An Example Worth Following

An example worth following.
That's my Dad in just a few words.
On this day, I feel privileged to remember my Dad, and the great man that he was. With a pang of sadness in my heart I see others who get to celebrate this day with their Dad. For me, I count it joy to share stories and memories with my family and friends who knew my Dad. So, if you knew him, let's talk soon and share stories. We will surely laugh and I might cry, but it only goes to show how great a man he was.
His love for his four kids was so obvious, because he always talked about us to other people. When I was younger it would annoy me because everyone seemed to know my business, but it was his way of boasting about his kids. I didn't see it then. His pride was not of a conceited nature, but rather the kind of pride that made him swell with love for others. He never hid that pride.

I count myself truly blessed to have had a Dad who did set the good example. I know not everyone has been so privileged. I will always give thanks for my Dad, and remember the way he lived and brought me up. With love.

“he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David had done” (1 Kings 15:11)

Books Enough to Satisfy Me

Did you know the first book was printed in Oxford in 1478?

Blackwell Books

Oxford University Press

Bodleian Library Shop

I know you all have been anxiously awaiting my musing about the books of Oxford. Well, wait no longer. I could muse about books forever, but that would probably not fare well with most people. It was like a tiny bit of heaven for me, to put it simply. When you think about the form of communication we have, in writing and then the mass publishing, it really is incredible. This is part of the reason I love Oxford so much. I would never run out of good books to read because the town has countless bookstores to explore. I need books like I need to breathe.

I could have spent all day in Blackwell Books. This store, on Broad Street, was across the street from the Bodleian Library and was 5 floors of books! I started in the basement, which is where the above photos were taken. This one-room basement, called the Norrington Room, is the largest one-room of books in all of Europe! As you can see, I found an armful of books just down there. Then, I traveled to the other floors and found many more. Being that all my favorite authors are British, they had all the books I can never find in the States!

The Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. The bookstore on High Street is 3 or 4 floors of books, but all I needed was the "Oxford World Classics" section, where, again, I could find books by my favorite authors that are so hard to find here.

Along with the Bodleian Library shop, there was an exhibit for the King James Bible. This year is the 400 year anniversary of the KJB, the authorized translation into English, and the Bodleian took the opportunity to display not only one of the few surviving original King James Bibles printed in 1611, but also many other precious Bibles from as far back as 1000 AD.

I had to tear myself away from these bookstores, mainly because I had to figure out a way to carry all the books I wanted to purchase on the plane with me. Believe me, I would have purchased more than I did if I didn't have to carry them on a plane. As I handed over my British Pound Sterling Notes to pay for my books, I saw that my money was getting low. I wasn't bothered. I thought of the quote that always makes me smile:

When I get a little money, I buy books; and if any is left, I buy food and clothes. -Erasmus

Doors

Schola Moralis Philosophiae door at the Bodleian Library, Oxford

Main door leading to the Bodleian Library Quadrangle

Sherlock Holmes' flat- 221B Baker Street, London

Exeter College (?), Oxford

I could focus on a myriad of architectural details of buildings for several musings. The buildings are so different from what we have here in the States. How about the "dreaming spires" of Oxford? Or the gargoyles with goofy or scary faces all over the place? Or just the intricate details of the stone buildings?

The doors, though, are dramatic and grand. Here are just a few examples of beautiful, large, detailed doors in Oxford. Along with a very famous door of the great fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes at his flat, 221B Baker Street.

Artful Musings from V & A

Victoria and Albert Museum, London

The task of art is enormous.  Through the influence of real art, aided by science, guided by religion, that peaceful co-operation of man which now maintained by external means -- by our law-courts, police, charitable institutions, factory inspection, and so forth -- should be obtained by man's free and joyous activity.  Art should cause violence to be set aside.
Leo Tolstoy, What Is Art?

I will be the first to admit I don't know much about art. Where I feel at home in a library or a bookstore, I usually don't know where to begin in any art museum. The Victoria and Albert Museum is comprised of cultural artifacts, not just art. The building is so large, the photo above taken from the street only shows about a quarter of the building. Inside, marble grandeur lobby and hallways echo the sounds of tourists and artists. Passing along the sculptures in the European room it is easy to admire the collections. The Korean and Japanese rooms had several young artists sitting cross legged on the floor, sketching a piece of art or an artifact.
Similar to the British Museum, the V & A is free and has floor after floor of spectacular collections. But to see them all would take, literally, a few days. So, I plan to return.

Tubes, Trains, and Cars

The Tube

Late night on the Tube. It's usually much more crowded

A train departing from Oxford Station

A 1 Series BMW with 4 doors. I don't think we have those here.

A BMW X 1 ?

A Rover (no clue what that is), sitting outside Westminster Abbey

I don't even know what this is

In London, the Underground (Tube) is by far the cheapest way to get around (aside from walking). It's bright, clean, and easy to use. When I say cheap, I don't truly mean it. It is actually quite an expensive underground system. A one-way ticket from Victoria Station to Paddington Station (a mere 4 miles apart) was £4.00 (which was about $6.60) In relation to a taxi, though, it is dramatically cheaper.

The train system throughout the UK is my favorite way to get anywhere. Within 4 hours you can go from London to Northumberland, the northernmost county in England (Jason and I did this the past 2 years). The trains are fast, on-time, and though they sometimes encounter delays, it's not nearly as frequent as delays you likely would experience on the motorway.

My family is obsessed with cars. I suppose you could call them petrol-heads. So, I can't help it but notice cars wherever I go, especially when they all look so different in another country. There are so many cars I never knew existed or had never seen until my first trip to England. Companies like Vauxhall, Peugeot, Lotus, etc...So I am always on the look-out for interesting cars, though I didn't have my camera ready for many of them.

People-Watching

Performers in Trafalgar Square

A worker with samples from Costa Coffee, Victoria Station

Paddington Station

You never know what or who you will see in London. Street performers abound, especially in Trafalgar Square. I love to watch people's reactions to the performers. Do they just ignore them and walk past? Or do they stop and stare at the strangeness?

Then, in train stations, just pay attention. Mom and I grabbed a quick lunch of a baguette from Upper Crust in Victoria Station and sat on a bench to eat when a worker from Costa Coffee ventured out to hand out samples. He looked like a very interesting guy, certainly had a happy countenance.

There is always something interesting to look at. Of course, I usually don't have my camera ready. Many times when we are rushing to see the attractions we miss some very interesting sights. People-watching, itself, is a sight to see in London.

"The Bod"

The Bodleian Library, Oxford

A library is a good place to go when you feel unhappy, for there, in a book, you may find encouragement and comfort. A library is a good place to go when you feel bewildered or undecided, for there, in a book, you may have your question answered. Books are good company, in sad times and happy times, for books are people — people who have managed to stay alive by hiding between the covers of a book.
E.B. White“A library is many things” in Letters of Note

Anyone can appreciate this library, affectionately known as "The Bod" to the locals. Even if for only the history, architecture and grandeur feeling of the place. For me, coupled with all that I mentioned, it also held that deep, nerdy, book lover that I am in awe as I stepped into Duke Humphrey's Library, the oldest part of the Bodleian Library dating from 1488. The scent of old books drifted to me as I entered and looked around at the floor to ceiling bookshelves (the first of their kind in Britain, by the way). I couldn't take photos in this area, so I had to memorize the sights. We toured the library on a Sunday, and since the library was closed, we were able to walk through the entire library that tours normally are not allowed to go through because this is a working library. Walking by rows of thick oak shelves of books I tried to imagine myself a student here, with access to this place at any time. Where students have the ability to view books that are hundreds of years old.

Downstairs is the Divinity School. This area has no books, but was the site of lectures. I included photos of this amazing room, with the exquisitely detailed ceiling with ornate carvings and Biblical symbols all over the place. This room also dates back to 1488 when it was completed. We also visited the Convocation Room (the last photo) and the Court Room.

I don't know what it is about being in the presence of 15th century architecture, books, and furniture that intrigues me so much. I think partly because our country is so young and there is nothing like this in America. Also, most of my favorite authors are British and many of them studied, taught, and lived in Oxford, so I knew I was treading on their footsteps and that is just a little bit exciting to me. Call me a nerd, I know.

London Crowds

Buckingham Palace during changing of the guard

Arriving in London on a overnight flight, our first venture into the traditions of the British was stumbling upon the changing of the guards ceremony at Buckingham Palace. We didn't intend to do this, but it was fun to see.

Our hotel was right by Victoria Station, which is a short walk from Buckingham Palace, so it was a natural place to start. The sidewalks were packed with people. We couldn't even get close to the gates. We meandered through the crowds to get a distance from the gate and watched the marching bands go by in the street. Mingling with people from countries all around the world, all interested in seeing, in person, the British Royalty traditions. To see something that our country doesn't have is so interesting. Traditions older than our country and places bursting with history. I could only imagine the crowds at this spot during the Royal Wedding.

No matter what crowd we were in, whether at Buckingham, Trafalgar Square, Westminster Abbey, or rush hour in the Tube, it was always a myriad of people together in one place with many different languages and interesting personalities. Plenty of people-watching. More on that later...

Olympic countdown clock in Trafalgar Square

Please Mind the Gap....in my Musings

So much to write, so little time.....

Baker Street Tube Stop

Westminster Abbey

The Mall, from Buckingham Palace to Trafalgar Square

Big Ben and Parliament

"The Gherkin"

Much to my dismay, the wi fi I thought I would be able to find all around London was practically non-existent. And when I did find some wi fi, my blog was not working on my mobile phone, which is all I had with me. I tried to post quick musings, but every time I attempted, it was rejected.

So, now that I am back in the States, I can get back to my daily musings, and share some stories and photographs from London and Oxford.

Cheers!