Come along on a walk with me....

I've decided that if you truly are going to experience Oxford vicariously, then the kind and proper thing to do is give you a pictorial guide of my daily 20 minute jaunt from dormitory (at Keble) to conference location (St.Aldate's). And since I cannot seem to fix the error on the previous blog (body text) -- and somehow erased the only pic posted of Keble in my efforts, I shall start with a more panoramic scope of Keble College, our headquarters for the week in Oxford.

This is Catherine holding my laptop hostage for the evening...and that would be about the size of our room - two single beds pushed against the other, I'm taking the photo standing in front of our exit and beside the pint-sized "loo". What you see is what you get, or conversely, what we get. I've decided I could never endure dormitory life for any extended period.

Yes, I am a pampered spoiled brat and I know it. :)

Our building is tucked behind the majestic main college building and is definitely more modern. We even have an elevator to service six floors -- no other accommodation offers this luxury. There is also no such thing as air conditioning here in England....a broad and sweeping indictment, yes -- but we've been in countless places already, none of which are comfortable in the face of this unseasonable humid summer.

Fans are a hot commodity - and in short supply.

We have a key that opens the glass door into our corridor

and then the same key opens our dorm door. So please know beloved -- we are practising safe study and are well protected. :)

If we pass through this gate and walk straight ahead...

...we end up at the chapel entrance - the place for the optional 7am morning prayers -

a well established anglican practise I would do well to make my own.

Going into the "inner sanctuary"... massive doors that defy description.

This is a place that truly inspires reverance and meditation

In the Reformed tradition, we play the iconoclast with a fierce and proud vigilance and I know of course, there was a time and a place for that. Sitting in the quiet of such an environment for the express purpose of communing with the God of all true Beauty however, I can't help but think we've thrown the baby out with the bathwater.

hmmm....pity that.

Well I have much much more to share but I have to be kind and share this computer with my sweet travelling companion. I shall write today's story in longhand first then, while she updates and perhaps I can blog again.

Lovely talking with you all, thanks so much for tagging along!