Two Lolas in Oxford

Riverhill Himalayan Gardens, June 2021

It's been a while since the two Lolas descended upon a town, but we managed to find a time when both of us were free - not so easy nowadays - and off we went to Oxford.

Lola II had done the required research about where we would eat, because now that I have gone properly vegetarian it is no longer a foregone conclusion that it will be Japanese food. We settled on an Arabic bakery (Za'atar Bake) that was some way from the station, so we started to catch up on the way.

Lola II's big news is that seven years after joining the 'Borrow My Doggy' website, she has finally gone ahead and contacted some dog owners. She is now in regular contact with Reggie, taking him for walks and bringing him home as well. Meanwhile, I was contacted by Guide Dogs ahead of planned weekends with Angus and Bruce, which have actually gone ahead this time. Dog news is on its way in future posts.

Throughout lunch (me: flatbread with cheese, spinach and pomegrate seeds, Lola II: chicken tagine with lemon, olives and rice), we talked a great deal, and then walked back into town to the Weston Library which has exhibitions that have always proved interesting in the past. This time was no exception, with an exhibition about melancholy based on a huge book published in 1621 called 'The Anatomy of Melancholy' by an Oxford Scholar called Robert Burton. For a 400-year-old book it had a lot of relevant insight into depression, its causes and its treatment.

There was also a huge tapestry on display, showing what remains of a map of Oxfordshire and beyond, made in the 16th century. It actually stretches as far as London to the east and Cheltenham to the west, and despite large portions being missing it's in remarkable condition after restoration - especially knowing that, like the book we saw, it's also more than 400 years old. In looking up the information to include here I found out that it's one of four maps commissioned by a man who lived in Warwickshire, and that the only one that is still complete is of Warwickshire, and can be found in the museum in Warwick. I think a visit is in order.

After all that culture we needed cake, so after some difficult research we ended up in the covered market. Oxford really needs to up its game when it comes to advertising cake shops, and the selection was not impressive. More talking ensued, and then we decided to extend the trip with a visit to the cinema where we saw the film Belfast (tipped for Oscar nominations). It turned out to be a showing with subtitles, which I was very sorry about because I find them incredibly distracting. Lola II didn't mind.

As far as I know, we didn't take a single photo the whole day, not even of lunch or the cake, so I've had to include a picture from a trip last year at the top of this post. And apart from wearing masks when going into shops and the library, it felt very normal and pre-pandemic. More trips are planned.