Oxford Return.

There is so much to see and do in Oxford that repeat visits are a must; funds allowing of course! Although the Ashmolean itself is free admission.

After patting the Great Ox on the nose – Tom and I set off for another ‘wander of wonders’ around the fabulous Ashmolean. I don’t think that an entire year would be long enough to take in all the wonders on display but here are just a few of the treasures that caught my eye this time round…

Elias Ashmole and Joth Tradescant Jnr - Ashmolean Oxford

Detail: The hands that helped create the World’s first public museum – ‘The Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology’.

Together with the above handsome portraits of Elias Ashmole and John Tradescant Jnr – here’s my other favourite painting of the day…

After a mind-blowing couple of hours – we were ready to climb the impressive Portland Stone staircase all the way to the top – where we retired to the terrace for afternoon refreshments. A pot of English Breakfast tea and a Coke – plus chips for two – followed by Eton Mess for afters…

Other highlights of our day in Oxford included…

A door-to door walk around the portals of The Old Schools Quadrangle of the Bodleian Library…

Let there be Light...The Old Schools Quadrangle of the Bodleian Library

Sir Isaac Newton once said “Let there be Light”…

…and there was!

With another chance to stand in the warm glow of ‘The Light of The World’ inside the cool of Keble College Chapel…

Passing under the sign of the white hart. Crest of Hertford College upon the ‘Bridge of Sighs’ over New College Lane.

…and more light on our way to the whispering Cloister’s of New College…

“A leaf in this garden means more than all leaves you will find in paradise!” Lyrics from Golden Apples by Faun.

It was here – I picked up the ‘treasure of the day’ for keeps. ‘Just’ one golden leaf from the carpet of thousands that lay inches deep around the expansive bole of an evergreen Holm Oak – that nowadays is widely recognised as ‘The Harry Potter Tree’…The fantastical hogwash of Hogwarts – wasn’t the reason I picked up the leaf though – rather it was because I picked up vibrations of another young man’s footsteps – who once trod this time-worn floor to the Cloisters and to the great tree itself… …on my return from Oxford – I emailed Yaffle and told him all about our visit to his old college grounds – and I was thrilled to receive his reply – “Much enjoyed your tour of Ox, and yes, the Cloisters and its majestic evergreen are my centre of gravity in that architectural masterpiece.” Ah, now that’s real Magic!

Motto on the wrought-iron garden gate of New College Oxford. How true.

In the afternoon sunlight – I couldn’t fail to notice the gilded motto on the ornate garden gate of New College Oxford. ‘Manners Makyth Man’ – how true dear Yaffle x

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Another enduring image of Oxford…

A homeless man and woman – lying like two spoons with their backs turned to the passing ‘World’ that’s mirrored in the glass of the modern building that sheltered them from the glare of another day. Despite the droves of more well-heeled passers-by that thronged this main Oxford thoroughfare – their small pile of coppers remained just that. I have to say I felt somewhat intrusive stopping – but in stopping – I added to their small pile of coppers with something brighter and a little heavier…the couple remained oblivious and undisturbed.

Walking away – I wondered whether in their waking hours – they ever look up at the dreaming spires of Oxford and dare to dream of a life when they won’t have to sleep rough? To my way of thinking – Oxford must be a particularly jarring environment if you find yourself ‘down on your uppers’ like this less-fortunate pair of Oxonians who were down to their last pennies as well as their last socks.

(Idiom: down on (one’s) uppers) Having no money; broke. The phrase was originally used to describe people who were so poor that they had worn their shoes down to the uppers (the part of the shoe above the sole). http://www.thefreedictionary.com/