Walking around Oxford: Part 2

Continuing on my post from Walking around Oxford: Part 1...

Top: The location of Robert Boyle´s house
Bottom-Left: University Church of St Mary the Virgin
Bottom-Right: This signboard is just right under University Church of St Mary the Virgin

From High Street, I took a right corner just next to University Church of St Mary the Virgin into Catte Street and I found a breathtaking piece of architecture known as Radcliffe Camera. University Church of St Mary the Virgin was the hub of the University of Oxford from the end of the 12th Century when organised teaching first began.

The Radcliffe Camera!!

I definitely could not miss visiting the Radcliffe Camera and having one or two of my own selfie taken. ^^ Spent about thirty minutes basking in the sunshine and marveling at the building.

Here is the Radcliffe Square and it is not surprising when you find just too many person taking their selfies with Radcliffe Camera too. Hehehe.. ´The Radcliffe Camera is a building of Oxford University, England, designed by James Gibbs in neo-classical style and built in 1737–1749 to house the Radcliffe Science Library.´-Wikipedia.

Around the Radcliffe Square.

Don´t you simply love the numbers of bicycles attached along the gates? Superbly lovely.

The Bodleian Library.

Then moving on to the Bodleian Library. The architecture was too breathtaking with the blue sky as the background. Loving it. Alhamdulillah.

´The Bodleian Library, the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library with over 11 million items.´ - Wikipedia.

Inside Divinity School where one of the scenes from Harry
Potter movie was shot.

I paid 1 GBP for the entrance to the Bodleian Libary where it was used for Harry Porter filming. Honestly, I have never watched any of the Harry Potter's movies or read the books, so I pretty much have very low appreciation of it. But....Bodleian Library is a very very marvelous architecture. Subhanallah.

Top: The location of Bridge of Sigh
Bottom: Along Broad Street

After that, I walked a bit towards Broad Street and accidentally bumped myself onto another amazing buildings joined together by the Bridge of Sigh.

Here..you can´t help yourself but to sigh...Sigh now..everyone! Hehehe... ´Hertford Bridge, popularly known as the Bridge of Sighs, is a skyway joining two parts of Hertford College over New College Lane in Oxford, England.

Its distinctive design makes it a city landmark´- Wikipedia. At Broad Street, there are many beautiful buildings as well a Sheldonian Theater, Museum of the History of Science and the New Bodleian Library.


My feet just couldn´t stop walking! I bumped into the Covered Market. Many of the shops were closed because of Sunday but I find it quite fascinating and very clean.


Top-Left: Punting under Magdalen Bridge
Bottom-Left: One of the Magdalen College´s buildings near Cowley Road.

Then my stomach just couldn´t take it anymore. As the prayer time was already near, I rushed to Cowley Road trying to find Oxford Central Mosque and in the hope of silencing my grumbling stomach. Off to a Halal restaurant shall we?  My post on Oxford Central Mosque and Kebab Kid restaurant where I had my lunch was here.


As it was Sunday and there are no Thames Travel buses operating on Sundays, I had to take the Oxford bus to the nearest town, Kiddlington.

However, I did not get off at the Harvester Pub which is nearer to Hampton Gay by foot and that made my walking journey to Willowbrook Farm (where I did my Wwoofing stint in the UK) came close to two hours. Huhu...

Along the way, I met a gorgeous couple and asked them for the direction. They kindly stopped their track and showed me the route to the main road.

By this time, my iPhone's battery was about 4% left. Oh nooooo! By the time I reached Bicester Road, it went dead and I had to ask another bloke.

"Hello, May I know which is the way to Bi-ches-ter?"
"Bi-ches-ter? You mean Bister?"

Hahaha...Okay, here I learned my very first lesson street-smart way in the UK soil on how to pronounce some English words accurately as said by the natives. Precious experience!

After another thirty minutes walking, another bloke riding a bicycle stopped beside me. He was going the opposite way but he kindly approached me knowing that I looked so lost! He told me to be careful as it was getting dark.

Here..I totally fell in love with British people's manner! (in general). Or was it...my action screamed like a tourist? Oh dear, I am lost and I need help! (Kind of..hehe.)


It was really dark by the time I reached the farm at about 7.30 pm (it was autumn and cold!!) and I told myself too many times that I was crazy!! Loca..loca..loca chica! Hahaha...

Alhamdulillah, everything was fine.I just read ayatul Kursi and the three Qul verses non stop for Allah´s protection. If you are from London, why not try Megabus for a super cheap bus ride from as cheap as 1 GBP!! The ride will take you close to two hours.

Check out more information at http://www.visitoxfordandoxfordshire.com/oxford/ to plan your visit to Oxford.

Zarina ElKabdani

Hola! We are a Malaysian + Moroccan couple currently living in Madrid.

1 Comments

Previous Post Next Post