Harry Potter Lives Here

Good Morning!
Do some of these buildings look familiar? If so, that may be because you have seen the Harry Potter films, some of which were filmed at the University of Oxford. The University of Oxford is the oldest university in the English-speaking world and dates back to the 11th century (that's about 1,000 years ago). Oxford is ranked as the top university in the United Kingdom. Students come here to study from all over the world (including Alexa's dad, who came here to study with some pediatric heart surgeons) and walking down a street in Oxford, you are likely to hear dozens of languages and accented English.

Speaking of language, here are some differences between British English and American English:

Grocery Cart=Trolley
Stroller= Pram
Elevator=Lift
Carry Out= Take Away
Cookie= Biscuit
Potato Chips=Crisps
Mashed Potatoes=Bangers.

These are just a few examples of words we used while visiting here.

More photos of  Oxford:

This cemetery looks very old, and some of the headstones are, but it is still in use today. It is left overgrown so the land can serve another function--nature preserve. One small path is mowed for visitors. We thought that a lovely idea.

We are leaving tomorrow and will miss England. We hope you enjoyed reading about a few of our outings and learning about London and Oxford with us. Cheers!

An English Garden



University of Oxford Botanic Garden


Friends-

The University of Oxford Botanic Garden is over 380 years old and is the oldest botanical garden in Britain. Not only that, but it contains more than 7,000 different types of plants, making it the most diverse collection of plants in the world.

The garden is very pretty with colorful flowers throughout (even now in October). Typically, English Gardens are known for their gentle, sweeping beauty and represent an idealized view of nature.  At the University of Oxford Botanic Garden, they are also working to better understand the way plants are related to one another, help with plant conservation, and make sure researchers have access to plants that may one day be turned into medicine. 

This post is dedicated in memory of Etter .

London Iconography

Good Morning Class,

A few things you might see when traveling in London are:


Double Decker Buses



The Flag of the U.K. (also known as the Union Jack)

 


Red Telephone Boxes

Lots of fountains

 Mounted police waiting in traffic

 The Thames River

The London Underground (or the Tube as locals call it)

 Along with pedestrian crossings...

 Big Ben

 Signs directing you to a palace

                                                                                     
Statues...and lots of them



Cathedrals and Museums

Hello Class-

London is brimming with cathedrals and museums. One of the most famous cathedrals is Westminster Abbey. The Abbey's history goes back over 1,000 years and the actual building as it stands today is more than 700 years old. There are seventeen queens and kings buried inside the Abbey (usually in fancy tombs). Today, Westminster Abbey still serves as a place of worship. Kings and queens are also crowned here. The crowning ceremony is called a coronation.

One of Alexa's favorite places in London so far is the Natural History Museum. This museum houses dozens of dinosaur skeletons and examples of species from all over the planet. Can you guess the dino standing near Alexa in this picture?

That's right! It's Triceratops!

No. 10 Downing Street

Good Morning, Kindergartners,

The political leader in the United States, Barack Obama, is called The President. He lives in the White House in Washington, D.C. In the United Kingdom, the political leader is called the Prime Minister. His name is David Cameron and he lives at No. 10 Downing Street in London (see photos).

Did you know that England also has a queen? That's right! Her name is Elizabeth II. Her role is mostly ceremonial. That means she is not in charge of the government, but she does have some power. How much power she has is determined by laws enacted (or made) by Parliament. The British Parliament is similar to the U.S. Congress--they both function as the legislature. That might sound a little confusing, but just remember that the legislative part of the government is the part that makes laws.