As I had mentioned in my previous post, students on conventional study abroad programs with Northeastern are given ample opportunities to explore the city and country they’re residing in. Often, many excursions and trips are a part of the program itself, as is the case for all students from Northeastern currently studying at NCH and living in London. This semester we were offered the chance to sign up for day trips from 5 distinct options across the United Kingdom. The options included Canterbury and the White Cliffs of Dover, Oxford and Blenheim Palace, Stonehenge and Windsor Castle, Bath, and Stratford-upon-Avon. Even though students must sign up for only one of these offerings, most of us could get tickets to multiple trips. This week, I was a part of the Oxford and Blenheim Palace trip.
Having an early start to Sunday, something we don’t usually do on weekends, our wonderful program pathway coordinators arranged some delectable pastries for breakfast as we prepared to depart and take the bus to embark on our day trip journey. During our ride covering approximately 60 miles in 2.5 hours, I was able to spot some stunning countryside sites as we moved away from the city of London. Most fields in site, although empty, were covered with lush grass that made it seem like a velvety blanket was encompassing the space. It was a rare perfect day with the unpredictable London weather. Although it was a little gloomy throughout the day, we were lucky enough not to be stricken by the rains.
Our first stop of the day was the Blenheim Palace, located just a few miles away from the city of Oxford. The Blenheim Palace is one of the many UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the United Kingdom. It is also famous as the birthplace of the former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. This Palace is often spotted in many movies, including Harry Potter and James Bond-Spectre. This beautiful piece of architecture was built in the Baroque style, which was evident as we walked through the courtrooms that displayed a lot of grandeur and portraits made to perfection. The Palace is also surrounded by a tree trail, rose garden, lakes, and waterfalls. With the tree trail itself taking us 30 minutes, then a gift shop towards the end of the tour of this Palace, we spent just about two hours absorbing all the history associated therein.
In just about 30 minutes, we were in the center of the city of Oxford. Surrounded by buildings from old times, mostly college buildings, needless to say, Oxford has a rich history, iconic structures, and of course, many spots that we’ve all spotted in Harry Potter. Since there is A LOT of walking involved (hit over 20,000 steps!)I strongly recommend wearing your most comfortable pair of shoes; you don’t want to be struggling and miss out on a lot that Oxford has to offer. Our day trip also included a 2 hour guided walking tour of the city of Oxford, which exposed me to facts I had never even heard of. During our time, very obviously, we learned more about the University of Oxford. One of the oldest English-speaking universities globally, Oxford University, actually comprises 38 different schools to which students are admitted. We were able to get an insider tour of one of these colleges named the Warden College of Oxford. It was fascinating to know that the square piece of land on which the college stands is where students live, dine, study, and pray.
We also visited two different chapels within colleges that were once used as academic rooms for scholars to discuss ideas or seminar lectures with students or used as an auditorium for convocation ceremonies. We made our way through the impressive Radcliffe Camera and the Bodleian Library – the circular building structure you see in pictures when you look up Oxford University on the internet. Although time didn’t permit us to take an inside tour of the very famous Christ Church, that is the place exceptionally well known as the Hogwarts Dining Hall. We further strolled around the different academic buildings that made up most of Oxford city and ended our tour at the place where the motto of Oxford University is proudly displayed. In Latin, it reads Dominus Illuminatio Mea (“the Lord is my light”).
Our trip was structured impressively, leaving us time to scatter and explore Oxford independently. My friends and I spent most of our time picking out cheap souvenirs to take back home and visiting several bookstores. One of the most notable bookshops we came across was Blackwell’s, located on Broad Street, which is said to be one of the largest bookstores in the world, and I agree. You name a book, a genre, or an author, and it is there.
While the trip was pretty energy consuming, it was one of its kind with some beautiful touristy spots covered and was the equivalent of heaven for all the Harry Potter fans and book lovers. Oxford is a city that is best explored on foot and can easily be covered in a matter of hours with the correct scheduling. For the most part, we found ourselves going around in circles around a part of the city since it all leads back to the same place. All in all, it is safe to say that our day trip was quite successful and enjoyable and I’d recommend everyone visiting the UK to visit these two destinations for a memorable experience.
