‘…Oxford, where the real and unreal jostle in the streets; where North Parade is in the south and South Parade is in the north, where Paradise is lost under a pumping station; where the river mists have a solvent and vivifying effect on the stone of the ancient buildings, so that the gargoyles of Magdalen College climb down at night and fight with those from Wykeham, or fish under the bridges, or simply change their expressions overnight; Oxford, where windows open in to other worlds…’ Oscar Baedecker, The Coasts of Bohemia
June 25, 2010
Ah how beautiful… I’ve never seen it live,but everytime it looks so great..
It is even more beautiful in life, I could never capture all the magic.
Oh, Skye, this was so beautiful. How I wish to go there as well, must be a place fulfilled by stories in every corner. I’m glad you had a good time. x
All of England is full of stories, but Oxford is special because it is full of storytellers too. Thank you dear heart. x
England, I’ve never been there but I love it so so much, thanks for sharing your magical journey here.
Oh, you must go one day, I think you would just love it.
Perfection! Just like in my dreams…
Oxford is a golden dream city.
Oh, Oxford…. You make me miss it. Did you visit the Kilns?
I miss it already, I didn’t want to leave. No, the Kilns was on my list but I ran out of time. Another reason to return.
Pretty words, pretty pictures.
Thank you sweet.
How beautiful! I love all of Oxford, but my favorite place to visit there is Christ Church, with its magnificent architecture and magical quality. Walking around it makes me feel like I’m in a different world.
I look forward to more posts about your trip! <3
Christchurch was lovely but my favourite college was Magdalen, it felt like home.
How lovely!
-Ellie
Merci Ellie!
Oxford is so nostalgic for me x
I can see that, there are memories everywhere. Did you study there?
Oh no, unfortunatly not, however i always used to go there every summer on my parents boat, so lovely… xxx
Oh my. Is that THE bench?
I went to Oxford as a child when my family was vacationing in England, but we only drove through the city on our way to Scotland. Ever since I finished His Dark Materials I have dreamed of going back and trying to find their bench.
Yes, that is THE bench! I’m so happy someone else recognises the significance. If you go there, look for the one facing the round pond, it has ‘Lyra + Will’ carved on the arm.
Oh, and the first picture with the compass is in Exeter College, where Pullman went and in his books it is Jordan college.
Oh, how magical it must have been to catch glimpses of Lyra’s world.
xxx
It was wonderful. For me the highlights were Jordan college, and all of Turl Street actually, and of course reading on their bench as the sun set turning the light all golden.
Oh, and I have added a link to your lovely blog, which I have been meaning to do for ages.
It is such a strange feeling when we see the books we read overlap into our world.
And, I have just done the same. I can’t believe I hadn’t already.
xxx
Oh Skye. Oh my.
How wonderful these pictures are, Oxford definitely has a place on my Travel List. And the bench! Goodness.
All of your pictures from England are so lovely; I hope you’re not missing too many pieces of your heart (I can see you’ve left them there). xxx
Vera you simply must go to Oxford and visit the Botanical gardens, not just for the Bench but for Tolkien’s tree and the Mandragora and the Greenhouses full of carnivorous plants. It is the best of places.
Far too many pieces left behind, I’ll return to collect them some day. xxx
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These are so beautiful; I am left nostalgic for a life I have not yet lived. ♥
That is exactly how I felt, the life of an Oxford student must be a precious set of memories.
Gorgeous photos! The last picture makes me think of Brideshead Revisited.
There are so many stories woven in to those streets. The river with all the boats made me think of Brideshead the most.
How wonderful are these photos! Last summer I was able to see all of this in person. I wish I could see it again…even if we were only able to spend such a small amount of time there. That place truly is made of stories untold.
It’s wonderful, isn’t it? It broke my heart to leave. On my last day there I walked to Radcliffe square and sat on a doorstep, just drinking it all in, it is so quiet in the early morning.
love that darling pictures! great job!
Marika
Hi Marika, thank you!
Please don’t put links in the body of the comment if you can help it, my spam filter likes to eat those comments and I don’t always catch it.
I love Lyra and her adventures, so thank you for doing your best to capture her Oxford. It looks so beautiful from up high, though I’ll admit I expected it to be a bit more populated… (I suppose the campus is empty because it’s the summer).
Oh, it’s very populated. I think there were exams on when I was there. I just tend to try and take photos with fewer people in them… I’m not sure why.
Perhaps because [i]you[/i] are already in them. People tend to take up the most space in anything they see.
The bench has their names carved on the arm? How wonderful!
Oxford is just too beautiful. I’ve always dreamed of attending a place like that. <3