Archive for the ‘Notes’ Category
Ben, a friend and Wolfson classmate, is a member of Oxford’s premier all-male a cappella group, Out of the Blue. Somewhat on a whim, the group decided to enter Britain’s Got Talent (which, for my American readers, is similar to, well, America’s Got Talent). Of course, OOtB did very well in the competition, and I was able to watch their live Thursday semi-final performance. When the British public decided that a middle-aged engineer dancing the Macarena was more worthy of progressing to the finals, both the judges and the studio audience were outraged. The performance was fantastic, as was the chance to see a live TV broadcast. Check the respective websites for more info, videos, etc.
Unfortunately, cameras weren’t allowed in the studio, so this shot is from ITV’s site.
The coming of Trinity term means the Oxford spring ball season. I was lucky enough to attend the Keble College Ball with a few friends from that college. Keble College is new by Oxford standards, established in 1870. When it was built, Keble’s brick structure, though now regarded as quite magnificent, was considered a bit of an eyesore. A secret society was formed at St. John’s College, dedicated to the brick-by-brick destruction of Keble. Membership in the society was secured by presenting the elders with a brick taken from Keble. General wisdom is that this secret society is still alive and well.
The Keble ball took on a Sherlock Holmes “Scandal in Bohemia” theme, and a festival atmosphere predominated the Keble quads. Food and drink were plentiful, as was dancing and friendly company.
Pictures by the lovely and talented Anna Schrade. Click for more!
May Day starts early in Oxford, with 6 a.m. May Morning celebrations. People from all over Oxford (including a motley crew from Wolfson College) head down to Magdalen Bridge to hear the Magdalen College Choir greet the coming spring with a rendition of Hymnus Eucharisticus from the top of the college’s main tower. Afterwards, the revelers head into town to watch Morris dancing, find breakfast, and generally frolic before heading back home for a nap.
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On Friday, one of my NIH-OxCam classmates successfully passed her DPhil viva, the Oxford equivalent of a thesis defense. In celebration of her success and the glorious spring weather, we arranged a punting celebration. In punting, a traditional summer pastime at Oxford and Cambridge, a flat-bottomed boat is propelled by pushing against the riverbed with a long pole. All the while, of course, the punter and passengers enjoy the local scenery and weather, and stop at nearby pubs.
As I was too busy punting to photograph, these pictures are courtesy my lovely punt companions, Kara Fleming and Katrina Witt. Click for more!
On Sunday, the clocks in Great Britain officially sprang ahead an hour. So while true summer time has not yet arrived, we can safely welcome the spring season and its attendant picnics, punting, and flowers. A few random sunny Oxford and London pictures are below.
First, an unfortunately placed observatory that borders the parks…
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Today, I stopped by the Oxford University Museum of Natural History on the way back to Wolfson from the High Street. Although the museum was about to close, and so my visit was brief, even a quick look showed an impressive array of animal, vegetable, and mineral fossils. They included the Oxford dodo birds, dinosaurs, fluorescent minerals, and a wide-ranging insect exhibit. Needless to say, next time I visit, it will be more than 30 minutes before closing!
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Last week I enjoyed “formal hall” at Lincoln College (where an NIH-OxCam classmate lives) on Thursday, as well as one at Wolfson (with guests on exchange from Kellogg College) on Friday night. These dinners, served every night at some colleges and more rarely at others, are a longstanding tradition at Oxford. The food (usually quite good) is served by waitstaff, and students dress in some college-specified combination of formal attire and their appropriate gowns. Grace is said in Latin, and at the more traditional colleges, faculty members (“college fellows”) sit at a separate “high table” overlooking the students. The Christ Church formal hall affair is the meal after which Harry Potter hall was modeled.
Both of these meals and the ensuing nights were good fun, though there wasn’t much opportunity for picture-taking. I have, however, now attained the iconic Oxford achievement of cycling to dinner with a black gown flowing out behind me. Below find a couple of pictures of Lincoln College’s library.
Click for the update and pictures of Keble College Hall!
For those not keeping track, the UK has been at the mercy of snow for the past several days, delaying my first trip back to the colonies. However, Oxford in general and Wolfson College in particular are hospitable places to wait for the weather to clear. In the mean time, here are a few pictures of Oxford in a festive (if hard-to-navigate) winter motif.
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| I’m getting more and more settled into Wolfson, meeting new friends through lab (pictured), college, and rowing, and of course still enjoying the city of Oxford and the English countryside. The weather has stayed remarkably warm and clear so far, but if the BBC can be trusted, the cold is coming! |
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After a rowing outing and tank session yesterday, today it was time for some more gliding. However, rather than take the bus to the Bicester airfield, today seemed like a beautiful day for a bicycle ride. After planning a route along mostly back roads, I set off. This was my first up-close-and-personal taste of the countryside, and I was befriended by a smattering of sheep, horses, hares, and birds. Next time, I will take pictures. In the mean time, have a Google Earth flyby or the map below.
A clear morning at Bicester allowed a 40-minute self-launched motorglider flight to get most of the stall and incipient spin exercises out of the way. Next up: full spins and failed winch launches.
Click to take a look at the map!
