We stayed at the Malmaison - formerly a castle, then a prison, now a very cool hotel. The rooms are converted cells - our room was made up of 3 former cells - but original features like the ceilings and windows remain (although, fortunately extra windows have been added). Our room just to the right below -
After dropping our bags at the hotel, we had some lunch then joined our first walking tour - 'Pottering in Harry's footsteps' - all about the Oxford locations used in the Harry Potter films. First stop was the Divinity School, most notably used as the school infirmary in the first Harry Potter and where the students are taught to dance in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire -
A close up of the amazing ceiling which features hundreds of unique carvings, each one with a different and specific meaning ('fan vaults' with 455 'bosses' to be [Gothic] architecturally accurate) -
On the way to our next destination, we passed by the famous Turf Tavern - where Bob Hawke set his world record for drinking a yard of ale in 11 seconds, and where - allegedly - Bill Clinton 'did not inhale"... -
From there we went to New College, which, despite the name is actually one of the oldest colleges in Oxford, founded in 1379 -
Part of the original city wall owned by New College and required to be maintained under the deal for the purchase of the land. The Lord Mayor walks along the top of the wall every 3 years to ensure the obligation is being upheld -
The cloisters as featured in the scene in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire where all the students are wearing 'Potter Stinks' badges, Harry tells Cedric Diggory about the dragons and Malfoy is turned into a ferret by Mad-Eye Moody -
As can be seen in this part of the film.
Unfortunately the next part of the tour was to Christ Church which I was quite looking forward to (the dining hall was the inspiration for the dining hall at Hogwarts - the real thing was not big enough - and they filmed a few scenes there also) but it was raining and we were tired and the guide had gone a way where we couldn't get the push chair and it was all too much so we bailed and left.
The following day was the second of the tours I had booked - this one a more general one. First stop was Jesus College. Milo and Nick in the first quad -
Dining hall set up for a formal dinner (it was term break so only very few students remained) -
These were the best parts of this tour - we saw a few other colleges but the weather was miserable so it probably wasn't a great day for a walking tour! In fact we had planned to go to Blenheim Palace in the afternoon, but instead went back to the hotel where we all had a 3-hour nap.
On Sunday we had no plans but managed to see a few interesting things.
Lovely Christ Church from the outside -
The Covered Market -
The Pitt Rivers Museum. Milo LOVED the stuffed Shetland pony -
Quartz? Meteorite? Something...can't remember -
Tyrannosaurus Rex -
Looking out the window at the river before our lovely Sunday roast lunch at the Oxford Retreat -
Gate in the gardens at Balliol College -
Trinity College -
Wadham College -
Although the weather was pretty awful, Oxford is truly overwhelming and inspiring - so old, so much academic tradition. 25 British Prime Ministers have been educated at Oxford, 13 at Christ Church, 8 of the last 10! Of course it's probably elitist and self-important too, arguably with very good reason.
Finally, here's a fun fact: not only do Rhodes Scholars include Clinton, Hawke and Naomi Wolf, but also Kris Kristofferson - American musician.
