a largely seafood diet of Barcelona. It was easy and though not a late night I enjoyed being out at night.
The impressions of that first real day in barcelona were really varied. First- an aundance of tourists. I have never seen so many tourists in one city- it's not even high season! Also- just how European the city is. It didn't really fit my picture of Spain, and as I learned from the tout guide the city considers itself Catalan rather than Spanish and it has more of an affinity with Italy- it was one of the few Spanish cities founded by Romans, Mexico & Cuba because it is a potty city and the influence to/from sth America is huge here. It's also the closest Spanish city to France and so you can see French style buildings and window boxes and louvres in most of the buildings. Except the Modernista ones- of which Gaudis are the most famous. My impression of the tourists was an unbalanced collection of college students- the majority couldn't speak English?! I really enjoyed that first day. The sun shined & I proved I could enjoy myself despite feeling a bit scared. Oh and I nearly forgot... I had my first official Spanish hot chocolate! I sat in a choclateire much like Koko Black and I expected to get a hot chocolate that was goodbut oh my, it exceeded my wildest dreams! I had a chance to savour the spices and watch as my spoon stood vertical in the chocolate sludge. It was wondeous and probably the most relaxed I gelt the whole time in Spain.
Day 3: Oh I do like to be beside the seaside.
This was the day of taking the hop off hop on bus on the blue route which took in the sights of the 92 Olympics and the port. I followed the previous days example and stayed on to listen to the commentary butwas more well dressed for the wind! At Montjuic (Mount of the Jews) which was the Jewish burial site in olden days (code for not sure of the date, year or century) but is now a fabulous lookout and the site of the Interrnatiomal Exhibition of 1900 ( or thereabouts) which has a huge building-cum-gallery, I alighted the bus. Buttercup & I took some great pics and then she pointed out to me that I could have a hot chocolate overlooking Barcelona. Afterall, that would be very Spanish. So I did. And... I noticed he poured the choclate from a uht carton and heated it up... And it, like the previous days was fantastic!
Back on the bus, and I got to see the Olympic stadium and two sets of cableways leading to the mountain peak- one looking over the mountain & the other going from a tower in the middle of the docks over the water up the mountain. While acknowledging that the views would be spectacular I felt I could give it a miss ;) the one going over the sea looked like it was older than a world war 2 veteran, best I spare it the angst of lugging me up the mountainside. The harbour area was much like Darling Harbour but very pretty and there's a giant statue of Christopher Columbus pointing out to sea. It was lovely to give me a sense of seaside Barcelona but I got off for a better sticky beak at the Barri Gothic- gothic quarter oh the city. Here the architecture was entirely different, all dark stone, gargoyles & spires. I went inti the Barcelona Cathedral- and it was just amazing. All arches and ornamental spires and in the cloister a full forest & geese and aquaduct. Stunning architecture but also a very peaceful place. I loved my time there. I didn't potter too long in that area but I did come back a day later. I found some vintage shops, had a traditional hot choc with free churro to dunk, went to another fresh food market & also enjoyed wandering back to Maoz for another falafel & salad explosion of taste. I had grand going out plans but was so exhausted by the end that an early night won out. ... To be continued.
-- Post From My iPhone
Nov 12, 2009
Departure lounges
There's a latin beat behind the sipping of my hot chocolate. It's a regular and relaxing rhythm. Reminds me of times spent in Carlton cafes writing and thinking. My body is craving the space to relax enough to think and write- someimes it need the space provided by a certain piece of music or beat.
I'm at Gatwivk airport having been a traveller from here twice now- to Dublin, where I could barely contain the tears last year and later with Tanya when we headed to Marrakech. It's got that feel like a big Highpoint or Chadstone. Neat white lines and internationally recognisable brands. I'm familiar enough now with the likes of Boots or M&S but always get a shock when I see Billabong or Quicksilver in such high profile here... To think they've come all the way from Torquay!!
The last week in Oxford has been good time mostly. Consumed with meetings and short walks through the area where I was staying, Jericho, into town. I had some fantastic sightseeing time there. It's been a wonderful blend of toffee well to do English students and a few international tourists. Coming here made me realise just how diverse and Indian based melbourne's international student blend is. The divide between Western rich countries and their less Western bread & butter counterparts is explicit here and from conversations I overheard, there really are a lot of students having conversations that begin "well my Daddy owns...". It's disconcerting to be around such an openly elitest community which has a different bent than my own university experience which has always to some extent equated knowledge to an elitism. I think perhaps Melbourne is more a slave to the cultural elite than Oxford!
The buildings of the main street, the meadows and lush flora, the hues of autumn fill every space allowed between the grey of the stone and sanstone cream. Every park, hedge, bush or heath is covered with dropped leaves and orange brown colours with just a few of the old green remnants of what has been, by all accounts a very long and lasting summer. September sounds like it was unseasonally warm but around the begginning of my visit the frost set in and the locals are donning beanies, mittens and scarves as a matter of course. I have been too, of course as well as every other conceivable layer of clothing lest I become a nice blue shade of frostbite!
Things I have seen here which have interested me include the Oxford Castle, the street frontages that don't look to have changed in 600 years except with the addition of roads & cars, the Christ church college grounds and buildings ala Harry potter and the bodleian library. The customs of the students here fascinate me and I found an absolute solace in Blackwells the massive bookshop with the unparralleled histoy floor.... Not just a section but a whole floor! It was here that I found a new book that basically wrote my thesis as it's first chapter! I want to buy that one. I loved sitting there in the store for an hour chewing down the first bit of academic reading I have done in an eternity. It felt good.
I loved the fireworks too. It was Guy Fawkes night and on the Saturday I marched across town in the dark... 6pm to await the 6.30 fireworks. It was marvellous. A community vibe in a big park with the focal point being a giant effigy of what looked like a tree next to a 6 story high stack of palletts. The fireworks display was among the most surprising and well crafted I have seen and then when they lit the effigy, which In turn ignited the bonfire, well the crowd of thousands went bezerk. I was gratefully for my ear covering beanie & the decision to wear thermals, 3 singlets, 3 long sloove shirts, vest, jacket & scarf!! It wasn't a late night but it was festive & I'm glad I was there. Also of interest was the uni
Press museum tour that I went on which showed our history from well before the Industrial Revolution. The museum is a room off the OUP library which is on the bottom floor of the building It was amazing actually. I got to touch some of the original letterpress tools and saw some original copper plate engravings from the 1600s. I even got to see snd touch the original printing plate for one page of the first edition of Alice in Wonderland! To top it all of I got to see some of the original research entries for the first Oxford English Dictionary!! It was truly a great tour!
I took myself to the local pub on my last night and was warmed by the student vibe and local brew. I had fish and chips and came to the conclusion that haddock is certainly not my fish of choice. I also dicovered though that chips and mushy peas really do go well together! It was a nice way to spend the evening actually and made ne definitely aware how much I like the pub-as-substitute-lounge-room culture that exists in England. The selection of boardgames was unbeatable too!
Postscript. I'm finishing this entry from Barcelona. My trip from Oxford was ok, although I think passers by may have mistaken me for a street urchin had they of seen the uneasy way I carried my over stuffed small back pack and still moderately but unevenly packed big backpack in tandem in the rain. Cuddle Buddy got soaked and so did I but checkout went smoothly and after a panic that I had left behind my ticket for the bus, I boarded the extremely comfy bus and made it to gatwick where I paid a passing homage to Ben & Jerrys icecream vending machine, and uttered the catch cry- I'll get you next time, next time... And went for breaky in one of the diners. It was actually relaxing sitting there amidst the classic Jazz Christmas Carols and a fabulous cup of tea. The flight was ok and the connecting bus to Barcelona was waiting as hoped. Arriving in the dark and having to then negotiate the metro was a bit daunting particularly as the station attendants warned everyone how rife pickpockets are. In fact I've already met someone who had their wallet stolen. I'm being extra cautious. Anyway. Barcelona has to wait for it's own post!
-- Post From My iPhone
Nov 8, 2009
The last in line
I'm the last in the queue to enter Christ Church College innOxford. The wind is penetrating my thermals, singlets, shirts & jacket & I have my new polo fleece scarf covering my chin & nose. I'm surprised frostbite isn't greeting my fingers as I type! There's about 500 people in the queue ahead and I'm excited to enter this most majestic of colledes. It's not the richest college cause as I learned on the bus tour I've been enjoying today, that honour belongs to St Johns. This college is renowned for many things one of which is being the model for Harry Potters great ball room set and the set for the hallways and moving stairs. The architecture even from the outside is simply stunning! With flowering ivy and picturesque turrets. There's no gargoils like on many of the other buildings!
Today I have seen some amazing things including the Oxford Castle which was commissioned by William the Conquerer during the 11c it was used as a prison right
Up til the 1990s! A dank and austere place made in the old style mound and moat format. It was a Saxon castle in a Norman area! I've had pointed out from the bus Charles 1st (he of the history project beheaded cake fame) army congregation area, the pub where Carroll and CS Lewis would regularly enjoy an ale. The colleges where Bill Clinton, Bob Hawke & Maggie thatcher studied. The theatre where Richard Burton made his debut and which is largely still funded by Liz Taylor. Interruption.... I'm First in line!!!
-- Post From My iPhone
Today I have seen some amazing things including the Oxford Castle which was commissioned by William the Conquerer during the 11c it was used as a prison right
Up til the 1990s! A dank and austere place made in the old style mound and moat format. It was a Saxon castle in a Norman area! I've had pointed out from the bus Charles 1st (he of the history project beheaded cake fame) army congregation area, the pub where Carroll and CS Lewis would regularly enjoy an ale. The colleges where Bill Clinton, Bob Hawke & Maggie thatcher studied. The theatre where Richard Burton made his debut and which is largely still funded by Liz Taylor. Interruption.... I'm First in line!!!
-- Post From My iPhone
Nov 6, 2009
Visions of Oxford
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| From Tickets and Travels |
The main entrance of my fair establishment.
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| From Tickets and Travels |
This is the main courtyard as you walk in the OUP front entrance. Apparently at Christmas there's a giant decorated tree in the middle. :)
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| From Tickets and Travels |
This is the back of one of the OUP buildings at about 3.30pm
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| From Tickets and Travels |
Some supplies in my flat. That was before I found the vegemite!!
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| From Tickets and Travels |
The Randolph Hotel in the middle of Oxford.
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| From Tickets and Travels |
One of the main streets of Oxford.
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| From Tickets and Travels |
Another of the main intersections.
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| From Tickets and Travels |
The clock at OUP
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| From Tickets and Travels |
I liked this sculpture, most of the old buildings have these kind of garnishes.
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| From Tickets and Travels |
This is my office while at Oxford. Can you see my little helper?
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| From Tickets and Travels |
My lounge room. Very comfy!
Autumn Leaves, Chilly Days and Posh Accents... Oh My!
The picture one has in ones mind when they think of Oxford is exactly the kind of place where people use the word ‘ones’ in this context. It’s stereotypically a place of plumbed speech, white sandshoes and trousers, belt and collared business shirt with a sweater or cardigan around the shoulders. Equally it is a place where one imagines students discussing Plato or Keynes. In my mind it has always been the heartland of the Sandstones, the ultimate ‘Hallowed Halls’. For many years I have wanted to come here, admittedly I always figured it would be the ideal place to come as a student, ultimately a Rhodes Scholar, but as that dream has slipped a little further away each year, I am feeling amazed to be here at all. I am here as not a student, but rather a staff member of the University of Oxford. I could buy goods with the university Crest (the same since the 1200s) and know that it is in fact ‘my’ crest. I can have some ownership of the brand and of the history that rides implicitly in the assumptions people have about this place.
In reality, my experiences have done nothing to quell the preconceived notions that I had about Oxford University and the character of this quaint town in the region know as Oxfordshire. I have witnessed discussions about philosophy in the local co-op grocery store, I have 3 bookshops in no more than 100 metres from my flat, I have seen a majority of men in the town sport what we would consider ‘little boy haircuts’ with the side part and floppy fringe. I am in the majority here as a bespectacled individual and I have noticed that there is a great propensity for all-black wardrobes (bearing in mind that here in the Northern Hemisphere we are about to catapult into a dreary grey winter). There are a range of accents to be heard on the streets but the overwhelming shade of skin is white, white, lilywhite. The classic ‘English type’ of fine bones and faded skin with tall, willowy figures is in the majority, and there is a general tendency for people to lay bare their daily grievances in your first meeting, particularly where the weather, taxes, immigration or America is concerned.
The town is big in the sense of the availability of such things as McDonalds, Marks & Spencer (upper class grocery store), Sainsbury’s (regular Safeway type shopping), Boots (Chemist and bits & pieces), KFC, Nike and HMV. It’s small in the sense of walking around. I went for a mosey around last night after work and went to visit one of the colleges and a few shops. Mostly things were closing up, but I did quite a loop of what looked like a very long distance on my tourist map which didn’t end up being a long way in actuality. I visited a gay pub cause the lure of the rainbow flag in the context of so many 13th century buildings was too much (and funny) to bear. I am always flummoxed when offered Fosters like it is some boutique beer, and of course I couldn’t partake …. Eww! I sat amidst 3 crusty and creepy old men and did some writing, feeling that at least I’d given some business to the local gay publican.
The village itself is mostly university owned. It is not one big campus like Melbourne Uni, but a massive collection of colleges and departments. Students stay in the colleges and I get the sense there is a real college rivalry with each college having its own character and history. They were not all built at the same time. I’m hoping to do a college tour on the weekend so I should be able to write more about them then. The city centre has more bookshops than you can poke a stick at with Blackwell’s being the most popular and nicest that I can see. I think it’s actually a bit sad to see Borders so prominently in the main street when Blackwell’s is much much older but seems like it had the original concept for Café Bookshop. In fact they have author talks and signings most weeknights and I saw that PD James is actually here tonight.
Of great interest to Jen I think, Oxford is where they film all the Midsummer Murders and where Inspector Morse was filmed. Its also where Lewis Caroll and CS Lewis exchanged ideas for stories. Apparently CS Lewis got the idea for The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe from Carroll’s idea for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The tree that the Cheshire Cat is in also can be traced exactly to a tree that still stands in one of the Oxford colleges. There is so much history here and the amazing list of scholars from Oxford who have become world leaders is unsurpassed. I am doing a tour of the Press museum on Monday, and I can only imagine learning about the richness of authors who have been in the offices and walls that I now sit writing in.
Things of interest I have seen/ experienced while I have been here include:
- Seeing my first real live Squirrel!
- Going inside the oldest of all the colleges Balliol College
- Watching the autumn leaves fall on all the trees around town
- The Covered markets
- Noting the number of college shops (varsity shops) with the University of Oxford merchandise. I’ve never understood these, but as a tourist I might go a-visiting
- A £2 bookshop – dangerous. All books £2!! That’s still only $4! Can I get home with a bag of books?
- The architecture. I just love it.
- The bar opposite the press is one of the busiest bars in town … and it’s called Freuds. Fancy that!
I have the biggest urge to write here. It’s hard to concentrate on the tasks at hand. I know my work is valuable but it’s just not the same as using my brain in the way in wants to work. I found out that the Press fund the Clarendon Scholarships – these were the scholarships that I secretly had my heart set on when starting the PhD. It’s a scholarship that Melbourne Uni offers to send a student to Oxford to study. My marks just weren’t there at the time. I am filled with possibility from being here and I wonder what path my ambition will take. It’s anyone’s guess at this point! While not being ungrateful for the amazing chance to be here in the capacity I am, I do wonder whether it is for a greater purpose :D
Anyway, I am meant to be working right now, so I will bid you good morning/afternoon/night and will keep you updated soon. I have a phone to be called on, text if you want the number.
All my love.
x
In reality, my experiences have done nothing to quell the preconceived notions that I had about Oxford University and the character of this quaint town in the region know as Oxfordshire. I have witnessed discussions about philosophy in the local co-op grocery store, I have 3 bookshops in no more than 100 metres from my flat, I have seen a majority of men in the town sport what we would consider ‘little boy haircuts’ with the side part and floppy fringe. I am in the majority here as a bespectacled individual and I have noticed that there is a great propensity for all-black wardrobes (bearing in mind that here in the Northern Hemisphere we are about to catapult into a dreary grey winter). There are a range of accents to be heard on the streets but the overwhelming shade of skin is white, white, lilywhite. The classic ‘English type’ of fine bones and faded skin with tall, willowy figures is in the majority, and there is a general tendency for people to lay bare their daily grievances in your first meeting, particularly where the weather, taxes, immigration or America is concerned.
The town is big in the sense of the availability of such things as McDonalds, Marks & Spencer (upper class grocery store), Sainsbury’s (regular Safeway type shopping), Boots (Chemist and bits & pieces), KFC, Nike and HMV. It’s small in the sense of walking around. I went for a mosey around last night after work and went to visit one of the colleges and a few shops. Mostly things were closing up, but I did quite a loop of what looked like a very long distance on my tourist map which didn’t end up being a long way in actuality. I visited a gay pub cause the lure of the rainbow flag in the context of so many 13th century buildings was too much (and funny) to bear. I am always flummoxed when offered Fosters like it is some boutique beer, and of course I couldn’t partake …. Eww! I sat amidst 3 crusty and creepy old men and did some writing, feeling that at least I’d given some business to the local gay publican.
The village itself is mostly university owned. It is not one big campus like Melbourne Uni, but a massive collection of colleges and departments. Students stay in the colleges and I get the sense there is a real college rivalry with each college having its own character and history. They were not all built at the same time. I’m hoping to do a college tour on the weekend so I should be able to write more about them then. The city centre has more bookshops than you can poke a stick at with Blackwell’s being the most popular and nicest that I can see. I think it’s actually a bit sad to see Borders so prominently in the main street when Blackwell’s is much much older but seems like it had the original concept for Café Bookshop. In fact they have author talks and signings most weeknights and I saw that PD James is actually here tonight.
Of great interest to Jen I think, Oxford is where they film all the Midsummer Murders and where Inspector Morse was filmed. Its also where Lewis Caroll and CS Lewis exchanged ideas for stories. Apparently CS Lewis got the idea for The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe from Carroll’s idea for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The tree that the Cheshire Cat is in also can be traced exactly to a tree that still stands in one of the Oxford colleges. There is so much history here and the amazing list of scholars from Oxford who have become world leaders is unsurpassed. I am doing a tour of the Press museum on Monday, and I can only imagine learning about the richness of authors who have been in the offices and walls that I now sit writing in.
Things of interest I have seen/ experienced while I have been here include:
- Seeing my first real live Squirrel!
- Going inside the oldest of all the colleges Balliol College
- Watching the autumn leaves fall on all the trees around town
- The Covered markets
- Noting the number of college shops (varsity shops) with the University of Oxford merchandise. I’ve never understood these, but as a tourist I might go a-visiting
- A £2 bookshop – dangerous. All books £2!! That’s still only $4! Can I get home with a bag of books?
- The architecture. I just love it.
- The bar opposite the press is one of the busiest bars in town … and it’s called Freuds. Fancy that!
I have the biggest urge to write here. It’s hard to concentrate on the tasks at hand. I know my work is valuable but it’s just not the same as using my brain in the way in wants to work. I found out that the Press fund the Clarendon Scholarships – these were the scholarships that I secretly had my heart set on when starting the PhD. It’s a scholarship that Melbourne Uni offers to send a student to Oxford to study. My marks just weren’t there at the time. I am filled with possibility from being here and I wonder what path my ambition will take. It’s anyone’s guess at this point! While not being ungrateful for the amazing chance to be here in the capacity I am, I do wonder whether it is for a greater purpose :D
Anyway, I am meant to be working right now, so I will bid you good morning/afternoon/night and will keep you updated soon. I have a phone to be called on, text if you want the number.
All my love.
x
Nov 5, 2009
I'm just flying out from the Windy City...
Written on Sunday 1st Nov
I'm sitting in the departure lounge of Cape Town airport. My time in the windy city has come to an end. It has been a surprising time actually... As I said in my last post it's a city of contrasts. As a visitor from a fellow Commonwealth country it feels like at times I'm in a very European/English city that despite being surrounded by a clipped accent is not that different from home. At other times, I feel like I'm in the text oc Out of Africa- Karen Blixen's masterpiece- surrounded by traditional African indigenous cultures, languages, communities. Cape Town is definielty a bilingual (at the least) city and it's not uncommon for me to have had no idea what is being said in the middle of a conversation as the locals flick from English to Afrikaans. (nothing more embarrassing than smiling and nodding and then the locals look at you because obviously you have never a word of Afrikaans in your life!!)
At work the mix of races is facinating. Oxford Sthn Africa publish in 10 languages and they have editors who are fluent in many languages. Very interesting combination of traditional cultures, a big muslim population & a big Christian influence.
It's been a fabulous time at Winchester. I've been treated like a princess and I've soaked in the sun. I sat opposite the beach with the doors open and the sea breeze brushing across my breakfast. I've been brought yummy food when I'm so tired I can barely move. I've had baths. Sat on my balcony. Had some good me time and proved to myself that I can do it.
Interruption. I had to stop the post so I could hop a flight to joberg. And so here I am opposite Wimpy the hamburger joint sitting in Mugg & Bean chowing down a toasted sandwich. It's 6 hours til my flight and I'm feeling ok. I'm gonna head to the gates sometime shortly so I can sit and try to get some work done. The airport feels like HQ of High Alert- definielty not the most relaxing place, but I'm glad my bags were checked the whole way through. Hope going through customs is alright and that my flight through to london goes smoothly and spaciously.... My flight from Perth to Joberg was barely full!!!
It was so lovely to have a home chat this morning. I hope it's easy to access those kind of connective comforts in Oxford.
I'm enjoying what I expect to be the last hurrah of summer for a while as I sit in just a tshirt. I hear that oxford is pretty chilly at the minute and I can feel some thermal underwear getting put to good use soon!!
This post has been saved on my phone for days now... Hurrah for free wifi!!
-- Post From My iPhone
I'm sitting in the departure lounge of Cape Town airport. My time in the windy city has come to an end. It has been a surprising time actually... As I said in my last post it's a city of contrasts. As a visitor from a fellow Commonwealth country it feels like at times I'm in a very European/English city that despite being surrounded by a clipped accent is not that different from home. At other times, I feel like I'm in the text oc Out of Africa- Karen Blixen's masterpiece- surrounded by traditional African indigenous cultures, languages, communities. Cape Town is definielty a bilingual (at the least) city and it's not uncommon for me to have had no idea what is being said in the middle of a conversation as the locals flick from English to Afrikaans. (nothing more embarrassing than smiling and nodding and then the locals look at you because obviously you have never a word of Afrikaans in your life!!)
At work the mix of races is facinating. Oxford Sthn Africa publish in 10 languages and they have editors who are fluent in many languages. Very interesting combination of traditional cultures, a big muslim population & a big Christian influence.
It's been a fabulous time at Winchester. I've been treated like a princess and I've soaked in the sun. I sat opposite the beach with the doors open and the sea breeze brushing across my breakfast. I've been brought yummy food when I'm so tired I can barely move. I've had baths. Sat on my balcony. Had some good me time and proved to myself that I can do it.
Interruption. I had to stop the post so I could hop a flight to joberg. And so here I am opposite Wimpy the hamburger joint sitting in Mugg & Bean chowing down a toasted sandwich. It's 6 hours til my flight and I'm feeling ok. I'm gonna head to the gates sometime shortly so I can sit and try to get some work done. The airport feels like HQ of High Alert- definielty not the most relaxing place, but I'm glad my bags were checked the whole way through. Hope going through customs is alright and that my flight through to london goes smoothly and spaciously.... My flight from Perth to Joberg was barely full!!!
It was so lovely to have a home chat this morning. I hope it's easy to access those kind of connective comforts in Oxford.
I'm enjoying what I expect to be the last hurrah of summer for a while as I sit in just a tshirt. I hear that oxford is pretty chilly at the minute and I can feel some thermal underwear getting put to good use soon!!
This post has been saved on my phone for days now... Hurrah for free wifi!!
-- Post From My iPhone
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