After a brief introduction to Oxford yesterday, I’m excited to explore more of it today. I began my day with an English breakfast at Turl Street Kitchen, the restaurant next to my hotel. English breakfast usually consists of a toast (topped with poached or scrambled eggs), bacon, sausage, mushrooms, tomatoes, and beans. I had all of the above except for the beans. The server asked me if I wanted ketchup. I looked at my plate but didn’t see potatoes so I told him I didn’t need it. Then he asked again if I wanted brown sauce. I gave him a confused look and asked what it was for. He said it’s usually to dip the meats with. I shrugged and told him okay, sure, I’ll try it. I dipped the sausage in the sauce and almost gagged. I’m not sure if it was the sauce or the meat that didn’t taste good but something certainly tasted awful!

After breakfast, I walked around Conmarket Street and found shops that I normally do not see back home. I met up with my son and he thought I might be interested to see the nearby mall. It’s a nice indoor/outdoor mall but it’s nothing spectacular if compared to the malls in the US or Asia that I’ve been to.

This is the view from the mall’s terrace

My son showed me several of the colleges, particularly All Souls, reputedly as the college with the toughest admission. According to him, the entrance exam at All Souls College has been called the “hardest test in the world.” There are only two students who typically get admitted each year.

All Souls College

Our first touristy stop was to go up to the tower at University Church at St. Mary the Virgin. I had read that the tower is a must-do in Oxford. But climbing a very steep spiral staircase to get all the way to the top was,for me, the difficult part. (Actually I had more issue with going down). I’ve been having issue with my left ankle and while going down the stairs, I almost sprained it.

Big first, let’s look at the insanely breathtaking view from the top!

Going back to my almost-sprained ankle, it was starting to feel painful to walk so it was a good excuse to rest and have tea at Vaults and Garden, the cafe on the ground floor of the church. They had an outdoor seating that’s looking directly at the beautiful dome, the Radcliffe Campus or “Radcam” as it is commonly referred to by the students. One of the things that I really enjoy in England is their tea drinking culture. I love that tea here is an equally (perhaps more) popular drink as coffee unlike back in the United States. Seriously, the tea makes up for their food! 😁 But seriously though, it is what inspires me to come back to London every time!

Next stop was at Christ Church, arguably the most beautiful campus in Oxford. It is also one of the film locations for Harry Potter. If you want to go inside and see the hall, you’d have to pay £8. It wasn’t open when we got there (it would reopen in a couple of hours) but we decided not to wait and not go at all.

Instead we walked towards River Thames (known in Oxford as the Isis), a popular spot for kayaking, punting, and for sports events at Oxford.

With all that walking, we were ready for lunch. I had roast and Yorkshire pudding in mind, recalling a delicious lunch from a pub somewhere outside London that I went to many years ago. But every restaurant we looked at had it on their menu as the Sunday roast special. That’s right—only available on Sundays!!! So we googled for the “best restaurants in Oxford” and from the selection of a handful restaurants, we decided to go to Quod. Its proximity to my hotel was definitely a factor in choosing it as I was planning on going back for a siesta after lunch (don’t judge, this is my vacation too and I can do whatever I want lol!). The restaurant’s modern decor was inviting and the food was also quite nice.

I could still feel the jet lag and I was too tired to walk around. I headed back to my hotel and we decided to meet up later for dinner at Turl Street Kitchen (where I had breakfast this morning). Turns out, it’s also rated as one of the best restaurants in Oxford.

Similar to what I felt last night, it was surreal and hard to believe that I was there visiting my son at Oxford AND drinking beer or wine with him! I pondered on the moments when this boy was just that—a boy! He’s now a young man who’s learned to be more independent, preparing to make his way in the world. I can’t help but wonder where the time has gone!