Winds will not strip the blossom from the apple trees......

Oxford is one of those magical places, caught in another time, set adrift from the real world. It's like the medieval version of Disneyland, where every building has character and looks like its from a fairytale! I love Oxford, I especially love the evening walks around the illuminated streets. It sometimes feels like Narnia when you amble down a narrow street, come across a lamp post, and you believe the possibilities are endless. When Niall moved there in September we said we would try visit as many colleges as possible during his master's, we are only now getting around to it. We had already visited Trinity and Christ Church (I stayed here in September, amazing!), and Niall is a member of Oriel College, so we decided last weekend to visit Magdalen. I'll be updating the blog with each college I visit. 

Magdalen was founded in 1458 by William Waynflete. The college is set beside the Cherwell River and includes a herd of pretty deer which we caught a glimpse of (very exciting for a deer enthusiast like myself!). The grounds are beautiful and the buildings impressive. 

 Magdalen Chapel was beautiful, and when we stepped inside there was someone playing the organ which made the visit really atmospheric and a bit surreal. I loved the stained-glass windows, which seemed unusual with the brown tones. The chapel was probably my favourite part of the visit, and is well worth a peek!

 The Author C.S. Lewis was elected as a fellow of Magdalen in 1925 and stayed at the college until 1954. Lewis, the author of the Narnia series, rediscovered his faith whilst at Magdalen. When you wander around Oxford itself, you get a the sense that Narnia could have been based on some of the beautiful dream-like spots dotted around the city and the glowing lampposts by night. 

When you take a walk around Magdalen you'll come across the following plaque set beside the river, which has Lewis' poem 'What the Bird said Early in the Year' inscribed upon it. 

Details

Opening Times: 

Jan-June: 1pm-dusk

End of June-September: 12-7pm

Oct-December: 1pm-dusk

Price: 

Adults - £5

Students - £4

Oxford Students - Free

Must See: Parklands and Chapel

Website: http://www.magd.ox.ac.uk/

Location: 

Magdalen College 
Oxford 
OX1 4AU 
United Kingdom 

(Title Poem - What the Bird said Early in the Year' - C.S. Lewis)

(Info from the Magdalen website)

Baby Went to Amsterdam, Four, Five Days for the Big Canal....

Just last week I took a little trip to Amsterdam, specifically the trip was to see the Verzetsmuseum and newly reopened Rijksmuseum. This was my second trip to the city, the first being a very brief stay whilst interrailing in 2011. The city has so much to offer but is somewhat overlooked as a city of sex and drugs, but honestly if you put these obvious sites to the sideline the city is bursting to seams with things to see. 

 

A really special place for me was Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder or 'Our Lord in the Attic', a secret 17th century Catholic Church built over three canal houses. The church was built during the Reformation as a secret place of worship for Catholics, who at the time were forbidden to practice. The church is beautiful and the story behind it is remarkable. 

The Verzetsmuseum (Dutch Resistance Museum), didn't disappoint at all, the exhibition is packed with really interesting facts about resistance to the Nazi's in the Netherlands during WWII and beutiful and heartbreaking stories of the people involved or persecuted by Hitler. I have wanted to visit the museum for years, and I spent hours engrossed in it. 

The Rijksmuseum holds a lot of very impressive art in beautiful surroundings, January was the perfect time to visit, as we seemed to be the only tourists in the building! Great selection for everyone, and the Nightwatch really is impressive.

On my previous trip to Amsterdam I visited the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House. I would definitely advise taking a trip to both, as they are extremely interesting and though provoking. I loved seeing so many Van Gogh's together, you could see the progression and change of style which you just don't get by seeing a singular piece! The Anne Frank House, is very emotional, no trip to Amsterdam would be complete without seeing Anne's Diary and the confined rooms her and her family were stuck in. 

Must See and Do

• Eat Poffertjes (mini Dutch pancakes) 
• Stroll around the Jordaan's quaint streets
• Catch up on your history with a look into resistance at the Verzetsmuseum - Website Ticket's €8, located opposite the Zoo!
• Visit the tranquil Begijnhof, and see the Catholic Chapel, this is a really unique thing to do in Amsterdam (you can also see a Begijnhof in Bruges too), and find out about the religious women who lived here on their website Website
• Try spot royalty leaving the Royal Paleis (I was lucky enough to spot the King!)
• Eat some amazing frite at Vleminckx the Sausmeester,Voetboogstraat 31-33, Amsterdam
• See Rembrandt's masterpiece 'The Nightwatch' at the Rijksmuseum, website €15 per ticket, definitely pre-book online in busy Summer Months! Also brilliant resource to use to get more info on paintings etc.
• Visit the Van Gogh Museum and see the genius' works all in one place, Van Gogh Museum Tickets €15, buy in advance! 
• Get one of the amazing 'Broodje' (dutch sandwiches) at Broodje Bert (321 Singel, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• Take a picture with the 'I Amsterdam' sign
• See the famous Diary at the Anne Frank House, Website, Tickets €9, definitely book in advance! 
• See the hidden church at Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder - Website - Tickets €8 and includes audiotour
• Stay at Hotel The Exchange (http://www.hoteltheexchange.com/) right in the centre of Amsterdam, or go high-tech and stay at Citizen M (http://www.citizenm.com/) which has the most amazing in-room extra's!
• If you are flying to Schipol then make sure to look around the airport, one of the best I have been in! They have a mini-Rijksmuseum, a library, a relaxation area and spa!

(Listen: Amsterdam - Peter Bjorn and John) 

Start Spreading the News.....

For some strange reason I haven't been able to get America out of my head the past few days. I've visited the States twice before, once on a two and a half week tour of America and Canada with my parents years ago and the second was my failed J1 attempt in 2012. I had gone majorly off the idea of visiting because I was so disappointed with my visit that Summer, in reality I should have just gone to New York where I had more contacts and got a job there, but I was adamant I was going to Cape Cod, which was a decision I ended up regretting in the end!  I ended up hoping on a bus to New York, after leaving Nantucket, extremely annoyed and wanting to enjoy myself before I left the States. I decided in that moment that after five weeks of Cape Cod, I needed the excitement of New York, when I arrived I was sad to have already booked my flights home because let's be realistic New York should have always been my first choice! New York is like London, it has that feeling in the air that anything is possible, that things are happening, people are achieving their dreams, and living exciting lives. I love New York, and the past few days I have been thinking more and more about travelling in the US especially San Fran and LA (hopefully soon).

Mini-Guide

Eat Cupcakes at Sprinkles (780 Lexington Ave) or Magnolia Bakery (Grand Central Station)

Look at the excellent collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Visit the cute animals at Central Park Zoo

Take a trip to the theatre and see Phantom of the Opera

Go on the Staten Island Ferry (very SATC)

See the views from the Empire State

Take a stroll in Central Park 

Spot the Naked Cowboy in Times Square

Be a child again at Toys R' Us and FAO Schwarz

Try get on David Letterman (we were asked if we wanted tickets in Times Sq)

Make sure you're in town for Gay Pride

Look at the beautiful architecture of Grand Central Terminal

Wander around the different areas of the city and get a feel for each place

Go on a grafitti hunt