The Eagle and Child

The Eagle and Child pub in Oxford is where JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis met. Did the sign of the Eagle carrying a baby influence Tolkien's writing?

Emmanuel College

Have been wandering through Cambridge, and Emmanuel College in particular. Once a hotbed of Calvinism, Emmanuel has stained-glass windows of Augustine, Tyndale, and also of the Cambridge Platonists who were there:

Arrival

Have arrived in London very jet-lagged. Changed planes in Sydney (wave to rellies), flew over Darwin at 34,000 feet (wave to rellies), stopped in Bangkok at midnight, and flew over The Netherlands at dawn (wave to rellies).

Had a lovely coffee here, discussed the evils of Sunday trading with the Columbian staff, and am about to visit the British Museum.

I'm leaving on a jet plane...

Well, almost. Actually, I'm at Canberra airport, and I'm leaving on a Dash8:

Fridge door

I'll be leaving for the UK in a few days (DV), and probably won't be blogging before I go. If anyone wants to get in touch with me, email me on gmail, or post a note here.

Staying in Cambridge

When I visit Cambridge, I will (DV) be staying here (I'll do my best to pretend to be upper-class and English):

Another cool place to visit

The old Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge has hosted some of the most important 20th century scientific discoveries, including those of the electron, the neutron, and the structure of DNA. Maybe the building was blessed in some way? If so, it's a pity they no longer use it:

Holy Trinity Church, Cambridge

I've been advised to worship here while in England.

Update: Not the best advice I've ever had -- I should have gone next door.

The British Museum

Here is a place I'd love to visit. This obelisk, for example, shows us a picture of the Biblical character Jehu (click for more details):

Jehu was anointed king of Israel by a prophet deputised by Elisha:

The prophet Elisha summoned a man from the company of the prophets and said to him, "Tuck your cloak into your belt, take this flask of oil with you and go to Ramoth Gilead. When you get there, look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go to him, get him away from his companions and take him into an inner room. Then take the flask and pour the oil on his head and declare, 'This is what the LORD says: I anoint you king over Israel.' Then open the door and run; don't delay!" (2 Kings 9:1-3)

Yet, rather than trusting God, Jehu sold out to Assyria.

Travel preparation

I'll be travelling to Oxford later this month, among other things to attend this conference among the "dreaming spires" of Oxford. The event will be at the Oxford Saïd Business School:

However, I am anxious to also see the older centres of learning:

If only I can get all my travel preparation done!

Shackles

I was incredibly impressed when Mary Mary hit the secular charts with this one:

ElusaV desma, dunamai coreuein
qelw se ainein, qelw se ainein
elusaV me, epairw tas ceiraV
dwsw ainon soi, dwsw ainon soi