Oxford Part Two

The most wonderful thing about traveling in Oxford with someone who hadn’t been there was that I got to experience the city as if I was seeing it for the first time. Everything was new and exciting, and I was able to see the charm and beauty of the old buildings all over again. This was especially true with Alex, who loved to wander down cobblestone side streets and discover views of Oxford that even I hadn’t seen.

There’s a history to the city that seems to rise through the cobblestones in the streets. You can walk through the center of town and peer into the old glass panes of at least three separate cafes serving tea, coffee, and pastries. There are churches and libraries everywhere that take you back in time. This is a place for readers to find a nook and lose track of time (which is a good thing because there is quite a lot of reading to do). It is a place for ideas, for symphonies of thoughts. It is a place for pages on Shakespeare or Yeats. Oxford, I have begun to realize, is a city of poetry.

For breakfast one day, we went to The Handlebar Café, one of my absolute favorite restaurants for a classy yet laid back breakfast. We both enjoyed tea and colorful breakfasts that were as delicious as they were eye-catching.

For me, there’s something special about banana pancakes, seeing as Jack Johnson pays homage to them in one of my favorite songs. They represent simple happiness. That being said, these banana pancakes were some of the best I’ve ever had. They were made with coconut and tasted like a stack of banana macaroons, drizzled in maple syrup.

For Alex, the avocado toast looked like a food rainbow, with gorgeous beetroot hummus on the side and a perfectly poached egg. After breakfast, we were off to do some sightseeing.

I showed Alex all of the classic spots, like the Bodleian Library, the Radcliff Camera, and the Bridge of Sighs. Eventually, we ended up in All Souls College, exploring the grounds during their visiting hours. All Souls is one of the most prestigious colleges at Oxford, and their campus is spectacularly beautiful with a great view of the Radcam. My personal favorite part was getting to see the quad.

Eventually, we began to wander. We meandered down one back street to hear a rush of classical music coming from the inside of a church. The buildings around were old and glorious and beside us, a long stone wall led deeper into the heart of the city. A couple people whizzed by on bicycles, but mostly, the street was still, and we strolled down it together admiring the layers upon layers of architecture. Exploring together, I discovered a new Oxford.

Another wonderful memory was our afternoon tea, which I insisted was part of the English experience and had to be done at least once on our trip. We went to Café Loco and were served a lovely spread of cakes and sandwiches on tiered china platters. The entire experience was a delight, and everything tasted amazing. When we returned to my college, we were both completely stuffed.

Overall, showing Alex the city where I’ve been studying was so fun. I had been excited to take him to all the places that I frequent, but what I didn’t expect was him showing me new things about the city that I’ve spent months living in. It taught me that I need to appreciate the area more, and I need to keep exploring. There could be a new favorite restaurant or library that I would’ve never discovered had I kept to the same old places.

After three days and two nights in Oxford, it was time to head into London. As we prepared to leave, we were in high spirits. Ignoring the fact that our vacation was almost over, we prepared our bags to get on the train the next morning, with many more places to see.