The City of Dreaming Spires
| September 26, 2012 | Posted by Sweet Tooth Runner under Uncategorized |
Sorry for going AWOL again, but I’ve just come back from an amazing time staying in the beautiful city of Oxford!
I stayed at the University for a History conference, which was fantastic! The lectures and lecturers were so amazing, the food was great, and I got to experience it all with some of the people I love most!
Our accommodation and lectures were all at Hertford College, which was lovely but it SO cold inside the building! I kept waking up in the night because my room was so cold!!
I got to look around the amazing Bodleian Library with all its 11 million books. Incidentally, it was the library used in the Harry Potter films! Apparently the crew took it over for three days for filming which really riled the academics! 
I also went ice skating for the first time!! We saw there was an ice rink nearby, so we hit up the twilight session! I fell on my butt twice (and sitting down is literally a pain in the…) but I was a lot better at skating by the end! I’ll be a figure skater in no time 
And of course, I got to explore the city in the best way…through running! My running bud Jessy and I had such a great time finding new places to run and nothing is better than running in a beautiful city with a good friend for company 
Sidenote: those beautiful shoes I am sporting above are my NEW SAUCONY KINVARAS. I am in love with them. I had racked up about 700 miles on my old Kinvaras so it was definitely time for new ones!!
I also dropped my Garmin out of my third storey window this morning and it somehow survived without a scratch! I put it out on my windowsill to get signal and then dropped it out when I tried to pick it up! It is a miracle watch. And I really need to insure all my possessions because I am such a klutz.
Too many early starts and late nights this trip meant that I’ve been averaging three trips to Starbucks a day to keep myself away. I don’t even want to think about how much I’ve spent on coffee in the past week!!
Anyways, I have a life update, a review, and a RACE RECAP from my first race of the season(!!) to post this week, so I’ll be around more from now on
Have you ever been to Oxford? I’ve been a couple of times for brief visits before. My cousin is at her fourth year of uni there so I’ve been on day trips to Oxford to meet up with her.
What is your favourite city in the world? Oxford is up there, but it’s not quite my favourite…yet I think mine are currently San Francisco, Honolulu and Barcelona.
Are you a coffee fan? How do you take yours? I like my coffee black usually, especially in the mornings, but I like soy lattes too!
Hope you’re having a great week! <3
Yay! Welcome back. I am super jealous that you were in Oxford – and that you have such cute shoes.
I love Berlin and Phuket (though not a city!) and am in love with the Scottish Highlands.
Kate recently posted..Let the Taper Tantrums Begin
I seriously get so excited when I see you have posted. LOVE IT. I’m really glad you are having a good time. That is legit awesome the Garmin survived. Totally sounds like me-but my stuff would have broken. LOL
HollieisFueledByLOLZ recently posted..WIAW Real Talk
Never been to Oxford! Great to explore a new city by running though. Favourite city such a tough one, I love San Francisco, Buenos Aires, Berlin and Barcelona equally
Lauren (@poweredbypb) recently posted..To rest or not to rest
Congrats on your first skating experience!
As for coffee – I’m an addict. I prefer mine with skim milk, no sugar. But really, any coffee will do.
Beth (i run like a girl) recently posted..Is it Pool Running or Aqua Jogging?
It looked amazing!! Are you applying there? I’m still in 2 minds, if I crazily got an offer I’d probably reject it in favour of UCL!! *Dilemmas* and only 2 weeks lefts to think about it
You look so pretty!
hey Tasha!! no I’m not applying there for undergrad, although I’d love to do a Masters there! I’m applying to both the US and the UK for uni! haha that’s not too crazy, UCL is awesome!
and thanks!!
<3
Glad you are having such a lovely time- I am going to Oxford in a few weeks to do the half marathon there- I am hoping it has some nice scenery.
I love Bath in the UK, and San Fran in the US, and Barcelona in Europe- they are my fave cities
Maria @ runningcupcake recently posted..Nakd fun!
Hertford was my college. Don’t know if you saw, but just across Radcliffe Square is a cafe in the church – the Vault and Gardens – which does some amazing veggie and vegan food. There’s also some great long runs you can do up around Boar’s Hill which give amazing views back into Oxford which are almost worth the 4km of uphill to get to them! Hope you did a pilgrimage to Iffley Road as well!
Charlotte @ just_leg_it recently posted… Fordingbridge Result
Oh cool, you studied at Oxford? Hertford is beautiful
Yes I went there on recommendation and loved it!! Aaah that sounds wonderful!! I wish I’d stayed long enough to enjoy it all!
Have a great week! <3
Oooh,I love ice skating!! I’m pretty much the only here though,so no one wants to join me and I end up not goinng because alone,it’s no fun after all.
Anyhoo,Oxford must be impressive and really,really beautiful. If I could,I’d travl to any place in the world I guess,haha
Kat @ a dash of fairydust recently posted..Closed
awww I’d go ice skating with you ANY TIME, but I’m warning you I’m not great and I’d bring you down with me
hope you are well Kat!! <3
That looks like a great time! I would love to be able to travel somebody. I am in Washington DC and while everybody is trying to get here, I’m trying to go see anywhere else! (although this is an awesome city).
I laughed reading this. You dropped a Garmin out a window? Who does that. lol. Too funny.
I’ve never been to Oxford but it looks lovely! Love the pics of you and your friends, reminds me of the school trips I used to go on and how much fun we used to have! My favourite cities are Barcelona and Cardiff! I’ve given up coffee at the moment, another week to go! I think I might treat myself to the pumpkin spice latte in starbucks as I am intrigued!
Ffion @ Chocolate & Raspberries recently posted..Giveaway: Jordans Cereals
I love Oxford, my mum is living near there and we have had some great trips in. I also adore Berlin
although not really a city person, defo love Oxford’s vibe. Looking forward to your race recap 
Catherine recently posted..I Dig 25.9.12 – Internet Love
So good to hear from you Emma! I love ice skating, but it’s definitely pretty difficult when you go for the first time so I’m not surprised that you fell! I can’t believe you dropped your garmin from that high and it survived. Gotta love that watch!
My favorite cities are Barcelona, San Francisco (just like you!), and of course Miami!!
Tara recently posted..Slacking on the workouts
Oooh, you’re back! I’m glad you enjoyed your stay at Oxford! I’ve never been there. What exactly was the History conference about? Did all students from your class go or just you and your friends?
It’s hard to pick a favourite city seeing as there are so many exciting ones I have yet to visit. For now, it might be Berlin because it has a lot to offer and is home to interesting people from all over the world.
Your new shoes look awesome! I bet they make you run even faster, right
?
You should definitely go sometime if you can, it’s such a beautiful city
The History conference was mainly to do with Russian history in the 20th century, which is my favourite! Just me and some friends went 
I love Berlin too! Haha thanks, they totally make me faster
Have a great week! <3
You’d enjoy chatting to a friend of mine who’s studying history and spent part of her semester break in Russia
.
I hope I’ll get a chance to visit Oxford sometime.
Looking gorgeous! Your Fall attire is lovely
I think my next running shoe purchase will be those Saucony Kinvaras. I’ve heard great things about them!
Irina @ Chocolatea Time recently posted..Russian Travels Week 1: Saint Petersburg Part 2
Aww thank you Irina!! I definitely recommend the Saucony Kinvaras! I’m on my third pair now and I love them! They’re great all-round shoes
Have a great week!! <3
Yay! I’ve been watching like a hawk to see if you’ve posted!
Your trip to Oxford sounds lovely! It was cool to hear you write about the Bodleian Library, because even though I have never even been to the UK, I kind of have a “connection” because my grandma’s maiden name is Bodley and if you go waaay back I happen to be related to Sir Thomas Bodley of whom the Bodleian Library was named 
so one day I hope to visit the library for myself! 
Sharon recently posted..Country Run with Running Buddies!
WOW you’re related to Sir Thomas Bodley?! that’s so awesome!! you definitely need to visit, it’s so beautiful
have a great weekend Sharon!! <3
hi beautiful girl!!
your Kinvara’s are BEAUTIFUL!!! I am in love with pink shoes right now!
and COFFEEE!! even though it’s never chilly here in San Diego, which might make it my favorite city in the world!…there are so many place I need to visit before I decide that though!
I hope you’ve been doing well!!
xoxo!
Lizzy recently posted..Tis the season for marathons!
Aw I love Oxford, I used to go to Uni there – I wast at St Annes College, but left because I really wasnt enjoying the course I was doing
I love trying to go down and visit when I can though. Looks like you had such a fun time!
Lot-O-Choc recently posted..Melt Boxed Chocolates