Ivy League - INDEED!

I arrived at Oxford's train station at half past eleven, the sun, magically was shining, though the clouds were doing their English-best to shield the people from any form of repigmentation at all. My first impressions of this nearly 1000 year old haunt was, sadly - "meh". I was expecting gothic churches and steeples, towers and cobbled paths, instead I was greeted by the sights of the SAID Business School of Oxford University - a modern bohemeth of a building, erected no doubt on some historic plow field of god knows whom.

This wasn't looking at all fruitful - ne'er the less I trudged onwards, mainly because of the fact that the 19GBP return ticket I paid might as well make itself worthwhile, and the next train back to London's Paddington Station wasn't due for at least an hour - might as well eat something!

I wandered up to the sightseeing guide booth - debated paying the student fare of 8.50 as opposed to the grotesquely overrated 10 pounds for an "adult" - boy am I glad that UofT doesn't put an expiry date on their student cards - and I'm cheekily proud enough to say I'm glad that I have the moxie or chutzpah to carry it around me still - a year after I've graduated their institution and am enjoying the benefits of European Student Discounts at large - ISIC my butt!!!

I digress, I passed on the opportunity to have an hour's tour with "David, a great guide, one of our best!" and chose to wander the streets of Oxfordshire on me own...glad I did. At this point though, I was still in a state of disappointment - I thought to myself - just find the damn University gift shop and grab the Oxford sweatshirt and back to the train!! Purchase in hand, I came out of the store 30 pounds lighter - GBP's that is (but its a beauty of a sweatshirt - embroidered n' everything) and looked up at the marvel that stood before me - St. Mary's Church. This gothic structure took my breath away - the clock tower with the gargoyles, the spires pointing straight up into the air, the majestic blossoming tree that overextended itself above the gated entrance. Inside the church was maginficent - stained glass windows depicting a vast number of biblical scenes as well as lords and sires of the day, the floors were actually tombs - this was a monument/tomb/shrine/church - people had burried themselves beneath the floors, inside the walls, it was eerily creepy and at the same time completely fascinating - I almost felt like we were in an Indiana Jones movie - only no holy grail to be found. I wandered about, snapped some photographs - I always feel reluctant to photograph places of worship, but others were snapping away - flash and all - so group mentality took over and I took some shots.

Making my way into the sacred, holy, pontificated room that was the gift shop, the lovely old lady - so quaint and pleasant offered me the opportunity to climb up the tower and have a 360 degree panoramic view of Oxfordshire - I asked how much was the climb - 3GBP for adults, 2GBP if you're a student - ka ching!!! "One student ticket please - oh, here's my student card, its from the University of Toronto..." - "oh you're from Toronto, my cousin has a friend who lives in Hamilton is that near by..." asked the lovely lady - "sure, somewhat - 65kms away, but rather nice town - one student ticket please..." - she carries on, "Mildred always told me I should come to Canada, and to Vancouver - is that close by??" - I breathed in, relaxed, counted to five and thought what you need to sell in here is more globes/atlases - doesn't anyone in the learned-world study geography anymore??

Baited breath, I forked over the 2 quid, got my "receipt" and up the narrow, steep and winding staircase I crept. I made it to the top - eventually - and with my knapsack in tow, camera at the ready I just melted when I saw the city spread out before me. Now, this was more like it - church steeples and gothic buildings, victorian, edwardian, elizabethan structures and housing around - it reminded me of my time in Cambridge - now it looked like a place that's been around for centuries, nay, millenia, and I was standing at the highest part in town - I could see the farmers fields off in the distance, to my right Christchurch College - home to England's most noted students of Oxford - including Lewis Caroll - the nom-du-plume of an Oxford professor who penned Alice in Wonderland - the dining hall was home to much of the inspired characters in the book and Disney film - did you know that Alice actually had dark-hair, not blonde? The Rabbit was actually based on the Dean of the College - who was often late for meals, and no one could start to eat until he had arrived....also, and more recently, Christchurch College's dining hall was home to the film industry - a little movie about some wizard-kid at a special school with owls and potions n' lotions mixing about - you may have heard about it, Harry-something....and the Golden Compass was filmed in there too...not bad.

Standing at the top of the tower, I walked about the 360 degrees, taking in the sights, and as I was about to leave - a lovely, I'd say ravishing, in fact I will, because its my blog, dark-haired, slender and beautiful looking girl turned to me, smiled, and nodded as though we were both standing in the presence of something magical. We exchanged glances a few times, she whipped out her camera and begand sizing up the artistic photograph she wanted taken - she asked me if I minded taking her photograph at all - it nearly dropped out of my hands and off the ledge - but it was all good, I snapped the picture and began to ask her where she's from - Argentina has some beautiful looking girls...seriously. Then we stood and just marvelled at the domed cathedral-like building in front of us, I remarked how we don't have much of those types of buildings back home in Canada - she smiled, "yes, us too, not in Argentina" - hmmm, I just stared, trying not to stare - she could have at this point begun to recite the ingredients off a can of soup in Spanish and I'd have hung on every word.

Then, in a moment of sheer brilliance on my part, as she began to trek onwards around the spiralled tower, I turned to her and said "ok, enjoy the tower...bye!" - and I left. She kind of made this disappointed look, at least that's what I think I saw on her face as I began my descent down the spiralling, tortured staircase. I had to crawl into a window space to let an elderly Turkish (I think they were Turkish, they sound like they were from Turkey, so let's just go with Turkish, ok??) family to climb up - and as I stood inside the walls of the stairwell, clutching my bag and standing there like an idiot, I thought to myself "you idiot! Go back up there! Talk to her! Fuckin' knob...." I arrived back to the sweet old lady in the gift shop and stood around talking to her for a minute, I oogled the trinkets she was selling, History of Oxford books, Oxford pens, pencils, Royal Mail Box keychains...cute really, I was hoping to see a Prince Charles or Queen Elizabeth II bobblehead doll - no luck - though I now vow to you my readers, that should I come across one, I shall certainly buy it! - in any event, I noticed that there was a CCTV monitor - where she could keep track of any of us dummies throwing cameras off the roof, or nearly falling over etc. - I spotted the girl making her way down and I thought to myself, I'll wait her out prentending to look at the tombs of dead Englishmen and women and that's what I did. I managed to catch her eye, gave her a smile, slowed down my pace - you have to let them catch up to you if you're gonna stalk 'em properly!

I opened with some cheesey comparitive line about Argentina - she laughed, answered me and that's when I threw in "Hi, I'm Ellie...nice to meet you" - Julietta - she even said it in her Penelope Cruz type lilt in her voice - HU-LEE-ETTA - ahh I melted.

So, Julietta, what are you seeing next?? I hear there's a great sight at this Christchurch College (the Harry Potter place for those of you not following along) - would you care to join me? "Sure!" - we walked about the city, took in the sights, laughed at our silly jokes, occasionally stumbling on language barriers - her english was overly impressive, my spanish was riddiculously crude and completely unnecssary - she complimented my efforts nonetheless.

We scoured the city, looking for Harry and his lil' Potterites...took photos - man this was amazing - this girl was bright, sexy, intelligent beyond her years, stunning - and she was with me! HA!

After walking about the college, I asked her if she'd like to have dinner with me - "yes, I would" - magic...her exact and proper attempt at speaking the Queen's English was melting my insides - we agreed to meet back at 6pm - she needed a little rest in her hostel - for she was staying the night in Oxford, whilst I had to get back home to London for work the next day (subsequently, I got home at 230am - so I didn't go to work, but that's neither here nor there). We met up again, and picked up where we left off - she with her two younger siblings, me with my sister, she with her plans to be a lawyer like her Argentinan father - me, a teacher, career-path slowly being carved before me - she with her 18 years of age - me suddenly feeling like a creepy old man, 10 years her senior - now, I know what you're thinking - and in part I'd be in agreement with you - when I was ten years younger, she was playing in sandboxes etc...yes, but, you see, funny thing about travelling the world where your annoying friends who'd rib you about this shit aren't around - you just don't care. To be very honest, I suspected she was young - 21 or 22, not 18, she doesn't look 18, but its of no concern to any major court of law on the face of this earth, so I shant be bothered about it either.

We dined in Oxford's finest Italian-themed restaurants - Pizza Hut - she was craving pizza since leaving home nearly a month ago, and me, being nearly broke-as-shit, was more than happy to pay a few quid for an oily-slice of yummy goodness!! We talked about cultural differences, likes and dislikes, I made sure to compliment her beauty, she, a straight-forward person played along nicely.

We walked the streets of Oxford at night - the students were out on the prowl, ready for some drunken fun and misadventure - it reminded me an awful lot of being at Western - for you non-Canadian readers its a university town in, ironically, London, Ontario. We stopped into a little place for a follow-up dessert - more conversations,laughs, and photos....we agreed that it was time to wrap up this beautiful day, I needed to catch a train home, she needed some sleep in a grungy hostel - we walked back to her place, agreeing that we'd love to hang out again in London, exchanged phone numbers and emails (oh, that reminds me I need to send her some photos) and then a simple hug and kiss on the cheek goodnight - it was fantastic, and I await the next time we meet here in London.

(On a side note I would like to add that I had made an effort for more of a passionate ending to this particular day, but it was not meant to be)

The train ride home was less than exciitng - the only train due for a while was calling on ALL stops in between, meaning the 57 minute journey that I was hoping for was going to turn into a 1:57 minute journey - thank goodness for the iPod. Yes, all in all it was an ispiring day at Oxfordshire, Oxford University was a massive place, the town itself quaint and a good blend of past and present architecture, though I think they kind of went overboard on the modernity bit - but the women, ahhh the women, well let's just say I've now got a sudden craving to visit South America...


Done.
Peace.

EM

The Wandering Jew

Blog Readers Rejoice!! For He hath returned to cyberspace...

Yes kids, I'm back - man I make more comebacks than George Foreman does in boxing - which I hear he's considering doing again, or more than Michael Jordan does for basketball - and its my hope that I too can become a giant in my field, a champion of champions, and reign supremely in cyberspace as one of the best bloggers ever!!

Of course, I recognize that A)I'd need to blog more than once every six weeks B)I'd need more than 5 readers and C)I actually don't have a "C" but good things come in 3's...

Right, so, what have I been up to as of late? Well, for starters I'm working at a fantastic school, very supportive learning and teaching environment, and wouldn't you know it I'm actually utilizing my Political Science background/degree???!!!!

I'm teaching Citizenship - which is the UK equivalent to Ontario's curriculum standard of Civics. In effect we discuss different ideas related to citizenship - from why we have laws in society, to reasons that we should become "actively involved or proactive citizens" and whether or not we should vote, care about the environment, international aid etc. - its fascinating stuff, at least to me, and the kids seem to enjoy it as well.

I've been a professional teacher now for nearly 4 months - actively working and getting paid to teach - and its amazing. I'm still not quite in love with the profession, I think its too soon to be in love, maybe we're at the point where I'm in "like" with it. I certainly enjoy getting in there, discussing the topics, watching the students' minds at work - we take our youth for granted sometime - not always, but sometimes.

On the social side of life in London - I've been spending time with new friends, going on some interesting dates, picking up and putting down, number-closing and happily NOT drunk-dialing (or texting, texting is VERY big here in the UK) - and trying to gear up my travel calendar.

I've booked myself a trip to Prague next weekend - the 21st to the 24th of February - and I'm very excited to be going. Countries still on my "hit list" are - Scotland, Ireland, Spain and possibly something Scandinavian. Outside chances of hitting up Monaco, Nice, Sicily, Pisa, Berlin, Moscow and/or Ibiza are...undetermined at best. I of course welcome all visitors, and note that anyone wishing to join me in the Holy Land during Passover (Pesach) is more than welcome - where you'll stay, that's another story, but we can work something out - I'm hoping to be there for the 20th of April (possibly earlier) and experience a very Jewish Passover!!!

Entertainment lately has consisted of me seeing Chris Rock in Brixton (often considered the armpit of London, where gun crime isn't so unusual, to the point where in the first 5 minutes of his set, Rock opened with the line "Brixton! Get paid...n' RUN!!!!" - he was brilliant of course, and if you get the chance to see him live, do it!!!

Next up for me are the Brit Awards - featuring a tribute award to none other than Sir Paul McCartney - and a special performance (I'm predicting a new song, followed by some rendition of Hey Jude and/or a Wings melody to boot...I'll let you know if I'm right) as well. On tap that night are slated performances by Kaiser Chiefs (seen them already too), Rihanna (umbrella-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay.....), Kylie Minogue (or just Kylie if you're British, Australian or Gay), Mika (again, just Mika if you're British, Australian or Gay) and of course I get to watch Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne host the damn thing...a;jlkfsjdf;lksjwesnfzm,nvcvnha;ksdjhfjkahdfh gwgh,,,/vodka...asd;lfkjas;ldkfjwoiefhadhaksjdhfakjh fuckin' bitches...ksjd;lfkajsd;fklj good night!! (my Ozzie impression online).

That, folks I believe sums up the past few weeks, the next few weeks and well, there's more but you'll have to keep reading online for details!

PEACE OUT!
DONE!

EM