Friday, June 29, 2007

Cuppa on the Oxford Canal in Jericho

Couple taking a break on the Oxford Canal near Jericho. The Oxford Canal reached Oxford from Coventry in 1790 and was used to transport coal from the Midlands to Oxford. Back then times were hard and life on and around the canal was very different to what it is now, mainly used for touring, holidays and fishing.

This is was I will be doing for the next four days, so Oxford Daily Photo will be having a small break while I am in the slow lane.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Odeon Walls George Street

Looking out onto the very uninteresting Odeon Cinema building in George Street from Café Uno. There was talk a few months ago that the cinema was going to be refurbished, and I was hoping that this would include this interesting brick wall facing George Street, however I have not heard any more about these plans.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Thornhill Park and Ride

When coming into Oxford from the East or the A40 the Thornhill Park and Ride tactility will be on your left. It is currently being upgraded and improved and as you can see from this photo they are making good progress. Buses to Oxford and London are still operating as normal and the car park fills up very early. The old station is in the background on the right.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Light Poles and Yogurt pots?? Help??

This is going to be strange post today and I am hoping that the Oxford visitors to the blog will be able to help me. Over the last week or so I have noticed on a number of light poles around the city at about 4 metres from the ground an empty yogurt pot taped to the pole. What are these for? Who put them up? And have you seen any? I have seen them on Parks Road, St Giles, and Onsey Lane. I have also seen on different poles a small clear and green vile, but I have only seen two of these so far. Post any sighting to me please.

Monday, June 25, 2007

Oxford becomes a movie set for Philip Pullmans Golden Compass

Within hours of the end of the academic year and the students leaving there colleges, the centre of Oxford has been transformed into a movie set. In the centre of Oxford around the Radcliff Camera for the next three nights there will be filming for the new Philip Pullman movie The Golden Compass. Filming started at midnight and you can see from this photo they are using lots of lights, cranes and generators, and yes it was raining all night. After the shots at the Radcliff Camera they will be moving into Queens Lane in Tuesday Night.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Old Bus to Cowley

It has been a few years since this bus was in service. This was taken yesterday in the High Street at an old bus stop that was taking passengers to the new bus depot for the Oxford Bus Company behind the BMW factory. It was part of the Open Doors weekend. I converted this photo to black and white to look the part!

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Oxford Opening Doors

This weekend as apart of Oxfordshire’s 1000th anniversary a number of buildings that are not normally opened to the general public are opening there doors for us all to see. This is a free event and includes many buildings that we normally only see from the street. These tourists are enjoying the grounds and buildings of St Johns College, they are seen here in Canterbury Quadrangle which the college library form part of. For more information see Opening Doors Website.

Friday, June 22, 2007

BBQ in TESCO Car Park

National BBQ Company had a very elaborate display giving away small samples in the car park of TESCO in Cowley. You could smell the BBQ cooking away across the car park, unfortunately this weekend in Oxford is not going to be very good BBQ weather, the forecast is for rain, rain and more rain..

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Longest Day Ends

The silhouette of Nuffield College as the sun sets on Oxford. Today was the longest day of sunlight, from now on the days will start to set shorter as we move towards winter. Sun Rise in Oxford this morning was at 04:46 with the sun setting at 21:27. It's all down hill from now on.....

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Punting or Rowing

Which one do you prefer? Punting or Rowing? If I was on the River Cherwell like these guys enjoying the summer sun, I think I would like to be Rowing.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Poppy Fields

I was out of town today for work and on the way back into Oxford I noticed this field with all these flowering Poppy's. I had to try and get a photo, I took about 20 to try and get the image that I was seeing, but I could not get it, unfortunately this was best I could get. I maybe able to get a better one later in the week. The Red of the Poppy's look so nice and bright against the green crop.

Monday, June 18, 2007

Morris Dancing

Morris Dancing is very popular in and around Oxford and can be seen were ever there is a festival or celebration. Morris Dancing is an English Folk dance which can have sticks, bells swords and in Oxford and the Cotswold handkerchiefs. These guys are putting on a display in Cornmarket and had the lunch time shoppers stopped and looking... as well as a few visitors.

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Photo of a Lady Taking a Photo of a Photo

This must be what I look like sometimes when I am trying to get a photo. This was taken in the Westgate Shopping Centre of a lady taking a photo of a photo in one of the newer shops selling large prints of famous people and places. She is right in the way of the entrance.

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Two For A Pound

He's back, the whistle and giant balloon man. This guy turns up in Oxford every summer selling whistles which he keeps around his neck, and these giant balloons, any colour as long as it's red was he cry this afternoon. I have seen him for the last fours years that I can remember and I am sure that he has never changed his price, it has always been Two For A Pound!!

His red balloon looked great against a graying stormy Oxford sky this afternoon.

Friday, June 15, 2007

Red Poles

No not a barber, red and white warning tape on scaffolding in Pembroke Street. There is always construction and repair work going on in Oxford.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Tourist Stalls Are Out

We must be starting to get int the full swing of the tourist season, as we are seeing our souvenir carts out the front Christ Church College and also near the Radcliffe Camera. Looks like he has got a sale with these young Americans.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Following on from Yesterday


Oxfordshire County Council’s fire crews tackled a fire at the Malmaison Hotel in the Oxford Castle complex on the morning of Monday 11 June. Firefighters arrived at the scene at 7.30am and rapidly brought under control a serious fire in the main electrical switch room on the second floor of the Malmaison Hotel. Forty staff and guests were safely evacuated from the building.

Monday, June 11, 2007

What's going on at Oxford Castle?

Walking around Oxford Castle this afternoon and there was a few of Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue trucks parked at the main entrance of the Malmasion Hotel within the Oxford Castle Complex. Could not see any smoke so I guess all is OK, lets hope so..

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Love Oxford 2007

This morning most of the Christan Church's of Oxford gathered in Broad Street for the 2nd Love Oxford Service. The event is relatively new and it was supported by every church in the Oxford area and as you can see from the photo the people of Oxford attended and supported this open air event.

Saturday, June 09, 2007

It's Ice Cream Season in Oxford

When the weather starts to get warmer you can always guarantee that Oxford’s own Ice Cream Café, George and Davis, know locally as G&D’s will be busy. They make all there Ice Cream in the original store that opened in 1992 in Little Clarendon Street, from fresh locally sourced produce. This photo is of the second bigger store in Pembroke Street, and the wait is worth it. mmmmmmmm What's your favorite flavour??

Friday, June 08, 2007

Oxford University Museum of Natural History

This is a must for any visitor to Oxford, the Museum of Natural History and behind it the Pitt River Collection. Both are free to visit and are within walking distance of the centre of town. The National History Museum has the most complete remains of a single dodo anywhere in the world. You could spend a whole day looking around, a good one if it is raining on your visit to Oxford!

Thursday, June 07, 2007

Oxford Kabab Vans

The Kebab Vans in Oxford are very well known to people all over the UK. I had a distant relitive who I meet up with a few years ago when he found out that I was living in Oxford, he did not mention the University, or any of Oxford other attractions he asked, 'Do they still have those great Kebab Vans in Oxford'
These vans appear at dusk and trade well into the night. There is even a website listing them all have a look, this one on the Botley Road close to the train station an YHA.

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Oriel College Oxford

Oriel College in the 5th oldest college in Oxford and is in Oriel Square Oxford. Photo was taken a couple of days ago and you can see the college is flying it's Royal Standard from the main entrance.


Monday, June 04, 2007

Busy Cornmarket - No Riding

Cornmarket is always busy however on sunny days the place is very full, and you are unable to cycle during the day. The only safe way to navigate Cornmarket with a bike is to walk it, as in this photo.

Sunday, June 03, 2007

Blackwells Oxford

It is rare that a bookstore becomes a tourist attraction, but Blackwell's is not just any bookstore. For one thing, it lays claim to the largest single room devoted to book sales in Europe, the enormous Norrington Room 10000sq.ft.
How, in cramped-for-space Oxford, did Blackwell's manage to create enough space for the Norrington Room? They excavated under neighbouring Trinity College Gardens, that's how! So while students walk and - hopefully - study above, shoppers peruse endless shelves of books 250000 well underground.
Benjamin Blackwell founded his store in 1879 in a tiny building at 50 Broad Street, which is now the main store. That first store measured only 12 feet square, and held just 700 used books!

Saturday, June 02, 2007

Whats Happening in Oxford

If you ever need to know what is happening in Oxford take a look at the notice boards that are around then place. This one is a relatively new one in the Covered Market, and as you can see from this photo there is always a lot happening in Oxford, so everyone should be able to find an event of interest.