Oxford! Wow! (need I say more?)

Wow. I've been in England for 5 days now, and everyday has been packed full of amazing experiences. We've toured Oxford quite a bit, and I can't really put into words all I've seen, but I will tell you it's amazing! Overwhelming, really. We received our reader cards, which allow us access to the Bodlean library (which holds millions of books). It really helped us step from the feeling of 'I'm a tourist' to 'I'm a student hear,' especially as we walked passed the sign that reads 'no visitors beyond this point' into the spacious interior of the Radcliffe Camera. This rotunda is as glorious on the inside as it appears from the outside (but you can't take pictures, so you will have to take my word for it). Still, the silence in such a huge space is overwhelming, every creaky step reverberates about the room: no one speaks above a whisper. It's similar with the ancient churches in the area, but seemingly less forgiving. Speaking of churches, many of us attended St. Mary Magdallen's, which is very High Church-ish, and a wonderful experience (especially for someone who has never experienced anything like it). Hearing the Scripture in song, songs in Latin, taking the Eucharist in such a traditional way... it was really amazing. Well, there is so much more to say, but little time now. I am off to Wycliffe for a seminar on Philosophy and the Christian Tradition...

Cheers!

PS 

see pictures at http://web.mac.com/matt2819/Site/Homepage.html