Today started with breakfast at the hotel…surprise, surprise.

Photo alert: I went a little nuts again today.

Adam and I got up early today, because it was probably the only time that he could go to the Tolkien exhibit at Weston Library (part of the Bodleian Library system) with me, working around his conference schedule. It was quite interesting, but unfortunately didn’t allow any photography within the exhibit. I didn’t realize that Tolkien was quite the artist, on top of being a storyteller and philologist. Who knew that the guy who helped write the Oxford English Dictionary could be so illustrative!?

 

The only picture of the Tolkien exhibit that I was allowed to take…

Adam only had about 50 minutes with me before he had to go back to work. I then wandered the “scenic” route over to the Ashmolean Museum. On the way, I found this beautiful building, and took some pictures (naturally). (More on this building later…)

 

 

 

At Ashmolean, there were lots of paintings, sculptures, and antiquities. I was particularly interested in the Greek and Roman exhibits; this has become par for the course ever since I took my Ancient Roman Architecture course in college. The museum was a bit odd to navigate, but I survived.

Next up, heading to the Oxford Museum of Natural History. Oddly enough, the outside of the building looked strangely familiar once I got there. That building I just showed you at the beginning? Yep…that’s it. I walked right past it. (*face palm*)

The interior of the building was beautiful, and quite the architectural look-see. Obviously, I had to take a picture:

 

 

I learned an interesting fact about the research around wasps: In a controlled laboratory environment, the scientists gave them colored paper in order to follow how exactly they created their nests. The end result was a very colorful nest. In addition, I was able to touch a 4.5 billion year old piece of meteorite!

I wandered back over to the Bodleian Library system, and explored the grounds a bit more. The rounded building I photographed yesterday is actually the Sheldonian Theatre.  Today’s photographic exhibit from the Bodleian includes the Radcliffe Camera.

 

 

Just outside the Bodleian is a cute little bridge over the street.

 

 

Afterwards, I wandered down Broad Street, and happened to catch a decent shot of some more colored buildings. I wish we had more of this in the U.S.!

 

 

Lapping back around to meet up with Adam and Jason for dinner, I was on High Street again. On the way to where I had to meet the boys, I happened upon a plaque on a barren wall, which I later told Adam about, and he was very excited to get a picture in front of it.

 

 

While waiting for Jason to finish his thing before going to dinner, I had a “late lunch” (= cocktail and dessert) at the “oldest coffee house in England.” This would be The Grand Cafe on High Street.

 

 

I was in the mood for Italian, so Adam did some searching and found Ask Italian on George Street. Food was very good; dessert was even better!

 

 

 

After dinner, we headed home for the night. I had a full day, and Adam has to get up early again tomorrow for work. (I get to sleep in!)

Total steps: 18,048

 

ttfn

Emily and Adam