Alice In Oxford - LittleWanderingWren

This year marks the 150 Anniversary of

Lewis Carroll’s children’s book Alice in Wonderland

Now where to start?

“Begin at the beginning,” the King said, very gravely, “and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”

― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

If your name is Alice, or you have long blond hair and a blue dress

you would have been entirely at home in Oxford last weekend.

There were Alices everywhere…

150 to be precise, all there to celebrate ‘Alice’s Day’

“Curiouser and curiouser!”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

But as I have now been joined in the UK by my daughters,

we are back to the “don’t be embarrassing Mother” comments

and I am banned from photographing every gorgeous young Alice!

“Well, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense.”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

Alice’s Day is an annual Oxford event

of Mad Hatters tea parties, croquet, story telling and workshops

celebrating Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, which was dreamt up on a summers day in Oxford in 1862.

We were actually not in Oxford for Alice, but to end the debate brought on by daughter No 1’s boyfriend who knows Cambridge well over which is better Oxford or Cambridge?

“Off with their heads!”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

I am biased, having grown up living close to Oxford.

Of course Oxford is better than Cambridge, it’s certainly better than Swindon!

Well… we actually lived closer to Swindon Town.

But out of the UK no one has ever heard of Swindon,

so I am teased by Mr Wren for telling everyone I come from near Oxford.

In the UK, the concrete kingdom of Swindon is known for it’s

railway and manufacturing, and nothing more exciting than the

Magic Roundabout, a roundabout with six mini-roundabouts in it.

So let’s just say Swindon is the rather unglamourous,

ugly poor relation to Oxford without the history,

the University connections, or the gorgeous buildings of Oxford.

And so, public disclaimer, that is why I say we lived near Oxford!

Now with Daughter No 1 and her boyfriend

working for a charity based outside Cambridge

we have two hours, with no particular plan but to impress

and show off the delights of Oxford.

“If you don’t know where you are going any road can take you there”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

It is a perfect British summers day.

Thankfully slightly cooler than the heatwave that swept the country earlier in the week, and we join the crowds, speaking many tongues,

wandering in this beautiful city.

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”
“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.”
“I don’t much care where –”
“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go.”

― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

It’s hard not to be impressed by either Oxford or Cambridge

But rather than ramble on with this hard to win argument

I’ll just say

both Oxford and Cambridge are gorgeous

and I think I’ll leave it here for today.

Ice-cream anyone or how about a nice cup of tea?!