Corner view: Oxford souvenirs, UK

This week's Corner View theme is Souvenirs of your city. Ah, Oxford! One of the most beautiful cities in the world. What could you take as a souvenir after visiting? What would you remember?

Well, there is the obvious, a postcard of the Radcliffe Camera, which is probably the most recognizable building in town...

Or a postcard of one of the Colleges, like Christ Church. One of the most beautiful buildings in the city, it's now famous because it inspired Hogwarts school in the Harry Potter movies. This is the back building overlooking Christ Church Meadow and my favourite part of the college.

You could get a book about the city. This is, after all, one of the most important Univeristy cities of the world, and it offers plenty of bookshops where to spend a fun afternoon...

You could go for something British... with a twist...

Or you could simply go and enjoy one of the old pubs in town. The Eagle and Child, in St Gilles, is where the writers' group, The Inklings used to meet. Its members included J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis, so you'd be in good company.

Go to Jane's blog, Spain Daily, to visit more Corner Views around the world.

Corner view: September in the UK

Corner View is back after our summer break! The very timely topic this week is September.

For me, September has always meant a new beginning. It's of course, the back to school feeling. After a summer of fun, I was always more or less ready to go home, to see my friends, to get back into a routine, and yes, even to go back to school. Because the new school year was full of possibilities, of new things to learn, of new ways of doing things.

It's funny, I had that same feeling at the end of my year travelling last December. After an amazing time, I was ready to come back and create new routines and a new life with the boyfriend. This year has been difficult, but we're getting to the place that we imagined at the beginning of the year. A place where we want to stay for a while. Everything we've done this year (and before) has brought us here. To this September. And, once again, September has brought with it exciting opportunities and new beginnings.

I'll tell you all about the details of our new beginnings soon. In the meantime, I leave you with these September photos that I snapped last week in a visit to my friends in Chichester, in Surrey, England. It was my first time in the area, and it's so beautiful, I can't believe I never knew.

Visit more Corner Views around the world:

jane, ladybug-zen, ian, bonnie, esti, sophie, cele, modsquad, caitlin, joyce, ani, kim, a day that is dessert, natsumi, epe, kaylovesvintage, trinsch, c.t., jeannette, outi, ritva, francesca, state of bliss, jennifer, dana, denise, cabrizette, bohemia girl, dianna, isabelle, amber, a girl in the yellow shoes, mister e, janis, kari, jgy, skymring, elizabeth, audrey, allison, lise, cate, crescent moon, erin, otli, ida, caroline, lisa, dorte, kimmie, la lune dans le ciel, nicola, malo, vanessa, britta, april, b, kyndale samantha, karen, kristina, dorit, goldensunfamily, sophie, janet, mcgillicutty, desiree, travelingmama, aimee, sunnymama, amanda, ali, jenell, britta, juanita, pamela, inna, daan, myrtille, cris, ibb, susi, jodi, lily, gillian, athena, pienduzz, latisha, clairette, kelleyn, iris, demara, mus, ninja, guusje, di, sammi, theresa, cherry b, victoria

Corner view: The unveiling...

You've seen bits of me before... like my feet (and beautiful yellow shoes) and the back of my head...

You've seen me hiding behind a camera or my sunglasses....

For this week's corner view, we're all unveiling...

Nice to meet you! If we're in Spain, I'll give you two kisses; if we're in South America, it'll be only one kiss on the cheek; and if we're in England, there'll be a handshake, unless you want to prove you are cool and hip, in which case, we go back to the two kisses.

Corner view is organized by lovely Jane (go and see her unveiling) and there are more corner view unveilings going on here:

jane, ladybug-zen, ian, bonnie, esti, sophie, cele, modsquad, caitlin, joyce, ani, kim, a day that is dessert, natsumi, epe, kaylovesvintage, trinsch, c.t., jeannette, outi, schanett, ritva, francesca, state of bliss, jennifer, dana, denise, cabrizette, bohemia girl, dianna, isabelle, amber, a girl in the yellow shoes, mister e, janis, kari, jgy, skymring, elizabeth, audrey, allison, lise, cate, mon, victoria, crescent moon, erin, otli, amy, ida, caroline, lisa, dorte, kimmie, la lune dans le ciel, nicola, malo, vanessa, britta, virgina, april, b, kyndale samantha, karen, kristina, dorit, goldensunfamily, sophie, janet, mcgillicutty, desiree, di, travelingmama, aimee, sunnymama, amanda, ali, jenell, guusje, britta, juanita, pamela, inna, daan, myrtille, cris, ibb, susi, jodi, lily, gillian, jeanette, athena, pienduzz, latisha, clairette, kelleyn

Corner view: Music, Oxford, UK

One of the things I really like about Oxford is how many shows are always going on. Theatre, comedy... and of course, music! Walking around the town last week, I noticed many posters for different music spectacles.

From reggae, always present in Cowley Road, the most multicultural part of Oxford (which doesn't really mean it's that multicultural):

 

To classical music in the Hollywell Music Room in the centre:  

With anything you can imagine in between: 

 

For more musical corner views around the world, visit Spain Daily.

Corner View: The beach, Oxford, UK

Time for another Corner View! The topic for this week is "The beach". Unfortunately, Oxford doesn't have one, but we do have lovely parks where people behave as if they were on a beach. Examples:

The first time I saw a scene like this, way back when I first moved here, I had a bit of a culture shock. I come from Spain, a country where summer is always sunny and hot (and that's how it should be!). We have more than three months of guaranteed good weather and so we tend to shy from it a little bit. In fact, unless you're actually on a beach or a swimming pool, you avoid the heat as much as you can, staying indoors until at least 8pm, when you can enjoy a nice temperature.
British summer, on the other hand is not to be taken for granted. It's never, ever guaranteed. It can be sunny today and rainy tomorrow. In fact, it can be sunny now, and rainy in an hour, so here, people make the most of it. At the first sign of sun, we take over gardens, parks, streets ... everywhere is a beach!

Don't get me wrong, I understand and in fact, now share this behaviour... I just wasn't brought up that way.

Corner View is hosted by Spain Daily, and you can visit more beaches at the these other corner views around the blogosphere:

jane, ladybug-zen, ian, bonnie,esti, sophie, cele, modsquad,

caitlin, joyce, ani, kim, a day that is dessert, natsumi, epe, kaylovesvintage, trinsch,c.t.,jeannette, outi, schanett, ritva, dongdong, francesca, state of bliss, jennifer, dana, denise,cabrizette, bohemia girl, dianna, isabelle, amber, a girl in the yellow shoes, mister e, janis, kari,jgy, jenna, skymring, elizabeth, audrey, allison, lise, cate, mon, victoria, crescent moon, erin,otli, ida, caroline, lisa, dorte, kimmie, la lune dans le ciel, nicola, malo, vanessa, britta, virgina,april, rebecca, b, sunnymama, kyndale, samantha, karen, kristina, angelina, dorit, goldensunfamily, sophie, janet, nicki, ruth, mcgillicutty, desiree, di, travelingmama, aimee

Corner view: Cityscapes in Oxford, UK

Welcome to Oxford, a charming city where you can escape opening any door. It will almost always lead you to a beautiful place.


Where you can escape and hide in beautiful buildings full of books.


Where you can escape by sitting near the river, or better still, getting in one of those boats and enjoying the peace of a different Oxford.


I moved to Oxford from Spain seven years ago and, in that time, I've seen many sides of it. The cold, rainy city where everyone speaks a language I don't understand. The sunny place that welcomes foreigners and makes them feel at home. The town that speaks multiple languages and it's still so undeniably British. The city centre where locals, University students, English language students and tourists walk side by side (annoying each other). The neighborhoods, so different, each a small universe, I've lived in over the years (I've moved a lot!). A city that can be so infuriatingly small but amazingly lively.

The city that I now call home, for here I've grown and learnt about myself more than anywhere else, and here I've fallen in and out (and in again) love. A place I keep coming back to, everytime.

More cityscapes around the world:

jane, ladybug-zen, ian, bonnie, esti, sophie, cele, modsquad,

caitlin, joyce, ani, kim, a day that is dessert, natsumi, epe, kaylovesvintage, trinsch, c.t.,jeannette, outi, schanett, ritva, dongdong, francesca, state of bliss, jennifer, dana, denise, cabrizette, bohemia girl, dianna, isabelle, amber, a girl in the yellow shoes, mister e, janis, kari, jgy, jenna, skymring, elizabeth, audrey, allison, lise, cate, mon, victoria, crescent moon, erin, otli, ida, caroline, lisa, dorte, kimmie, la lune dans le ciel, nicola, malo, vanessa, britta, virgina, april, rebecca, b, sunnymama, kyndale, samantha, karen, kristina, angelina, dorit, goldensunfamily, sophie, janet, nicki, ruth, mcgillicutty

Corner view: Coffee, Oxford (UK) and Salento (Colombia)

Back to my favourite topic! This week's theme for corner view is coffee!

This is my favourite place to have coffee in Oxford. The Jericho Cafe has good coffees, great food (if a bit overpriced, but this is Oxford, after all!), and good wine. Their English breakfasts are amazing! I love those coffee shops in England where you can spend the whole day, if you want to. Sit down and have breakfast, mid morning coffee, lunch, tea, and dinner with a glass of wine, all the while reading your book or a magazine or working with your laptop.


This is what my coffee looked like today half drunk (I know, fascinating!) inside The Jericho Cafe. It's a latte, which is my favourite type of coffee. I think this is also the most popular coffee choice in England, although if they want to splash out, they'll have a cappuccino!! England is traditionally a country of tea lovers, but with the arrival of Starbucks and others, the coffee shop culture has really taken off, specially among students and young people. It's all about the experience... and the pleasure of coffee.


Now, I know that Colombia is not exactly my corner of the world, but I couldn't resist posting these photos from the coffee region of the country, which we visited last year while traveling in South America. We went to a small coffee farm where the owner, Don Elias, showed us around and explained to us the coffee making process. He still does everything by hand, from picking to drying to roasting the coffee. We also went to a bigger farm, where they use machines for everything, but that's a lot less interesting.






You can have coffee around the world in the other view corners:

jane, ladybug-zen, ian, bonnie, esti, sophie, cele, modsquad,
caitlin, joyce, ani, kim, a day that is dessert, natsumi, epe, kaylovesvintage, trinsch, c.t.,jeannette, outi, schanett, ritva, dongdong, francesca, state of bliss, jennifer, dana, denise, cabrizette, bohemia girl, dianna, isabelle, amber, a girl in the yellow shoes, mister e, janis, kari, jgy, jenna, skymring, elizabeth, audrey, allison, lise, cate, mon, victoria, crescent moon, erin, otli, ida, caroline, lisa, dorte, kimmie, la lune dans le ciel, nicola, malo, vanessa, britta, virgina, april, rebecca, b, sunnymama, kyndale, samantha, karen, kristina, angelina, dorit, goldensunfamily, sophie, janet, nicki, ruth, mcgillicutty