I Could Be A Millionaire?

Large poster at the railway station in Oxford, advertising a very special lotto draw tonight, and I am not sure how this is going work, but they are staying that there will be 100 winners in the UK tonight.  How is this going to work? I think this may have a little thing to do with the Olympic Opening tonight?

The Merchant Of Venice

The Merchant of Venice by Oxfords Creation Theatre is the must see play in this Summer according to all the local press.  Being played in the open air amphitheatre at the Said Business School just down near the Oxford Railway Station, this play is very popular with both the tourist visiting the city and also locals wanting to see a great Shakespeare play.  Out in Cornmarket this afternoon the staff of Creation where out promoting this play, with a giant poster on the back of a bike, very Oxford!

1000's Of Evening Gown's

This store on the Plain, between the Cowley Road and St Clements Street recycles formal attire for both men and women, and is always busy every time I drive by. I have not been in, but I would like to one day, as I am sure they would have more than a few things that I would be interested in.  With all the balls and formals that the college's have I am sure they have a good turn over of stock.

Public Sector Workers Demonstration

In Broad Street this afternoon there was a very peaceful and well organised rally of manly public sector workers demonstrating concern about the cuts to funding that the government is currently doing.  They are concerned about not only there jobs, but also about how this is going to effect the quality of services that these government provide to the public.  Nurses, Teachers, Council Workers, all concerned for the future of the institutions that they work for.

Didn't See Bill Clinton In Oxford

I think I must have been the only person in Oxford not to see Bill Clinton walking about Oxford today. The former Oxford University student has been walking about Oxford from his hotel without any security and being left alone by the public to do as he pleases, which must be nice for him.  He is in Oxford attending the Re Sourse conference in the Examination School.  Pictured here are a couple of security and a load of flash cars out the front of the conference.

There are a few powerful facts on the Re Sourse conference homepage, worth a quick read.

The Cape Of Good Hope Pub

I think all good pubs in Oxford should celebrate the bike and have a cycle out the front of there establishment with a little bit of advertisement on it like this one that I spotted out the front of The Cape Of Good Hope at the Plain.  Not sure that it has been ridden lately but it looks the part.

Four Weeks To Save Manet’s Portrait

The Ashmolean Museum is looking for an additional £595000 over the next four weeks to be able to purchase Manet's portrait of Mademoiselle Claus.  To help raise the profile of this campaign, which has reached 92% of it's goal, the Museum has placed 10 copies of the painting around Oxford with a hope of raising the final amount to keep this painting in the UK. If you would like to donate, please follow this link, and help keep this painting for the UK public.

There is a law in the UK that if a work of art of national importance is sold to an oversea's buyer, local museums or galleries have the right to buy it at 25% of it's current value to keep it in the country and on public display. The painting has been sold for £28million to an oversea's buyer, so this is why the Ashmolean is hoping to raise the remaining $£500000 of the nearly £7million needed to keep this painting in the UK.  

Street Vendors

Nice to see the street vendors back in Oxford now that the office tourist season has kicked in.  They have there usual spots around the city, but this one has the best location I think.  He is right opposite Christ Church College main entrance and next to George and Danver Ice Cream Cafe, which has a lot of traffic. Selling all your Oxford items, however I think the Oxford University hoddy must be the most popular item.

Olympic Torch Arrives In Oxford

What a great day for Oxford and Oxfordshire as the Olympic Flame and Torch arrives in the county and City on it's was to London for the 2012 Games.  At the end of the days torch relay the city's cauldron was lit by Wantage local, Malcom Fretter on a stage in South Parks.  About 20000 people turned out for the ticketed event in South Parks organised by the London 2012 committee and the Oxford City Council, and the weather stayed dry for the whole event. Great celebration of the Olympics and it was good to have a chance to see the torch and flame up close and in Oxford. I will post more photo's on the making of page soon

Alice Day In Oxford

This year is the 150th anniversary of the first telling of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Alice's Day this year is the 150th anniversary of Charles Dodgson first telling the tale of Alice's Adventures under Ground which later was published as Alice's Adventures in Wonderland under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll.  The sweet shop in the book is now an Alice Shop in the city centre of Oxford in St Aldates, and today on the 150th anniversary of the first telling of the storey it was very very busy. They even had a few of the books characters on hand to assist.

Wettest Day In Oxford For A Summers Day

Today must have been one of the wettest Summers day that we have ever had in Oxford. It rained non stop all day, and with all this water around the roads around the city centre started to fill up.  This photo was taken this afternoon close to the Oxford train station in Becket Street were a large pool of water had completely filled the street.

Olympic Torch Route Closes Roads

Notices have been put up along the London 2012 Olympic Torch Route in Oxford ahead of the torch arriving on Monday.  This photo was taken early this morning on the Cowley Road, you can tell it is early in the morning as the only other road user is a rubbish truck.  So you have been warned, the London 2012 Olympic Torch is coming to Oxford and roads will be closed.

Waiting At Queen's Lane Bus Stop

This is a very busy area on the High Street for buses.  Not only do most of the local buses that use the High Street stop in this area, but also all the coaches that travel to both London, Gatwick and London Heathrow Airport stop here.  With so many buses stopping in this area it is always busy with commuters and tourist, as you can see in this photo. It is right out the front of Queen College, which I think maybe a little annoying for those attending Queen's?

Merton Street Skips

Now there is a little side story to this photo that I think I should share.  I was in the busy city centre today and thinking what will todays photo be, and I said lets to a black and white shot of Merton Street, and it could look like it was from the 1900's, and I am sure not a lot has changed in this street.
Well I got around to Merton Street, and there were not people around to give the fashion away etc, the only thing that was out of place was a large delivery lorry, on the left of the photo.  I decided that this would not be around for long and waited.  After about 5 minutes, the lorry was still in the way, but I waited. Then the driver came out of the college, started the lorry and I was happy as I was running late and wanted to get this shot.  As he pulled away from the college, the bight yellow skip that was hidden behind his lorry come into view....
So this is the view from Merton Street looking West, with an ugly skip in view.

All Bike Rides End In Oxford

Not taken today, sorry guys, this photo was taken yesterday, I was originally going to post this photo yesterday however I posted the more typical photo of the students watching the European Cup final.  So on Sunday if you saw a lot of bikes in the city both being ridden and also on tops or in side cars being transported away, that was because the park on Oxpens Road was the end of three cycle fundraising events.  They were the Bristol, London and Birmingham to Oxford Cycle Event, all ending in the park next the Ice Rink, so you can imagine how many bikes were around from about lunch time onwards.  The weather was nice, and this photo was taken from behind the finish line in the rest area, and I am sure those who did the rides appreciated this sunny rest area.

Where Can You Watch The European Cup Final?

Where can you go to watch your country in the final of the European Cup if your are Spanish and underage studying English in Oxford?  You have a few friends and are very excited about this match and must watch it, but as you are underage the options are limited, unless you find a bar who has a TV facing the street with large windows.  Your in luck if you walked past Copa in George Street.  These students about 50 to 60 in all, watched the whole game from outside this city centre bar becoming very excited when each of the four goals were scored.  Once the game was over with Spain winning 4 - 0 to Italy, the while group started a massive conga line and head up towards Cornmarket.