Stonehenge & Oxford 2012

One of the days I was in London I had scheduled a day trip through www.aavacations.com to Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, and Oxford. The tour was to be conducted by Evan Evans Tours out of London. I also scheduled a day trip to Paris with them for the next day. Both tours were mediocre and something I'm glad I did but probably wouldn't do again. For the first day trip they had to cancel our trip to Windsor Castle because the Queen wanted to stroll the gardens so they had to shut the place down. So for the first part of the day they took us to Hampton Court Palace. This was the second time that I had been there and you already seen the fruit of that in my last two post. After Hampton we went onward to Stonehenge. These first pictures are from the country side on the way there. ... So So beautiful.

Sheep! Everywhere, SHEEP!

I like this one.

Okay, so this couple. They must have just gotten married or something because from the moment we left Victoria Coach Station this was the farthest they were apart the entire time. The line when it says two shall become one... they too very literally. Bless them Jesus. Amen.

The highway literally goes right beside Stonehenge. People see it everyday as they are going to and fro. I know for me, Stonehenge has always been this cool, mysterious place in which I understood it's purpose but honestly didn't really care. It was a part of the tour and I was like, hey... I can say "I've been to Stonehenge." But when you get there it is pretty cool after all to think that these massive rocks got here some how and it is a part of the human story. Cool stuff. These are pictures from on the bus approaching the site.

This is the first angle you see after you come out of the tunnel that goes under the highway. Pretty cool.

That guy...

I know these look like the same pictures but there are subtle differences. haha

In the 90's at some point they put a rope up around it and no longer allowed people to come up close to it because people were actually chipping off pieces of it to take with them back home. ...#classytourist.

So this is supposed to be what it looked like back in the day. Click here for Stonehenge Facts. After briskly walking around the site a couple more times we were herded back on to the bus for more make out time with the honeymoon couple.... haha. But seriously, they were really enjoying each others company. From Stonehenge we left for Oxford.

I wish I could say I had the best time in Oxford, but it all went by so fast that had it not been for these pictures that I grabbed in passing, I may not believe that I was there at all. We basically took a brief 30-35 minute walking tour of the city and then were given 30 minutes to wander around for ourselves. Though it was quick I did get to see some cool things though and maybe some fun pictures but sadly I honestly don't remember what a lot of the buildings where and stuff was that I saw because it so quick. I do remember this, we tend to think of universities in American terms with one main campus that has a quad for students and specific academic buildings. Oxford University is comprised of 39 smaller universities around the city. If you apply to Oxford, and are accepted, you will be placed in one of the 39 smaller universities. If your parents or "kin" went to one of the schools, they will try to place you there for "legacy" sake. However, when you graduate, you will receive a degree from Oxford University collective. It's just more prestigious that way.

The inside of this building is where they did filming for Harry Potter. Cool... If you're into that sort of thing.

There were a lot of people out and about that day.

This place is called "Radcliffe Camera" Here are the Facts. It's an awesome building and is now used as a Library for one of the universities in the area according to our tour guide.

Random Alley

Yep, haha, I have no clue what this is.

Really cool architecture

I do remember the tour guide saying that the bridge in the back ground there was made to resemble a famous one in Italy. ...yeah.

I love doors.

So if you know any thing about C.S. Lewis you know that he spent most of his life living and writing in Oxford, England. It is here that he met with the book society called "The Inklings" which included J.R.R. Tolkien and a few other famous British Writers of the time. They met in various locations but most often at this pub called "The Eagle and Child". It is from here that various works evolved into the classics that so many have on their shelves today. I really, really, really wanted to go and visit this place and spend just a few minutes soaking up the history but alas... in my 30 minutes of freedom I chose to go down the wrong streets in looking for it. I asked the tour guide where it was once we got back to the bus and he said, "Sure it's just down the street here on the left. We'll pass it on the way out." I felt like an idiot as it was literally a 5 minute walk from our rally point. Any who, for the love of travel... this is the terrible picture I got from the bus as we were pulling out.

I really wish I could have spent more time here but sometimes you just can't. It's all apart of traveling. Even in scheduled and organized tours you never really know what can happen or change. Either way, I'm thankful for my experience.

Next up... Day Trip to Paris! :)