Exams are done!

Yeah, exams are over! It was a busy week, filled with flashcards, teeth grinding, and weird dreams about normal distributions and standard deviations, but it's over! I was looking forward to testing in the old Examination Schools, but unfortunately, we had to instead take a bus out to Summertown, where we took the exams in a big, ugly, brown brick building probably built in the 70's. I'm told that next term we'll get to be in the exam schools, so there's that to look forward to for next terms exams : )
This is Whitney our roommate and me all dressed up in our sub fusc outfits for exams:


Cramming in a few more bits of information between exams--I think that flash card says "Return on Investment":

Covered Market

The Covered Market is kind of a trendy and expensive but very cool shopping venue in the City Center. We got a special treat today, as all of the butchers were gearing up for the holidays. We saw hanging rabbits, deer, boar, turkeys, pheasants, and other unidentifiable critters all ready for Christmas dinner.

After passing through all the fresh meat, you arrive at Ben's Cookies. If you still have an appetite, which never seems to be an issue, these are the best cookies in Oxford. They are only $3.00 a cookie, what a deal, soft and gooey, always fresh from the oven. They even sell a glass of milk with that cookie, good idea Ben!!

Weekend in the Cotswolds

Lindsay finally managed to get away for the weekend before "revision" week (like dead week back home--no classes and lots of cramming). We rented a car and drove out to the Cotswolds, an area just northwest of Oxford that is known for its quintessentially British towns and rolling hills. This is a shot of Burford, below Morton-on-the-Water and Herford.

We stayed in a very cute little bed and breakfast. The portion of the building that we stayed in dated back to the 16th century! We hid inside when it was raining, walked around when it wasn't, and Lindsay studied statistics while Tyler read his book...It was great.

Valencia, Spain with the Germans

For those of you who don't know, this is Matthias Fuhrmann, a good old friend from the Mountain View High School days. Tyler hadn't seen Matthias for over ten years, and he still is a great friend. Matthias recognized Tyler on the street, evidently Tyler hasn't changed a bit. This weekend trip was one of the Germans three 'literature book club' trips for the year, and this one landed in Valencia, Spain.
Left to right, Matthias, Verner, Robert, Axel, Dennis, and Carlos

Dennis and Robert loving every bit of that McDonalds

Matthias overlooking Valencia

The latest 'Modern Art' in Valencia

Dennis enjoying that cigarette

One of the questions that came up in a conversation about these vendors on the streets, 'Do they need a permit for that?' At one point in the evening, we heard a bunch comotion coming from down the alley, and literally less than five seconds all vendors had gathered their items and were walking away. That answered that question, cool that they work together, and look out for eachother. This lady here had a two year old daughter, where is she, ohh, just wandering around freely. She wanders up and down the street interacting with the other vendors, it was obvious they all knew her. Dang cute little girl, sorry there's no picture.

The crew doing what they did best that weekend, not a whole lot of discussions about literature, but we made up for it with beer drinking.

The New Camera Arrived (Thanks Millers!!!)

Hopefully you start seeing some better quality images. We stepped it up, and purchased a 10 mp Cannon Rebel xTi Digital SLR camera, it is fun. Tyler was stuck waiting 30 minutes for a train, and enjoyed every minute of the wait with the new camera. Nothing special here, just Tyler experiencing new technology. These pictures are from his trip to Bristol, England, where he attended a 'How To Make Sustainability Pay' conference focused on UK and the sustainability of residential and commercial development.

This is the Temple Meads train station in Bristol. Notice the classic english taxi cab on the lower right, they are great.

OK, there is still some work to be had on the old focus thing, but we are learning, and this was just round one. They will get better. Photography is a very fun activity, especially with digital, no waiting for results in the dark room, it's right there. Don't like that setting, change it, take it again, ohh it's fun. This last picture is middle class English culture summed up in one photo, too bad it's out of focus, moving too quick, didn't want him to catch me, next time. Good night......

Our Running Trail

There is a nice balance to Oxford, with lots of access to outdoor recreation. This trail starts right out our front door, and is a great lunch escape for both of us.




This is the view from under the scary bridge. Yah, it's a rough start, but well worth it. Keep in mind, the trains pass over your head at 60mph.















Just after the adventure under the bridge, you get this, nice dirt (yes, no pavement) trail along the Thames River.














After the bridge there are lots of options, stay along the river path and continue along the treeline in this picture, head out into the open Port Meadow, or cross the meadow for a loop system. All range from 3-4.5 mile loops, great way to break the day up from all that desk jockey slave labor.

Punting In Oxford

We decided to check this whole punting thing out on a Sunday afternoon. Not a bad way to check out the area.
We convinced Whitney (our roommate) and Chris (her boyfriend visiting from the states) that it would be a great idea. They even trusted Tyler with the punt, or stick, or whatever you call it.










If you are punting for the romantic experience, I would advise hiring a guide, Tyler spent most of the time banging the pole against the side of the boat, and trying to stay on board.

Bath, England

This weekend outing was quite sometime ago, I'm just trying to catch up.
Tyler got tired of 'hanging' around while Lindsay studied, so after a Sunday morning cup of coffee, accompanied with Lonely Planet (the best guide book out there) Great Britain Guidebook, he hoped on a train. It was an hour and a half away from Oxford, with great countryside views from the train window.
This is the main 'tourist' attraction in Bath, The Roman Bath Museum (http://www.romanbaths.co.uk/index.cfm?alias=home).
The Romans were quite impressive with their engineering skills back then. In the First Century, they had lead pipe plumbing, steam rooms, radiant heat flooring (wow it's back), hot tubs, insulated walls, hollow bricks for ceiling structure (lightweight), made concrete that cured underwater, etc... the list goes on and on.

Ok, it's official, Tyler did make it to Bath, nice self portrait Tyler...... where's Lindsay? Ohh, over a million litres (265k gal) of 47C (117 F) water emerges from this spring every day.

Random street in Bath, that's it
Another random pic in Bath

This is where all the famous people in England live at some point in their life, I don't know why, interesting architecture though, just have one guy standing in the center with a string to keep that perfect circular line?

This is the most famous teahouse in England, so Tyler couldn't resist, and then took a picture. That is called a bun in the center, no nothing like a Cindy's cinnamon rolls, but still good. The tea, it was also good, Tyler enjoyed it enough to drink tea for the next couple of days, then went back to the good life of coffee. Besides, tea stains your teeth.
An evening walk along the river, looking back at the city. Goodbye bath, till next time, gotta catch a train.

Ride To White Horse Hill

I am trying another option, by writing descriptions here, and then linking you to other pictures in picasaweb. So, this was my road ride out to White Horse.
Ride to White Horse Pics
Maybe I will add a few photos here in the blog, then the link will be a bonus for a photo gallery to view.
-Tyler

Tourist Walk In Oxford

Still not liking this blogspot....
We decided to be tourists for an afternoon, and make the suggested walk by our guidebook. Here is a picture of us being tourists from the college church, it was a nice view of the city, with the rolling green hills on the horizon.










A classic hidden view of a college courtyard. Usually you have to sneek a view behind the entrance to see inside, some are open for viewing only to the public, some you can pay to enter, while most others are simply closed. You need to know someone to get in.






This is the entrance to the city when walking from our house. It already feels very 'familiar'. The best coffee shop is to the left here, and it only costs $6, with a muffin $10, not bad for here.

Downtown Oxford

Just another old friggin building
Christ Church

Yep, a Courtyard
High Street
Maryrs Memorial with the classic Double Decker Tourist Bus

There's a significant amount of history with this bridge, but maybe lets just admire the beauty of it right now, nice huh. I do think they could have made it out of lighter materials, but just a thought.
Good job Tyler, you made it into a picture on the blog. Where are you going though? Must be tired of this blog, till next time......