Toronto, Canada

The University of Toronto at night.

Toronto is the biggest city in Canada, although still not that packed. It used to York, before the United States invaded and burned it down.

It’s also known to be the city where His Worship Mayor Rob Ford was in charge.

It’s a relaxing place to be and one of the most ethnically diverse town I’ve ever been to.

It’s likewise a walkable city, although it did mean it didn’t impress me too much.

I even went to the cathedral and asked for prayers for The Queen of Pop Madonna for her loss of sales. Unfortunately, Rebel Heart didn’t perform better than MDNA on the charts, so I guess god doesn’t exist?

Xunantunich, Belize

Xunantunich is a small site near the Guatemalan border, and is easily accessible from the island city of Flores by bus. Currency wasn’t an issue, as there were many, many people waiting for tourists there. It felt good going back to one of Her Most Gracious Majesty’s realms, although their English was less than stellar.

The site wasn’t really anything special, neither was the town. One doesn’t really experience much of Belize either, as the residents are usually either Spanish speakers or immigrants from Guatemala anyway.

Her Majesty’s ancient palace was preserved with fundings from the European Union. The most interesting thing about it was actually the boat for cars to pass the river. It didn’t have an engine or anything, but cables and it’s entirely manuel.

There are more remarkable ruins, but a bit farther from the border and thus unsuitable for a day trip.

Moscow, Russia

Raketa. Stainless steel. Made in Russia. Oldest factory in Russia, founded near Saint Petersburg by HIM Tsar Peter the Great. Worn by Soviet astronauts, Stalin, and Putin. Automatic mechanical movement. 200m water resistant.

Purchased from an official store in Red Square.

Moscow has always been a place I wanted to visit, for I’m fond of the unique Russian architecture and the stories from history.

This is the seat of power, from Red Square looking at the Kremlin. Lenin’s body, which btw looked very fake and wax-like, is in the little pyramid building. You aren’t allowed to take photos or even stay to observe it. It’s only opened 10am-1pm and there’s always a long queue. Free.

The cathedral. I actually went in for my first orthodox mass. The service was relatively short, with everyone standing facing a gated part I assumed to be an “altar”. The priests often went into the door behind that area and went out with something. Lots of people walking around kissing pictures of saints on the wall while all of these were ongoing.

Then people put their arms on their chest in a cross and one by one walked to the priest to consume the body and blood of Messiah Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, the Son of Man, the Son of God. They all shared the same gigantic cup and long spoon. No touching of any kind, and they didn’t hold the fresh with their hands.

I was very tempted to go, but I thought perhaps they’d just kick me out for being a fraud.

There were some benches just outside the main hall, so I just sat there for a bit before walking into Kremlin.

On the way to the walls of the Kremlin complex (from the cathedral), I was greeted by a giant statue of St Vladimir Putin.

But in between, there was a broad avenue and it was difficult to figure out how to get to the walled city exactly.

On the left, there was this raised magnificent building. It was from the side of the road one could get to the library and eventually the tunnel to the gardens outside of the walls.

I don’t recommend going into the walled city of Kremlin at all – one of the biggest tourist traps I’ve been to.

First of all, there are many charges. To go into anything, there’s an additional charge. There’s a general charge which you need to ask the box office about, and it doesn’t really include anything.

Secondly, it was packed with tourists. The box office was rather chaotic and it took quite a bit of time entering it because all the tour groups just gathered there and the staff prioritize them (they would just shout at you in Russian if you’re not in a group). Then there’s a security check that further slows down the flow.

Moreover, it’s not that big. The buildings weren’t that impressive (and actually some could be seen from the outside) and the interiors weren’t anything special.

You can always pretend to be in a group and walk in with other people without paying though.

Where His Excellency President Putin works. Minimal guards.

Red Square.

The other side of the Square. This one’s a museum.

One of the most beautiful structures I’ve ever seen, and definitely the most unique one. I have always wanted to see this. It’s smaller but more colourful than the copy in Saint Petersburg.

The areas beyond the Square were nice too.

One of the parks outside downtown. This one has monuments from different parts of the Soviet Union.

Even though more than half of the park was under construction (including this one, actually), I still got to see some very beautiful ones.

As well as certain interesting ones like this one.

This park was next to the museum that has a rocket monument at the top.

One of the evenings, I went on a bike tour with my Couchsurfing host and we saw different lakes and parks and one building shaped as an astronaut.

Before I left Moscow, I went back to the Square to see Lenin and buy my watch.

The mall where I bought my watch.

I ate around the area, too. Some restaurants were really cheap. In general, Russia was pretty cheap.

The back of the church. Unfortunately it was closed when I went.

Personally, I preferred Moscow over St Petersburg, because Moscow had various styles of architecture and was uniquely Russian.

Peterhof, Russia

Peterhof/Petergof is another place that doesn’t get to keep a Russian name. It means Peter’s court in German/Dutch. Peter of course the same one who founded SPb.

Apparently the Tsar designed this to troll people.

There are multiple “palaces” in the complex. “Palace” because they are generally quite tiny.

Peterhof is most famous of its fountain system which basically runs itself. But apparently it may fail soon. This waterway leads all the way to the sea.

During the Second World War, when Hitler was driving into the Soviet Union, they tried moving as many treasures from here to the cathedral in SPb as possible. And buried some.

They recovered most of them except the most famous one in the middle of this. This isn’t the original one as a result.

There are many, many fountains all over.

No, it’s not Norway yet.

Free area in the upper garden. I took the railway then a bus to the upper garden – quite easy to do that actually. Then I walked down to the lower garden and took the ferry.

There were also numerous trick fountains and the children loved them.

St Petersburg, Russia

When I was planning my trip to the Russian Federation, a Russian friend asked me to skip altogether and go only to SPb.

Saint Petersburg is Mother Russia’ historic/winter capital and was founded by His Imperial Majesty The Tsar Peter the Great, Emperor of All Russias.

The most useful weapon against the Russian forces seem to be the smartphone.

There were loads of military boats parking on the main river. There’s a firework display every evening too.

SPb was Emperor Peter’s attempt to make Russia European, and it worked. The whole city, nicknamed Venice of the North (looked nothing like Venice btw), is full of European buildings. Although at the same time it lacks the Russianess Moscow very clearly has.

The Church of the Spilled Blood. Built where His Imperial Majesty Emperor Alexander II, the “Tsar-Liberator” was assassinated. He could’ve avoided death had he not insisted to check the damages after the first attack.

Why must all liberators die?

Alexander II freed the serfs and was killed.

His Excellency President Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves and was murdered.

Her Grace The Queen Daenerys, Breaker of Chains will probably be next.

The main square. So big it was quite difficult to take a good photo of it.

Rihanna’s fan club.

Copied from Greece.

The Sun basically never set. This was like 11pm or something.

The Winter Palace, where Her Imperial Majesty Empress Catherine the Great, first Tsarina then somehow Tsar of All Russias, built her hermitage gallery.

One interesting thing to note was that SPb was extremely touristy, and basically propped up by Chinese tourists. While people from China do need a visa to visit President Putin’s realm, tour agencies do it for them and so there are many, many buses of Chinese tourists everywhere.

One of the many canals. The reason why it’s called Venice of the North. But honestly the only other city that even remotely feels like Venice is Amsterdam.

They were selling these cups everywhere. And yes, it was a photo of shirtless Tsar Vladimir with His Excellency The President Donald Trump rising a bear.

I didn’t want to get too close cuz I didn’t know if the vendor would like that.

One has to wait until the Sun is in the right place to take a proper photograph.

I really like these Russian architecture, although it turned out the original in Moscow >>>.

The oldest part of the fortress.

The fortress complex has like a million museums, and signs in simplied Chinese.

Flying from Latvia to Putin’s heartland over the Baltic sea.

Naval building with soldiers basically casually hanging around.

The centre of the fortress. It’s got like five museums.

There was a military parade. I thought it was the Scottish flag at first but it was actually the colours reversed and in fact the Russian naval flag.

Lenin.

Cathedral. I stayed very close to it.

All the buildings were quite pretty, including the residential ones, but quite ugly inside (the residential blocks).

This palace was where an Oxford-educated prince, allegedly in collaboration with his Oxonian coursemate in the British intelligence field, murdered The Reverend Rasputin, The Mad Monk. Supposedly, they kept trying to kill him and just wouldn’t die.

The department store near here only had “push” and “pull” in English and Chinese.

Cardiff, Wales (+ Doctor Who Experience)

Cardiff! Honestly I went just so I could say I’d been to Wales, and also for Doctor Who Experience.

Near Doctor Who Experience is Cardiff Bay, where Torchwood was filmed. This is a memorial forced on to the council by the public for Ianto.

That font though…

There are basically two sides of Cardiff. One is this side with the historical buildings, and then there’s the other side, coming up very soon…

The Shire of Ianto Jones.

People started posting stuff up there after Ianto Jones’s unfortunate death. The council wanted to remove it but caved it in the end.

Doctor Who Experience is called as such because it’s not just a museum, but essentially an episode in itself. Whilst some may laugh at the unnatural acting of the “curator”, it’s still quite fun. Not to mention you do get to a museum in the end.

I bought lots of souvenirs, including a TARDIS clock.

Downtown Cardiff. They had a bike thing that’s why.

Cardiff Castle. Not as built up as I thought it would be, but still cool.

The keep on the right was disappointing as it’s empty inside. Was expecting it to be a bit more like the Red Keep.

It’s good that I can read some Spanish now, because the English signs are always occupied. When the Spanish ones weren’t available either, I went for the Japanese ones.

I literally couldn’t recognize it so sunny. In Torchwood, it’s almost always raining. Couldn’t get to the perception filter.

The inside of a real-life TARDIS in the museum!

No, we couldn’t touch anything…

Help! I’m trapped in a Dalek!

I am not a Dalek.

I am a Dalek.

Ex-

ter-

min-

ate!

Exterminate!

MERCY!

MERCY!

MERCY!

Going back to the nice part of the town.

Newport seemed cool too, btw. But I didn’t take any photos.

People were nice. I walked from the city to Cardiff Bay but I didn’t want to walk back, so I asked the staff if I could get on even though my ticket was from Cardiff city. And he was fine with it.

Bournemouth, England

Bournemouth is a coastal city in southern England, very cheap to go from Oxford by Megabus (£6). It’s also where Mary Shelley was buried.

One of the main things to do in the city is to walk along to the river all the way to the sea.

I got an interpretation gig and booked my tickets due to the agent saying in her experience, they don’t get cancelled. It was cancelled. I went just as a tourist anyway.

It’s also very close to Poole and a peninsula, where you can just chill on the beach. The sea is no Caribean though.

I think this used to be in London.

It’s very close to the Jurassic Coast, but unfortunately I didn’t know about it. Perhaps I will go in the future.

Leeds, Yorkshire, England

Despite not being the county capital, Leeds is by far the largest city in Yorkshire. This, along with the fact that it’s got several big historical buildings built when it was filled with coal money (see Billy Elliot for what happened to it), and I guess also that it’s usually quite cold, makes it the real-life Winterfell.

It wasn’t a terribly eventful place, but good enough for a short excursion to the north. The buses were hella confusing though: we kept trying to pay but not sure how. As it turned out, there’s a staff selling tickets to you after everyone’s on the bus, but since it was so incredibly packed, he never managed to get to us.

One of the malls even had real reindeer! None of them had a red nose tho.

Instead of staying in a proper place, we were a bit more adventurous and stayed at a bathhouse (they’ve got actual rooms). I will spare you the juicy details of our night, but it was quite unsettling the next day, when we learned that the cars parked outside were all smashed  – an actual hate crime – and that the establishment increased security due to a homophobic attack (literally a mob trashed the reception) a few years back. So I guess it was also a bit like King’s Landing.

The Oxonian Experience (Part 2 of Oxford), England

The biggest benefit of living in Oxford – you get to meet Prof Richard Dawkins fairly often.

This is part 2 of Oxford city. The post will focus on the life of residing in Oxford, rather than just introducing the sights.

This is of course not going to be a comprehensive guide, and I don’t have the photos to demonstrate everything (some intentionally withheld as I don’t want to post photos where my friends’ faces are visible).

The typical applicant may start their Oxonian experience by going to an open day. Staff and current students work on the days as helpers and we get a free exclusive Oxford-branded t-shirt as a gift.

There are many different information sessions so you will need to do your research before getting there, as even walking through the city looking at the buildings would cost you the entire day.

Congratulations! You have been accepted and you have met your offer!

After your first week, you are expected to show up for matriculation, the official ceremony that makes you a member of the University. You have to do it in your first two terms or you’re sent down. If you are a graduate who has attended Cambridge, Trinity College Dublin, or Oxford as an undergraduate, you go for the aforementioned incorporation route instead. Basically, you don’t do anything and you get an instant degree just by living another day.

Us matriculants, with our gowns – either the commoner’s gown for undergrads or the advanced students’ gown for grads – wait our turn to sit in the Sheldonian Theatre. The latter gown is a full version of the former. You will need your gown for many events, such as certain dinners at your college, your graduation, your examinations (if you do one at the Examination Schools in person), your viva (if you’re a doctoral candidate), the honorary degree ceremony (if you manage to get a ticket), and if unfortunately you are being disciplined.

The mortarboard/cap is a controversial part of this. Many say you don’t wear it before you’ve graduated, but that’s just a myth. In reality, no-one cares when you’re outdoors, and traditionally, you’re only asked to take it off indoors (if you’re a man) before it’d be improper for a man to wear a hat indoors.

After the ceremony, you go to your college and take individual and group photos. And you eat.

You don’t just walk around with your gown, but with your sub-fusc. In Latin, it means dark brown; at Oxford, it means this – shirt with black trousers/skirts (with a suit if you’re a man), white or black bowtie, or black necktie (white bows are the traditional and most common one), or a black ribbon if like Shania Twain, you feel like a woman (you don’t have to actually be a woman to go for the traditionally feminine rendition of this). If you don’t want the cap, you wear a soft cap (feminine alternative) – but you can’t take it off if you choose that option. Very, very few people go for a soft cap.

If you don’t have the correct attire, you can actually be denied entry. Your college may ask you to buy something on the spot, or maybe someone will be able to lend you something.

A big part of student life is to go to the Oxford Union.

The Oxford Union is not the students’ union but a debating society. It has produced many prominent politicians such as some British prime ministers, the first female prime minister in the Islamic world, as well as other people like Secretary Boris Johnson, former mayor of London.

Many famous people, such as Shakira, Michael Jackson, Stephen Fry, Sir Ian McKellan, and President Dilma of Brazil have spoken at the Union.

If you’re very keen, you may participate in student politics here. If you’re active enough, you may get the title “union hack”.

I never really cared for the union but I was a representative for social sciences graduates at the Oxford University Student Union (used to be called OUSU, now Oxford SU). I sat on the University’s Social Sciences Board, Social Sciences Graduate Studies Committee, and Social Sciences Library Committee. It was an extremely interesting experience.

After that, you will probably start going into other colleges just to sightsee. This was from Hertford College.

Then you will also need to study. This was taken in the library of the OUP.

How about some sports? Not good at sports? Don’t worry!

There’s always quidditch. Yes, the one from Harry Potter. It’s for everyone.

Along with my other stuff, I volunteered a lot.

I was the coordinator and English tutor at St Gregory’s The Great Catholic School for the Schools Plus programme at Oxford Hub. I was a trainer and active listener at Oxford Nightline. I was a mentor at IntoUniversity.

As a member of Hong Kong Round Table, I joined Oxford Round Table as a guest member and helped them out with the annual Fawkes’s night bonfire and fieworks.

We had to build it up very tall. 

Some people just like to watch the world burn.

You probably will join societies and attend events.

This was a talk with the Chancellor of the University, The Rt Hon Lord Patten, advisor to His Holiness The Pope, former chairman of the Conservative and Unionist Party, former Secretary of State, former European Commissioner, former chairman of the BBC Trust, and of course the last governor of Hong Kong.

That was an event organized by the Oxford University Conservative Association (OUCA). It was free to join during freshers’ week.

Inevitably, you will want to try punting. It’s quite physical and not that easy, but still fun.

Lots of ducks.

If you’re a graduate student, you may also do some graduate stuff like making an academic presentation.

I was presenting my research on Ed Ball’s Day.

If you’re lucky, you can see a day of snow!

Needless to say, there are many student parties but I’m not going to post any of those photos. They are called “bops”.

To make a tiny little bit of money, you can also volunteer at your college. This was me stealing a Master of Arts as a helper. We had a graduation ceremony that day.

I got a ticket to the encarnia, the honorary degree ceremony! Dame Hilary Mantel was honored there.

Towards the end of the year, you get to the balls’ season. (There are balls throughout the year but most of them are in May/June.)

I went to my college’s ball and pictured above was at Magd’s ball. Some balls are black tie, few are white. The white ones are more expensive and more formal. Different colleges do different things, but it’s basically a night of excessive drinking until 3am.

Gay pride. LGBT History month is a big thing at Oxford with many colleges flying the rainbow flag, even some of the religious PPHs.

In the end, you graduate.

I actually missed my own ceremony – we can delay for however long we want, but I didn’t want to wait, and I didn’t realize there were ceremonies during the summer as well, so I opted to graduate in absentia.

I went back this summer partly to take photos. Different degrees get different colours on the hood, and different levels of degree get different types of gown.

That’s Keble College. I thought it was absolutely beautiful from the inside, but back in the days, people hated it. St John’s College has/had this thing to steal one brick from Keble at a time until it collapses (it was built on John’s land).

If you have a bike, you will need to secure it. Oxford and Cambridge are the Top 2 cities in the nation for bike theft.

My department’s garden, As a graduate student, you get a mail box not just at your college (and wherever you’re living in), but also at your department. You also get two email addresses – one with your college’s name in it, one with your department like the one used by academics.

Inside of my college.

Exeter College.

Your thesis, if you have one, is forever stored in the Bodleian Libraries (even though it may be in the closed stack if it’s old). If you were awarded distinction, you get a sticker (pictured above).

As for the study experience, the undergrad and postgrad experiences are quite different, and different postgrads courses certainly vary depends on your discipline and specific course. But if you have a question, you’re welcome to ask me!

I did quite a lot during my year, actually. Apart from the above and the parties and normal socials and pulling and a student union representative (I even attended an NUS conference in London), I was a coordinating tutor at St Gregory’s The Great Catholic School on the Schools Plus programme at Oxford Hub, a mentor for IntoUniversity, and trainer at Oxford Nightline.

Beyond being an MSc, a member of Kellogg and the Education Department, I have several more connections to Oxford. I’m a life donor of the Bod, a “friend” of Exeter, and one of my exes went to Magdalen. I was, for two years, also a “country champion” at Oxford Education Society.

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With my Oxford part concluding (for now), I’m planning to update this blog only periodically. I’m currently thinking of one update per week. We will see I guess!

Oxford, England

The ancient city of Oxford, the home of the oldest surviving university outside of Bologna, Italy. With teaching started from at least the year 1099, the University is older than numerous civilizations such as Mexica (the Aztecs) and the Incas.

No-one knows the actual circumstances of the University’s founding, and for sure it was nothing like how universities and colleges are founded these days. Legend has it that teaching began after King Alfred the Great debated with a group of monks around the area.

The Radcliffe Camera in the Radcliffe Square, is a part of the hundred plus Bodleian Libraries. It was named after University and Lincoln Colleges alumnus Dr The Hon John Radcliffe MP, and is now the University, as well as the city’s, most iconic structure.

In the past, people were allowed to walk on the balcony, but alas, that’s no longer the case for safety reasons.

It is a truly magnificent building, most felt when it’s sunny and you’re circling it from the ground. One of Florence’s famed buildings was similarly designed (albeit in a different colour), but without the open space on the ground, it felt nowhere near as impressive as the Rad Cam did.

The Oxford skyline is world famous and various colleges and churches near the square are just as brilliant.

The best spot to take a good photo of the Rad Cam as well as the skyline, in my opinion, is from the tower of St Mary’s the University Church. The University Church charges merely around £5 for a trip to their terrace, but since the paths are narrow up there, only a few visitors are allowed up at the same time. Allegedly, a former parish priest of the church publicly proclaimed his lack of belief in god – the CofE is wonderful.

Whilst All Souls College is a must-see from the inside, it’s challenging to do it justice with a photo from their quad.

The college is most famous for not really having any students around 6-8 at any given time. This is because they don’t accept any undergraduates, nor do they admit postgraduates in the usual manner. A finalist, or a registered postgraduate matriculant must sit their unique and somewhat unpredictable examination, in order to gain the opportunity to win an “examination fellowship” from them, that guarantees a full seven years of funding to live, study, and/or work at Oxford. (They don’t offer all courses, however.) The successful candidates may likewise opt to collect a reduced sum of money in lieu of staying in academia at the college.

Fun fact: They used to have undergrads, but only as household servants.

Other students may, with the endorsement of their supervisor(s), visit their library should there be a genuine research need.

I believe this photo was taken from the terrace behind the fellows’ garden at Exeter College.

In the square, there is also Brasenose College, one of the more popular ones and the one attended by former British prime minister The Rt Hon David Cameron, a distant cousin of Her Majesty The Queen.

The college has a weird arrangement with the nearby Lincoln College, providing extraordinarily crappy beer to them once a year, due to a duel several centuries ago resulting in the death of a Lincoln man.

A popular alternative to St Mary’s tower is to go on the Sheldonian Theatre (free for Oxonians). It has got quite a different few and the Rad Cam is not the focal point from there. The only issue is that the theatre closes very often for a variety of reasons, as it’s the go-to place for university ceremonies.

Even though it may be more difficult to capture the magic in the evening/late afternoon, in person it was a real sight.

University College – they have now dropped their bogus claim of being the oldest college at Oxford.

Rhodes scholar President Bill Clinton went there and might or might not have smoked weed. He did a BCL – Bachelor of Civil Law – it’s weird because despite the name, it’s actually a master’s degree, equivalent to the MJur degree, with the only difference being whether you’re reading for common or civil law.

Degrees at Oxford are all quite messy. Most undergraduates read for a BA – Bachelor of Arts – degree, regardless of their discipline. 21 terms after matriculation, they may “upgrade” it to an MA – Master of Arts – with only a minimum payment and next to no requirements (they cannot be in prison at the time – although in the past the conversion might also be delayed if the royal court wished to). Science undergraduates most likely to integrated master’s degrees (unless they fail the test to progress), but they may still get a BA that can turn into an MA with no additional studies or examinations.

Postgraduates do not enjoy that.

To make it even more unfair, there is the system of “incorporation” between Oxford, Cambridge, and Trinity College Dublin. If you were an undergraduate at any of the three, and the move to the other, you get an instant free degree after the ceremony.

So:

Person A –

Studied BA at Oxford;

studied MSc at Cambridge;

studied PhD at Trinity College Dublin;

gets designated MA (Oxon) MA MSc (Cantab) MA PhD (TCD) in the end. Five degrees for the price of three.

At Oxford, academics with a college fellowship (usually lecturer or above, but only those getting the title from a college, instead of just a department), likewise get awarded an MA as the MA status is essential for them to vote in the congregation, ie the university’s parliament (the second-highest authority, only below the convocation that has everyone in it and meets very rarely).

St Edmund Hall. One of the two colleges that have kept their historic name “hall” – it is the oldest surviving academic society that houses and teaches undergrads.

I now have bad blood with them tho. I, out of sheer politeness, asked to take a quick picture of the front quad, identifying myself as an alumnus. The staff didn’t let me do it, citing the need to keep the corridor I was already standing in free for the entire time (it was empty and it would’ve taken literally 2 seconds). He refused even after learning that I was flying on the Saturday and couldn’t have waited until open day.

Exeter College. I stayed here for my summer school earlier this year – on this day, they welcomed Their Catholic Majesties The King and Queen of Spain (and so forth), even though I missed them as I flew to Ireland for the weekend.

Merton College. It contains the oldest-surviving academic library. They have the strange tradition of walking backward in the circle when daylight-saving time hits.

There is also a real tennis court close-by where I played, although I’m uncertain whether the college owns it.

(From left to right) The Clarendon Building, the Sheldonian Theatre, and the Museum of the History of Science.

The first one used to be the second home of Oxford University Press and is now some random offices. The theatre is one of the most important buildings at Oxford, as it is the place for both matriculations (entering the University) and graduations (leaving the University). When a massive attendance is expected, congregation meetings may congregate there.

The museum is the oldest-surviving purpose-built museum building, and it used to house the internationally renowned Ashmolean Museum, the first public museum in the world.

St Mary’s at night.

As a “life friend” (life donor) of the Bodleian Libraries, the secretary took me on a tour that ended on the terrace of Weston Library.

One of the most significant, yet lesser-known, structures in the city. The Oxford Castle is a Norman complex where Her Imperial Majesty The Empress Matilda, Holy Roman Empress, Queen of the Romans, Duchess of Normandy, Lady of the English hid during the anarchy. Her Imperial Majesty was an English princess whose regal father made the lords agreed to make queen after his passing. The barons broke their promise when the King died, she reluctantly attempted to seize the throne but failed, mostly due to Londoners not welcoming her. 

Gay pride also ends here.

Two different sides, built obviously at different times, of the Old Library, It houses the Duke Humfrey’s Library, better known as Hogwart’s library’s restricted section.

Up there you can see a statue of His Majesty The King James, King of England, King of Scots, King of France, Lord of Ireland. Yes, the one who was gay and made King James’s Bible happen

Another iconic site at Oxford, the Tom’s quad at Christ Church (a college, but officially without “college” in its name). His Majesty The King Henry VIII (the one with many wives) founded the college, as well as the cathedral, in order to further cement the supremacy of the newly protestant Anglican church.

The college produced the most number of prime ministers and my college, Kellogg, rows with them.

The Christ Church dining hall, better known as Hogwart’s dining hall before photoshop.

Christ Church garden. This and the overrated Christ Church meadow (very typically English, basically just grass) are free to the public. Going into the college, the fee isn’t that big of an issue but rather the huge, huge queue.

As a student, there may be events at the college from time to time and you don’t have to queue for them. Or you may just go to church. They still use the obsolete Oxford time (5 minutes behind Greenwich time).

At Christ Church, this is supposed to be the oldest recorded graffiti in the world. People argue over whether this was a protest against prime minister Sir Robert Peel, or just something to do with the food.

Owned by Wadham College but closer to New College, this is the oldest music room in the world.

Wadham is usually known as the most leftist and liberal college at Oxford – it’s difficult to tell if heterosexuals actually exist there.

New is “new” only relative to Oriel College, so named as both are officially called “St Mary’s College blah blah blah”. Oriel is where prime minster Cecil Rhodes went, and where his controversial statue stands (honestly you won’t notice it despite it being in quite a prominent position).

Magdalen tower at Magdalen College. Every evening before May Day, people stay up all night drinking and party, then at around 6am we get here to listen to their choir sing two songs. A few years back, some people jumped into the shallow river and hurt themselves.

I stayed up too, but before 6am I volunteered for Oxford Nightline to be a cartoon owl promoting our services. Loads of drunk people. Quite awkward when you couldn’t speak.

The defunct observatory at Green Templeton College. GTC is a graduate college with a few undergrads due to their being medics, and represented the first merger at Oxford, as there was a Green College and a Templeton College before 2008.

The observatory was modeled after Temple of the Winds (the name is not very consistent…) in Athens, Greece. It’s better than the Roman one in Athens, actually.

The oldest-surviving structure at Oxford, St Michael’s tower. St Michael’s is the city church (not always has been) and was built by the Anglo-Saxons. The Anglo-Saxons were immigrants from what is now today around Denmark.

I believe it also acted as the prison for the clergy members from Oxford Movement.

The Bridge of Signs of Hertford College, one of the other main attractions of the University, just opposite to the Sheldonian Theatre. Hertford College was where the author of Brideshead Revisited attended.

Two things:

1. Even though in Venice, Italy (as well as numerous other places in Europe) there also is a Bridge of Signs (near St Mark’s Square), theirs look nothing like this. This looks more like a smaller version of Venice’s most famous bridge, aka Shylock’s Bridge.
2. No matter what people tell you, the Hertford today came actually from Magdalen Hall. Magdalen Hall used to be a house near Magdalen College and their building was burnt down by an undergrad. They wanted to be renamed Magdalene College like the one at Cantab, but for obvious reasons, Magdalen College opposed to it. That’s why they completely took over Hertford College, both the body and the heart – the coat of arms at Hertford’s porter’s lodge is still the same as the Magd one. So what happened to the original? Their head died and even though people still went to work (or pretended to be working), they stopped admitting students and so they just died off.

A Lego version of Hertford College displayed on open days. Very popular.

The School of Divinity (entrance from the Old Library). This was the first department at Oxford (universities were basically priest-training institutions) and leads also to the usual congregation house as well as the now defunct university court (I was told Oscar Wilde went on a trial there for not paying his battels).

Nowadays, this place, when not a tourist spot, is a waiting/changing room for when people attend a matriculation or a graduation ceremony (as we are required to change gowns midway).

Harry Potter was likewise filmed here.

All Souls from the inside. Told you it’s not that flattering.

In the Museum of the History of Science, a blackboard used by Nobel laureate Prof Albert Einstein (who didn’t invent atomic bombs, btw).

In Blackwell’s, the Norrington Room holds the world record for the largest room selling books (many qualifiers).

One of Exeter’s alumni is the current president of Perú, His Excellency President Pereo-Pablo Kuczynski #PPK. He donated money to do something to this particular room.

See the “MA”? It meant he was an undergraduate. If you convert your BA to an MA, you are not technically allowed to say you have both a BA and an MA, but only the MA.

One of the buildings of my department. It’s got loads of different names and some of the doors still have its older name.

My college, Kellogg. It’s the largest graduate college, one of the most international at Oxford, and by student population, the second-largest overall. The vice-chancellor is somehow traditionally an honorary fellow.

It’s the only college that focuses on part-time professional studies and was established by the Department for Continuing Education specifically for that purpose (although there are many full-timers now). Since it hasn’t got a royal charter yet (the other one being St Cross College), it’s still legally a “society” under the department. The president of the college has always been the director of the department.

Although the current president, Prof Jonathan Michie (son of Dame The Hon Anne McLaren and Dr Donald Michie – he worked with Dr Alan Turing during the war – as well as the grandson of Baron Aberconway), told me after him that may change.

I’m a recognized “major donor” of my college. My name is somewhere here.

The beautiful Lady Margaret Hall. My connection to it was that they gave us education students dining right at their college.

Wellington Square, near where I resided, the University’s headquarters. That day it was converted to a fictional police station for a television series.

Whilst I don’t have photos for that, the other museums are also very worth visiting. And in front of the Natural History Museum, there’s a symbol representing evolution, and one representing creationism.

Additionally, the botanic garden was the first in the British Isles.

The current OUP complex is another hidden jewel. But to visit, you will need to make an appointment (it’s free). There’s a small museum and a library.

There’s a site for Beaumont Palace/The King’s House where King Richard the Lionheart (allegedly gay and famous for being a crusader who hadn’t really lived in England) and King John (the one who signed Magna Carta) were born. But there’s nothing left to see.

Tips:

1. The entrance fees and punting fee and all that could add up, so ideally you should get a student or alum to take you around. It’d all be free as long as you’re not bringing a big family with you. But even current students can’t go into another college at any time they want.
2. Oxford is very walkable, so doing the tourist bus would just be a waste of money (we did that the first time we went).
3. If you don’t have much time, you can just try going into the colleges a bit to look at their front quads. Those are usually the best ones anyway.
4. If you are really pressing for time, go to Magdalen College, Christ Church, Keble College, All Souls College, Rad Cam, Old Library/Divinity School, Worcester College (they have a lake), and look at Trinity College’s back garden. Walk on High Street and Board Street. Check their opening hours – All Souls, for example, only opens between 2pm and 4pm on weekdays.
5. If you want to rush through all of Oxford, it’s possible to do it in a full day (as long as you’re not getting north of LMH, not getting east to Linacre/St Catherine’s, and not going south of Magdalen/Christ Church.