Ghosts, tea, and the wonderful world of HP sauce

Friday was a great day in Oxford! I learned that Oxford is actually thirty-odd colleges combined to become Ofxord University. The grounds are so beautiful. We visited a chapel and library, the gardens that inspired Alice in Wonderland, and so much more!

JRR Tolkein and CS Lewis hung
out here!

We had lunch at the King's Arms Tavern (possibly the inspiration for the tavern in Williamsburg, VA of the same name?). I had my first fish and chips with a double chocolate stout. I also discovered HP sauce. It's a combination of A1 and BBQ sauce, and it's not sold in the states.


I think I'm in love with it.

We also toured the gardens that inspired Alice in Wonderland. That was my favorite part of the day!


After touring campus we shopped (what else would girls do?) at Primark, a British store that's cheaper than Forever 21 but also stylish.

We had a late afternoon high tea at Brown's cafe. It was so classy! We had scones with jam and clotted cream (that's butter only more delicious and worse for you), cakes, and tea cakes. It started my hook on tea. I actually just had some in a cafe. It's so classy how the brits do it: always loose leaf and always made fresh.

We said our goodbyes to Dr. Stewart (he'll be back bringing students from WVU towards the end of the trip) and headed back to town. Last night, we went to a nightclub in Picadilly Circus called the Zoo. 

Alice's gardens

It really was a zoo.

Today, we went to Hampton Court, the home of Henry VIII and his harem of wives. Admittedly, I didn't want to go and I really didn't know much about the story.

Time for tea

I ended up having such an awesome time! I learned about those crazy Tudors and their raucous debauchery. It reminded me of Colonial Williamsburg with the reenactments! The palace was so hauntingly beautiful.

Hampton Court

I say hauntingly because of the ghosts that are all over the place. We didn't see any while we were there, but my friends Kaidy and Lauren caught orbs on their camera. We also photographed a set of double doors where CCTV caught footage of them flying open and a robed figure was standing in the doorway.


It was creepy. I strongly suggest you youtube it.


By the way, CCTV stands for "closed circuit television." Basically, cameras are hidden ALL OVER the city. Everywhere. In London, you're photographed on CCTV ten thousand times each day, on average.

Beautiful gardens

It sounds creepy, but it's pretty cool. It was implemented in the 1970s to cut down on terrorism with Ireland (and it really did). Now it's just used to deter pickpocketing.

The door where the ghost
blew through

That's also why there are no public garbage cans in London. Problems with terrorism and bombs in trashcans in the past. It's good sentiment but its awkward when you're carrying a banana peel around town all day.


We saw the gardens, and it was really beautiful! We also got delicious ice cream on the way back as well.


That night we got yummy thai food in Maida Vale, our neighborhood.