The Parks

Haircut. Budget. Allotment trip. Holiday planning. And probably other things I can't remember now.

All of which meant we didn't get away from Winchester until half three. We still managed to fit a remarkable amount into the rest of the day without it feeling rushed and getting home at a sensible time. Amazing.

Somehow we managed a whistlestop tour of the Ashmolean museum before it closed at 5pm. I was chastising myself for never going the whole time I was at Uni. I wasn't even 100% confident of its exact location if I'm honest. Then I realised the new wing only opened in 2009 and it was a small ramshackle museum with most of its collection on loan while I was there. A gentle stroll round the Parks, back through the science blocks, dinner and a pint at the KA, a mooch past most important locations in my Uni career (only some of which were pubs) and then back up to the Sheldonian for The Dream of Gerontius as part of my college's 750th anniversary celebrations. A fabulous evening. I'd forgotten the emotional power of a full orchestra and chorus live. I'd also forgotten just how bloomin' uncomfortable the cheap seats are in the Upper Gallery.

My photo was meant to be the ceiling of the Sheldonian but the fading sun was glorious in the Parks and they featured much more prominently in my student days. The light was even better from a different angle but having spent most of my dissertation summer sneaking into the Parks to watch or play cricket I wants to get the sight screens in.
Vx

* We didn't quite make it into college, to the meadows or the river and boathouses. Luckily K loved it so we'll get to go again possibly out of term time so I can take him into the gardens.