In other news, I’m being invited to Oxford (to speak at a conference) but we are in anew round of the eternal budget cuts and the Dean’s Office told us we should not broach the subject of scholarly travel while it isn’t clear what is going to happen with the budget. I have no hope that it will ever be clear what is going to happen with the budget but I really want to go to Oxford. I’m going to win $700 in a “Good Driver” contest (have I mentioned the contest?) in June, so that money can go towards paying for the trip.
I hope Oxford doesn’t disappoint like London did in 2012.
Clarissa's Blog 
Oxford is okay. Parts of it are incredible (the libraries), and there are some really great restaurants and book shops. Other parts of it are a bit tiresome, in a sort of ‘Disneyland: Academia’ way. It also depends quite a bit on what time of year you visit, as sometimes it can be nearly intolerable with hopeful would-be students, binge drinking undergraduates, and wandering tourists, while other times it is extremely tranquil and lovely. In any case, you should certainly go – no matter how it turns out, it is definitely a place to see. Also, I find it uniformly better than Cambridge on all accounts!
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Sacriledge!!! Cambridge lacks the worst of the ugly urban sprawl (although it seems to be trying to catch up), has a much nicer centre, a cleaner and more attractive river… and better book shops (plus it’s the home of heresies and new ideas, not ancient dreams and lost causes, how could it NOT be better?). As well as the Natural Sciences degree which tops single-subject as a preparation for life as a practicing scientist. Oxford is in my experience warmer in the winter, which I guess is a plus?
Um. Now I need to try and anonymise my comment…
They are both fascinating and attractive cities with much to recommend them, and with all sorts of local detractions. Come north if you can, though!
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What’s in the North?
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(it’s grim Oop North)
🙂
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Also, Secret Squirrel says
VISIT SUNNY CHELTENHAM
Come for the smell of horse manure
Stay for the affable spies who follow you wherever you go
🙂
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As for the smell of horse manure, the entire Piccadilly smelled of sewers in the week when I was visiting. I wasn’t able to identify the source of the smell.
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Is the conference helping to pay your transportation costs?
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No, of course, not. The university should pay, especially since people keep going to hugely expensive conferences without ever publishing anything. And I keep publishing but never go.
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No, of course, not. The university should pay, especially since people keep going to hugely expensive conferences without
ever publishing anything. And I keep publishing but never go.
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Oxford is lovely when not overrun by tourists: if you go, you should try and make time to visit the gem that is the Pitt Rivers museum. And I like the covered market too 🙂
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When? I’m going to be at Oxford for 7 weeks this spring as a “visiting scholar”…
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The conference is in July. A pity because I would have loved to meet you. 🙂
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I’m hoping you can make it to Oxford, but my impression is that the days that Britain can do anything but disappoint short term visitors is long over.
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True enough unless you have a guide or unless you have a highly curious mind …
That and a good pair of shoes — if I’m doing the guiding, you will be cursing the lack of “step-free access” within the Tube, how I’ve guided you into a part of London where there are no toilets, and how despite all this you’ve arrived at a nicely enjoyable part of the city anyway.
Or if you are not so nice, I shall take you to Leytonstone and abandon you. 🙂
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“That and a good pair of shoes — if I’m doing the guiding, you will be cursing the lack of “step-free access” within the Tube, how I’ve guided you into a part of London where there are no toilets, and how despite all this you’ve arrived at a nicely enjoyable part of the city anyway.”
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Is this driving contest in the car sense or in the golf sense? In either case, go get ’em.
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I didn’t know it was an invitation! Congratulations!
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