OXFORD, Part 2

(Note: If you'd rather start at the beginning of our trip, check out Why We Fled the Country and just follow the links at the end of each post.)

Museum Noir

The #1 recommendation I heard for off-the-beaten-path Oxford sites was the Victorian Pitt-Rivers Museum, which is still organized as it was established in the 1880s. One local called it the "kookiest exhibits you'll ever see."

I had no idea that museum design had evolved so much. Since this one hasn't, it felt downright weird. The collections from all over the globe are organized by what they are. This sounds reasonable, but it's actually a little nutty in implementation. All of the human forms in art are together, regardless of origin -- a French doll of George Washington next to a scary African tribal...doll.

All of the circular blades (??) are together.

All of the mummies are together. I hadn't realized the ancient Egyptians mummified everything -- from bugs to pets to children (all after death, we presume). I found the child mummy disturbing, though I've never had that reaction to adult mummies. I suppose early death feels unnatural no matter how long ago it happened.

I couldn't help noticing the guy on the left looked a little familiar -- perhaps dangling in the Night Bus on HP3?

The most famous exhibit is randomly placed on the main floor in a little glass case. I almost missed the shrunken heads. They are that little. And yes, they are real human heads, with the brains/skulls removed and the skin shrunken like a t-shirt in the laundry. From a tribe I'd rather never meet.

Above right is a mask representing the "spirit of a jealous woman." Watch out for that woman...

It was grisly and intriguing, but I was glad to be alone so I didn't have to stay very long or listen to all 150 audio explanations of the Inuit seal-intestine coat manufacture (above left, designed by Donita of Wild Kratts fame--jk), the variations in basket-weaving from one continent to the other, or the panoply of carved ivory puzzles, jewelry, boxes, and bowls...

Public Eyesore #1
On my way to the Ashmolean, I passed the Department of Engineering Science and thanked God I am not an engineer...

The Ashmolean
This newly-renovated museum is the most-visited in the UK outside London. It could not be more different from Pitt-Rivers. It is sleek, beautiful, modern, light -- and relatively boring. If I were more excited by ancient artifacts that look like chipped rocks, I'd have been in my element.

So I focused on the few modern European art rooms. While walking into one room, I heard someone call it "the room of ugly renaissance babies." It contained paintings of the Virgin and Child. ;)

Then I found a room of portraits, including this guy who one might expect to be a doctor or a grave-digger, but no, he wanted to be reminded of death every time he looked at his portrait. Personally, I think he had a secret flair for the dramatic and liked to cast himself as Hamlet when he was alone.

Then Josh called to say he was done, so I headed back toward the hotel...

The City
Along the way, I was a little relieved to see some streets with grocery stores, a covered market, Marks & Spence, and yes, KFC. While Oxford has many enclaves of stone and grass, it is still possible to buy a toothbrush and pajamas (and popcorn chicken, bleh) without getting in your car.

Magdalen College
Now that Josh and his mentor were ready to join me for a last afternoon of sight-seeing, we set out in the rain for Maudlin College -- which may not be the correct spelling but is the correct pronunciation (a bit like Wooster and Worchester - a real shibboleth for locals vs tourists).

Several of the old colleges have these famous, vaulted, paneled dining halls that make you think Surely their school food is better than our school food.

We took the path around the deer park where there is an actual herd of deer taking shelter under the trees. C.S. Lewis famously became a Christian while walking this path.

Endeavour
With the rain and summer holidays, the college was almost entirely deserted, so I was intrigued when we turned a corner and saw a small tent with heavy-duty equipment underneath. I asked the only guy in sight what was going on, and he said "We're filming for Endeavour." Then I freaked out.

As I mentioned in OXFORD, Part 1, we are Inspector Lewis fans. But the tradition of killing in Oxford began further back. Inspector Endeavour Morse (Inspector Morse) was the original phenom with his faithful sidekick Lewis. Then Morse died and Lewis became the inspector, joined by Sergeant Hathaway (Inspector Lewis). Then Lewis and Hathaway left the force, so the BBC had to time travel back to the 1960s when Morse was a lieutenant to create the current series, Endeavour. Thus, the BBC has managed to turn one successful 1980s detective series into a 40-year empire. And we're eating it up.

Hence, the goofy photos of me smiling like the groupie that I am...

The actors were very sweet and approachable and took pics with each of us (Josh's mentor is also a fan). It totally made our day.

Christ Church
Afterward, we warmed up over some mediocre scones and tea (should've gone to the Vaults & Gardens), then headed to Christ Church for their daily Evensong service, a 1-hour liturgical service mostly sung by their boys choir.

Several of the colleges have choirs written into their charters as one of their essential activities. Lower schools were started to supply the upper register voices. Today, those schools are elite and what we call private but they call "public" (i.e. parents pay lots to send their kids - this reversal of terms can get confusing in a conversation on public vs private education, as I had at dinner one night with a local).

Amidst the beauty and peaceful reminder of our great God, there were two funny moments. First, near the end of the service, one of the speakers started talking about "dear Hildegard" who was such a faithful member of the church... We assumed he was asking for prayer for a current member of the parish. Till he got to the end. Don't think she needs much prayer since she died in 1179...

Then, Josh pointed out the last page in the pocket-size Book of Common Prayer that was at every seat...

The first and last pages...

...I guess they find it important to keep this handy at all times?

More Celebrities
Then we saw the royals.... ;)

Trivia Night
Finally, we walked to the Eagle & Child, which has hosted trivia night on Tuesdays for decades. There used to be a joke that if you saw C.S. Lewis walking in, it must be Tuesday. Our friend asked the affable host if the questions would be too local, and he said no. He LIED. But it was still fun, and took the pressure off for the all-too-competitive academics with me...

Headed Home

Once upon a time, I was a young undergrad filling out an application for graduate study at Oxford. I wound up abandoning the application and went on to various jobs, a different grad school, more jobs, being a mom, etc.

Visiting Oxford after all these years because of someone else's achievements, while reading about an Oxford grad student who became a professor, I couldn't help wondering about the road not taken. It's hard to take a peak at this place without wanting to be the person who belongs here. Should I have stuck with academia?

In a word, no. I've been reminded several times lately that part of growing up is realizing that what you thought you'd want when you were 20 may not match what you actually want when you're 35. My desires have changed -- hopefully because God has helped change them (Ps 37:4). I don't regret any of the choices that have brought me here, mostly because I feel blessed beyond anything I expected when I was 20. The blessings just look different than I expected.

So the following passage in my book was especially well-timed... 

As was my reunion with my sweet boys, about whom I never have any doubts.