il Giardino Romantico

If you are a JRR Tolkien or CS Lewis fan, you will, no doubt, have heard of this place before. Yes. The last stop we decided to make during our Oxford day trip was to make a pilgrimage to the place where the Inklings would have their regular meet ups. 
托爾金（魔戒三部曲）迷或是CS路易斯（納尼亞傳奇）迷應該都會知道這個地方的。是的！牛津一日遊的最後一站，我們選擇來這裡朝聖。這裡就是The Inklings常常聚會的所在地！
Although there is no beer garden, there are two tables available for people who enjoy "fresh air" with their pints.
雖然沒有戶外花園區，但門口還是放了兩桌，讓享用啤酒的人兒可以順便"呼吸"新鮮空氣... 
It's a small building, but not unexpectedly, the smallness creates it coziness.
雖然面積不大，但也因此讓整間pub的氣氛感覺相當舒適～
A pint at the table where the Inklings used to sit... make every sip a literary gulp!
坐在當時Inklings成員習慣的座位上，喝著啤酒，彷彿每一口都為自己添加了一點文學氣息（其實是氣泡）
The Inklings were an informal literary discussion group of which JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis were memebers. Back in Liverpool, we used to have our own sessions at our campus pub The Cambridge. Sitting here makes me think of not just the two authors, but also my lovely course mates! 
The Inklings是一個非正式的文學討論會。其中成員就有兩位大文豪托爾金與路易斯。想當初在利物浦時，每次上完課與同學相約於The Cambridge校園pub時，大概也是這種感覺吧！
 
This is proof that I am not just pulling your leg.
這張照片證明我真的不是在唬爛。

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拉德特立夫圖書館 - 牛津地標 Radcliffe Camera - landmark of Oxford.
對於觀光客或旅人來說，牛津與劍橋似乎就像是個爭風吃醋的雙胞胎。相像處之多，可以比喻成像是雙胞胎一樣，但卻又互不相讓。每年查看年度大學排行榜時，一下牛津奪冠，一下劍橋奪冠。很好奇在這裡完成學業的人究竟身懷著什麼樣的才能（與財力）。這裡的世界對我們來說似乎遙不可及。不過也正因此使得牛津與劍橋整座城市所散發出的氣息又更格外的濃郁。
For tourists and travellers, Oxford and Cambridge are like twins that fight over almost everything. Their similiarities make them like twins, but their competitiveness cannot go unnoticed. If you check out the annual university ranks, you'll see that they always take turns topping the chart. It makes you wonder: exactly what type of people (and with what king of fortune) brings them here to places like Oxford and Cambridge! To us, this place is like a million galaxies away. But I guess this is the exact reason that makes a city like this even more intriging.
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當天我們walking tour 的解說員。
Our very own guide for our walking tour.
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是否看起來似曾相似？
Look familiar?
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解說員說，這裡是哈利波特裡的場景之一。
The guide said this is one of the place that made it into 'Harry Potter'. 
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當地人俗稱的Rad Cam，其實是一位John Radcliffe（威廉三世與瑪莉二世的御醫）所承諾要搭建的圖書館。在此，camera並不是英文中的"相機"，而是法文"房間"的意思。［資料來源：維基］雖然沒有進去一探究竟，不過光從外觀看起來，就知道又是一座了不起的宏觀建築物。
Colloquially known as Rad Cam, this is a library built under the promise of on John Radcliffe, physician to William III and Mary II. According to Wikipedia, the 'camera' here does not refer to that gadget we use to take pictures, but rather, it's the French for 'room. Despite having only seen the exterior of the building, it's not hard to imagine how impressive it would be inside! 
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Walking tour帶我們經過一條小巷弄。裏頭有個有趣的蛋糕工廠。
Walking tour taking us through an alley with a cake factory.
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當時剛好是畢業季。
It happened to be graduation season.
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雖然明知是畢業服，但我想像他是穿梭在麻瓜間的巫師（霍格華茲逃出來的吧！）
Knowing it's a graduation gown, I'll still pretend he's a wizard from Hogwarts admist muggles.
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他不是隨機選擇的pub。雖然我沒在這裡喝上一杯，但他的確是有特色的！
This is not a random picture of any random pub. I didn't have a pint here either, but it does have its unique feature!
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牆上的領帶都是牛津畢業生留下來的～
On the walls are the ties of graduates from Oxford colleges.
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這條巷弄竟取名為"邏輯"...真的很牛津............
Logic Lane... Yes, this is definitely Oxford...
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檢視較大的地圖 

真可惜沒趕上鐵達尼熱潮。不過也沒關係。因為他根本不是重點。其實這間叫什麼，我真的忘了。還是我根本沒有知道過。來這裡是與摯友的友人碰面。也是這位友人帶領我們來到這裡的。據說是還小有名氣。
Well, I guess the Titanic fever has died down already. But no matter. Actually, I can't remember the name of this pub, that is, if I knew the name at all at one time or another. We came here to meet up with a friend. It was the friend who brougt us here. Apparently, it's quite a famous pub. 

在英國，沒下雨就能算是好天氣。2010年七月的時候剛好遇上heat wave。真的很不敢相信英國竟然會跟臺灣一樣熱。不過此時已經開始變涼了。對我們熱帶國家的人來說，若不準備外套，還真的會有些涼。所以這種天氣呢，一定要找間有garden的pub，在戶外小酌一兩杯才是真的在享受人生啊！
In the UK, if it doens't rain, you might as well consider it good weather. I remember that year, with the heave wave attacking the UK, it was difficult to accept the fact that the UK was actually just as hot as it was in Taiwan. However, at this time (when in Oxford), it had already subsided a bit, and for tropical people like me, a think jacket became a must-bring. This is the kind of ideal weather to go out in the garden, and have a pint or two! 
這間pub的格局挺有趣的。如果不是熟人帶路，我想我們根本不可能會想到要來這種地方吧！
The layout of the pub is quite interesting. I don't think we would've ever found a place like this, if we had been on our own.
當我們選好位子坐下後，來了兩三個來自南美洲的學生（如果沒記錯的話...反正是某個說西班牙文的國家），說想要訪問我們。攝影師忘了打上馬賽克，這絕對不是因為他比較帥，真的是因為我忘了... 
Once we were steated, three students approached us and asked if we could be intereviewd for their project. I think they were from South America, if I remember correctly (some Spanish speaking country anyway....) I forgot to cover up the photographer's face, but it's not because he's extra cute or anything. I just forgot.
 
如果你剛好去過這間，認得出來，也記得他叫什麼，麻煩你告知我囉！
If you happen to have been here, recognize this place, and remember its name, oh! Please do tell me what it's called!
檢視較大的地圖 

這是我2010年旅遊英國三周的最後一站 - 牛津。這一站有一位摯友相伴，讓我這次在英國旅遊的最後一站充滿了言語無法表達出的意義。在拜訪了劍橋之後，牛津似乎也就成為了必逛之地。兩者比起來，我比較喜歡牛津。不知道是不是因為造訪牛津時，那不太做美的天空，讓整座城市多了點灰暗，照射出我內心對於這塊土地不捨的心情。或許是因為這樣，比起烈陽高照下的劍橋，反而是牛津比較深得我心。
This was the last stop of my 2010 three-week travel in the UK. I had the pleasure of having a good friend as my company this time, adding a bit more melancholic delight to this last stop of mine. After seeing Cambridge, it became obviously that Oxford was also a must-visit. I think I prefer Oxford. I'm thinking it's because of the almost-grey cloud that gives it a sort of melancholic touch that makes it even more attractive than the sunny Cambridge I saw. 
這樣的天空似乎更能襯托出古老建築的味道。
The grey backdrop brings out the features of these old buildings even more.
鐘樓 Clock tower
其實在這裡停留的時間並沒有很久。雖說是一日遊，倒不如說是半日遊。回程的時候還因為看錯時間表，差點回不去。不過，旅程不就這樣嗎：所有發生的一切都是很難忘的！
The time spent here in Oxford was not long. A little less than a whole day, and a little more than half a day. On the way back, we almost missed the coach back! What an unforgettable experience! 
還好，有好吃食物的慰藉。最後還是順利地回到家了。
After a bite of food, we finally returned home.
未完待續．．．
To be continued...
檢視較大的地圖