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It's a long walk up from the river to the Union, and Cornmarket is, as always, crowded. In Chaucer's time, corn was sold on Cornmarket Street. That's how it got it's name. Past its intersection with Broad Street, Cornmarket turns into St. Giles Place.
There's a whole lot that goes on further down St. Giles Place. The Ashmolean Museum, England's oldest public museum that houses an extraordinary Egyptian collection, is down that way. St. Giles is also home to some of Oxford's more popular pubs, such as the Eagle and Child (commonly referred to as the Bird and Baby) and the Lamb and Flag. G and D's, Oxford's only ice cream parlor that is strangely reminiscent of Ben and Jerry's but somehow even better, is off St. Giles, as is Beatons. If you've got an afternoon, and it's not raining, stop by Beatons for their Melting Moment sandwich which consists of melted bree and turkey on a ciabatta, and sit on the bench in the intersection of Woodstock and Banbury. Some of my quietest, most favorite moments in Oxford were spent there. Don't forget to feed the birds.
All this talk of food is making me hungry. Let's take a left from Cornmarket to Broad Street. The Nosebag, shown in the picture on the left, is across the street from the Union. They serve up heathly homemade food, awesome soups and tasty cakes, and they've got a great atmosphere. It's relatively cheap, too, so it's a popular spot for students at lunchtime.
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The Oxford Union is not only historical, but it's also one of the most social spots in Oxford. Only members are allowed in the Oxford Union. Luckily for me, I'm a lifetime member. Oh, you're not a member? Well, let's try to sneak you in and hope we don't get caught.
The Oxford Union is known for its debates and lectures. Tons of famous and infamous people have spoken there; while I studied at Oxford in 1996 and 1997, Gene Wilder, Jackie Mason and Tom Clancy spoke there. Patrick Stewart and Sting were each supposed to give talks, but canceled, which was quite upsetting.
The main building, shown on the left, houses a library, restaurant, meeting rooms, a jazz cellar, and a bar. Their bar is the only place to buy Oxford Union Wine and Oxford Union Port, and is a great place to meet friends during a study break. The library is also a bit more relaxed than some of the others in Oxford. The walls are painted with some of the first Pre-Raphaelite paintings ever created. It also has these really really comfortable red leather chairs. You kind of sink into them with a book, relax... Perhaps they are a bit too comfy for a library, now that I think about it.
Every term, the Union holds a ball. It's a huge event, and students queue up for hours to get tickets. They give out drinks, cigarettes, and there are the typical British games which are really amusing to take part in or to watch.
Let's head back up Broad Street to my old college, St. Catherine's.
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