One Last Adventure in Oxford

Well my time in England is coming to a close. Today I took my last trip to the city center to pick up some last minute Christmas gifts.  The city was as beautiful as ever and everything was decorated for Christmas! There is even a small Christmas market outside on one of the main roads. 

I did make sure that for my last day I got all my favorite treats, even if that treat is a milkshake and it is fairly cold outside!

 

In just over 2 days I will be in my way home!

Oxford Christmas Festival

Today was the start if the Christmas season in Oxford! To kick off the holidays, Oxford had a Christmas Festival full of free activities and cultural enrichment for all ages. It also was the start of the Christmas lights being turned on throughout the city, so a couple of my flatmates and I decided to go check it out!

We started the night off getting some dinner at a burger place, which was already putting out holiday promotions! We then went to the Ashmolean, the art/history museum.

At the Ashmolean, there were many different stations and activities to do throughout. We were able to see various carol and choir groups singing christmas carols in different styles, there were games set out for all ages, skits being performed, and my favorite: Christmas crafts from around the world!! We tried to see as much as possible, though it proved difficult since there were so many different things to see and do and so many people there. We ended up watching the Russian Christmas carols, the Christmas sing-along, and the Cabaret. We also made German and Mexican decorations for our kitchens!! It was a very productive evening and a great start to my holiday season!

 Diwali decorations/activity

 German Christmas Decorations!!!

Mexican banner

Cabaret singer

End result of the Ice sculpture that was being carved outside

Russian Carols

Very complicated sing-along...

Segments of the Cabaret

Resting up from a Wonderful Week

It has been a while since my last post, but I have been recovering from a full week of excitement and fun with my friend Sasha who came to visit! We spent time in all my favorite places and got some things checked off my London Bucket List!! We visited Oxford City Center, London, and even had English tea!

In Oxford we had Tea at the Grand Cafe, the first coffee house in England. We wanted to get High Tea though we learned that high tea consists of fish and deli sandwiches so we changed our plan. Instead we ordered cream tea which consists of scones(biscuits) with butter and jam. Not only was it beautiful, but it was so tasty we got tea everyday after!! I think I am hooked! It is such a relaxing time and everyone is just sitting around in the cafe reading or talking, 

Drinking my yummy Peach tea

On Wednesday we went back into London to visit some more of the beautiful sites! We started by going to Parliament to see the Queen Elizabeth tower(Big Ben). We even ran into the occupy London protesters... it did not really seem much of a protest as the people were just sitting around in front of Parliament and only knew that it was a protest because we heard the police officers talking about it. Since we had to get back early for my class that night we quickly went to the millenium bridge before seeing the guards and Buckingham Palace and getting tea yet again! Not to mention I found my favorite Swedish candy finally!!

Marble Arch

Swedish Cars!!!

On Thursday we were back in Oxford since I had class that afternoon. We started the morning off right with pastries and hot chocolate! Let me just say that the hot coco here is soo much better than at home! They use real milk and everything! Much better than my usual swiss miss! Since it was such a beautiful morning, Sally, Sasha, and I took some beautiful pictures, and you know went souvenir shopping...

The locked me in the smelly phone booth, don't worry I was eventually sent free.

On Friday we were back to London to cross something off my Bucket List! First was Abbey Road, due to the fact that I did not want to get hit by a car, I did not recreate the Beetles' cover. WE then hopped on the underground and were off to Kings Cross Station where harry leaves for Hogwarts each year. It was awesome, though since it has been redone, it does not look like the movies anymore. We then went back on the underground and were off to the Tower of London and London Bridge area. We also went and showed Sasha all the wonderful Harry Potter sites that we learned from our Muggle walking tour. We then went over the quite boring London Bridge and thankfully it did not fall down! We then walked along the river side and got some beautiful pictures before doing a little shopping and got dinner before coming back to Oxford.

Tower of London with the Shard in the background!

Poopies!! 

Tower Bridge!!

Azkaban anyone??

Kings Cross Station

The Leaky Caldron 

Egyptian Obelisk

Diagon Alley

On Saturday we spent Sasha's last day in Oxford. We went to Christ Church, another Harry Potter filming location. It is a beautiful church and looks a lot like a mini Salisbury Cathedral. 

Look familiar?? This is the staircase where professor McGonagall welcomes the first years to Hogwarts before the feast.

Inspiration for the Great Hall

Stain glass window has a picture of the real Alice, the inspiration for Alice in Wonderland, in it.