Morrus Goes Boating in Oxford

[Zander]

Re: Re: The Other Place

Interesting how those in Oxford refer to Cambridge as "The Other Place" in just the same way that you referred to Oxford!

As an Oxford graduate, I must disagree. There is only Oxford. Nowhere else counts.

Quickly dons flame-retardant suit.

 

[alsih2o]

Ok, fair enough. Perhaps I should have said... an edifice?

I just don't get the same vibe off the Serpent Mound as I would from an aztec ziggurat as I would from an abbey that's been standing for 1000 years... There's a difference among all those "structures."

Seriously, I'm not dissing our native peoples. I've just been always rather more impressed that they *didn't* clutter the land with structures-- err, edifices. What have you.

i see a ziggurat and a mound as being approximately the same thing

now, structures with interiors, that is different, but not neccesarily more impressive (to me)

whatever word we choose to use for it, if oyu get withing a hundred miles make the trip to see it, it will blow your mind

 

[Morrus]

A couple more photos of places we saw (these weren't taken by me, but found on the web):

"With more than six million books, one million maps and thousands of priceless manuscripts the Bodleian is one of the world's great libraries and arguably the centre of the English language. The library was first established in the early 1300's and was secured by the university of Oxford in 1410. Since 1610 the library has been entitled to receive a free copy of all books printed in England. While access to certain parts of the library is by special arrangement and membership, walking around the courtyards is free access. Also a guided tour around key areas of the library is available - see below. The Bodleian is an exquisitely beautiful building and is located in the centre of Oxford, city of 'dreaming spires'."

Wow, this is a pretty picture:

This is where we did our boating (the leftmost pic):

]

 

[Maldur]

Sounds very "picturesque"

Hope you had a nice trip

 

[guedo79]

Hmmm.....

All kinds of neat really really old buildings
amazing landscapes
all kinds of history
AND great beer?

Why haven't I moved to england yet?

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Mmmm... yeahhhh... Mayan and Aztec construction, no problem.

But a mound of dirt, however long, doth not a structure make.

Really? Seeing as there are an awful lot of mounds in Europe (and elsewhere) that are considered structures (Glastonbury Tor?), I don't see why they wouldn't be considered so here. The Serpent Mound, for example, was made expressly to look like a serpent - it wasn't an accident or coincidence. Whether you consider it, or any of the other architecture of North America that predates European discovery of the continent, to be structures, they are certainly considered so now, and were considered so by those who built them. They seem pretty impressive to me, and shouldn't be dismissed because they don't fit with our idea of what constitutes a structure.

EDIT: Sorry to be off-topic; I'll leave the matter alone from now. Good pics, again, Morrus!

 

[Zappo]

I've got stuff twice as old near here (and no, they aren't mounds).

Then again, I'm shocked when I read that some Americans are willing to drive 150 km to have a nice dinner or a D&D session.

 

[Ferret]

I was going to wow at someone coming to england, but, silly me you live there.

Look like you had a good time, if you like old buildings, read "Notes from a small island." By Bill Bryson

 

[Talaysen]

Well, you know what they say - in Europe, a hundred miles is a long way. In America, a hundred years is a long time.

 

[Mark]

Well, you know what they say - in Europe, a hundred miles is a long way. In America, a hundred years is a long time.

Well said!