LONDON--
UNDENIABLE BEAUTY
Traveling the world has opened my eyes to beautiful sites. Leaving my small hometown unsure of where I was going or what I would be seeing excited me. I can confidently say that nothing will ever compare to my breathtaking experience in Oxford, England.
Oxford is home to one of the most prestigious and most famous universities in the world. Everywhere you look there is beauty. Your eyes will never be disappointed looking around from the tall handcrafted ceilings to the bumpy cobblestone ground.
Debbie Gerrans, our fabulous tour guide, took us around to see the historic sites. The city of Oxford was founded in 912 AD, and mostly all of Oxford’s main architecture remains, as told by Debbie. The preservation is partly because Adolf Hitler wanted to keep Oxford around so he could have it as his official residence when he invaded and conquered Great Britain. His plan didn’t work out so great.
The beauty of Oxford first falls on its elegant 38 independent colleges. The pictures below are from Wadham College and Trinity College. Each college in Oxford University is structured similarly. When you enter each college you are immediately looking at a square of rich green grass, or formally known as a quadrangle or a quad.
Unfortunately, you are NOT allowed on the grass, no matter how intrigued you are. Debbie told us that the Oxford tradition goes as is: the longer your gown the more prestige and importance you have. As a reputation stance, students wear gowns regularly. Whether it is a test day or dinner time your gown is worn. The more you achieve in your college career, the longer your gown becomes. Once your gown reaches the ground, you are then allowed to walk on the grass.
However, that’s not the only reason why you can’t walk on the grass. If you are a member of the college you can request to have your ashes spread all over the quad after you die. This was shocking and somewhat disturbing, but a tradition is a tradition!
Looking around the colleges the beauty is never-ending. A personal tour guided us to their dining halls, individual chapels, and their secret gardens.
No comments:
Post a Comment