Smart Brits: Past and Present

With one large detour (not my fault) we arrived at Stonehenge around 10 this morning.  With Isaiah in the snugli, I was actually able to listen to the audioguide for the exhibit and thoroughly enjoyed it.  I was expecting Stonehenge to be over-rated and anti-climactic, but I was wrong.  Although we couldn't get close enough to actually touch the stones, we were close enough to really get an idea of the size of the rocks, and the amazing feat of engineering and strength it would have taken to create the monument - not to mention the precision.  We learned that it actually serves as a calendar, where each month the sun's rays shine through a different archway onto the altar stone.  There is too much to write about what we learned here, so I'll wait until we return and just tell you about it then.  

After we finished up there we were Oxford-bound.  Keith has been waiting for this part of our trip with great anticipation.  I don't think he's been at all disappointed.  No wrong turns to the B&B this time, and they even had a room for us tonight as well as tomorrow.  It really is lovely here.  We are only about a half mile from the city centre, a nice flat walk.  We did a great deal of walking through the downtown and Oxford University footpaths.  We managed to get to the two major C.S. Lewis locations we hoped to see: The Eagle and Child Pub and Magdalen College.

The Pub is where he, J.R.R. Tokein, and some other great minds would meet to discuss their writing, thoughts and other issues over a pint.  They called themselves the Inklings.  We ate caramel chocolate chip ice cream in front of a framed tribute to Lewis and Tolkein.  The College is where Lewis taught for a number of years.  It was one of the only campuses open to the public.  As with Cambridge, the campuses are mainly closed to visitors since it is exam time for students.  The campus was just beautiful. The Church and buildings had faces and gargoyles carved into them, the archways were draped with lilac and ivy.  The lawns in the quads were perfectly manicured.  I could have stayed all day it smelled so good.  We even attempted to stay for Evensong.  Isaiah was a big wild, it being 6pm and him being corralled either in his car seat or his stroller for the entire day.  We stayed for the first 2 of 3 parts and they decided it was time to go.  The singing was - well, it was what you'd expect from Oxford. 

One other stop that is worth mentioning is Blackwell's Bookshop.  Wow - this place puts Chapters to shame.  It was 3 levels of books, both rare and common.  Keith said they had some great books in their philosophy and religion sections downstairs.  He browsed down there while I wandered through the well-sized and stocked children's section.

It was wonderful to arrive home and play with Isaiah, put him to bed and have hot showers ourselves.  Right now, Keith is watching TV (and has more than 1 channel to choose from) as I finish up this latest update that I will actually be able to post tonight.  What an improvement over yesterday!