Lisa in Ottawa
500+ Posts
I've been in Oxford for a month with 2 more to go. The following are a few of my observations in no particular order.
Is there a baby boom? Tons of young families with 3 and 4 young children. In Oxford they pile their children on bikes with all manner of carrying contraptions. Not quite as I remember how families travel in Asia but almost.
Everyone is so helpful from shop and café/pub staff, to the greeter at the library to folks going out of their way to ensure I get to where I need to go. In fact, I hardly have a chance to look moderately confused before I’m approached with offers of assistance. This is not how I have experienced France, Spain or Italy. It seems akin to American behavior.
Favorite words “brilliant” and the opposite “rubbish” to describe all manner of things.
BBC radio 4 is wonderful.
Oxford has way too much happening for 1 person to track.
They love their tea and cake. Many good cake, tea and coffee shops. I think cake may be more beloved than tea. Espresso based coffee drinks are popular especially with the under 30 crowd. As I don’t drink tea but adore good coffee, this makes me happy. And I get to sit among young people intensely studying their mobiles or laptops. I feel right at home.
Oxford is even more beautiful than I imagined. The bonus being all the green spaces.
Drivers are mindful of cyclists. It must be because most drivers are also a cyclists.
Off the main arteries, cars are parked on both sides of the street facing either direction. And cars go down the middle. Makes it a little confusing. Is it a 1 way street? Nope.
It’s a myth that it always rains in England. In fact, my experience is
the sun always shines. (lol)
Shop local seems popular. From pubs to supermarkets the emphasis is on "grown in Britain" and "sourced locally". This only applies to fresh food items.
Is there a baby boom? Tons of young families with 3 and 4 young children. In Oxford they pile their children on bikes with all manner of carrying contraptions. Not quite as I remember how families travel in Asia but almost.
Everyone is so helpful from shop and café/pub staff, to the greeter at the library to folks going out of their way to ensure I get to where I need to go. In fact, I hardly have a chance to look moderately confused before I’m approached with offers of assistance. This is not how I have experienced France, Spain or Italy. It seems akin to American behavior.
Favorite words “brilliant” and the opposite “rubbish” to describe all manner of things.
BBC radio 4 is wonderful.
Oxford has way too much happening for 1 person to track.
They love their tea and cake. Many good cake, tea and coffee shops. I think cake may be more beloved than tea. Espresso based coffee drinks are popular especially with the under 30 crowd. As I don’t drink tea but adore good coffee, this makes me happy. And I get to sit among young people intensely studying their mobiles or laptops. I feel right at home.
Oxford is even more beautiful than I imagined. The bonus being all the green spaces.
Drivers are mindful of cyclists. It must be because most drivers are also a cyclists.
Off the main arteries, cars are parked on both sides of the street facing either direction. And cars go down the middle. Makes it a little confusing. Is it a 1 way street? Nope.
It’s a myth that it always rains in England. In fact, my experience is
the sun always shines. (lol)
Shop local seems popular. From pubs to supermarkets the emphasis is on "grown in Britain" and "sourced locally". This only applies to fresh food items.
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