England and France - Oxford and Salisbury
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I left London and took the train to Oxford.
This picture (a kind reader has since pointed out) was taken from
atop Carfax Tower.
Notice the double decker bus?
Carfax Tower stands at the conjunction of St. Aldate's, Cornmarket,
Queen, and High Street in central Oxford. The name Carfax, derives from
the French "carrefour", or "crossroads", and the tower's location makes
it a good central reference point for touring the old city centre of
Oxford.
The Tower is all that remains of the 13th century St. Martin's Church.
If you are fit (or simply determined) a climb to the top of the 74 foot
high tower is rewarded by an excellent view over central Oxford.
Oxford is made up of many colleges and I remember just walking around taking it all in. I was in a pub and overheard somebody order a cider. So I ordered one. The barkeep looked at me pointedly and told me I wouldn't like cider. Challange excepted, my good man. So I got my cider. If you have ever had apple trees, you know in the late late fall the fallen apples are rotten and smelly and rust-colored. Imagine squeezing the rotten liquid from these apples and then adding some solid rotten apple gunk to float around in it. That's cider. I drank my cider, but he was right: I didn't enjoy it. |
From Oxford I went to Salisbury.
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This picture show Salisbury cathedral. I find the presense
of two figures sitting on a questionably placed bench appealing.
Salisbury Cathedral is unique in Britain. Salisbury did not evolve gradually
over centuries, with constant additions and renovations. Rather, it was built nearly to
completion within a single generation. The Cathedral was begun in 1220, and finished
sans spire in 1258. The 404 foot spire, England's tallest, was added about 1288.
The cathedral library houses an original copy of the Magna Carta, brought here by the
William Longpre, Earl of Salisbury and half-brother to King John. Longpre is buried in
the cathedral, the first person so honored.
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A wide green space, The Close, surrounds the Cathedral.
The Close, essentially a walled city within the city, is ringed by wonderful period houses
and inns.
There are numerous beautiful half-timbered buildings, floors tilting like a ship in heavy seas.
These buildings caught my eye - they seemed to be of this older style.
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Here in Salisbury I decided to buy a bottle of wine and drink it while I sat in view of
the cathedral. I despite being in a city I thought the surroundings were very
pastorial. The river is the Avon.
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| While in Salisbury I took a bus to visit Stonehenge. I didn't bring my camera. Stonehenge is definately worth seeing. |
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