"Miss, please don't get in the water!"
Phew this is a long one folks! So get comfy cause we're hittin the road again!
NYU London had arranged for the group to take a day trip to Oxford to see the grand campus of the University. It is the English world's oldest university, and has a very impressive list of notable alumni.
Just take a look at this campus though...
Ancient hidden streets snake throughout the University's campus, which is comprised of 38 colleges.
Plaques adorn the smaller residences with significant history. Hundreds of these are scattered around the area.
University of Oxford even serves as inspiration for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!
We took a tour of the inside of the Christ Church College. You'll more than likely be able to spot the similarities between the two schools here.
Not a bad place to grab a meal between classes huh? Students seriously use this as a regular dining hall! Hofstra, let's make this happen!
Here's a still from the first movie
Hey look it's me standing by the same lamp!
Pretty cool huh? It's overwhelming to think just how much significant academic research occurred on a single campus of higher education. Not to mention a splash of Hollywood here and there ;)
The next morning Chloe and I rallied and woke up at the crack of dawn to catch a ride to Stonehenge!
Our tour bus pulled up to the very modern visitor's center! The entire site is managed by English Heritage, and the organization has been working on a plan to restore Stonehenge back to its traditional glory. We were lucky enough to catch this new project which just finished in June.
Organized trams take you from here a little ways up a road, where you then get out and walk the rest of the way.
Stonehenge!
Cutie Chloe!
They even give you a handheld listening guide to tell you everything historians have discovered about the stones.
One quick stop in the gift shop, and we're back on the bus for our next adventure of the day: Bath in Somerset, Southwest England
This city's history dates all the way back to 60 AD when the ancient Romans discovered the natural hot springs lying beneath the land.
The Abbey of Bath
The Bath Royal Crescent is a perfect example of the Georgian architecture that makes up the town structures. This is one of the most iconic locations in Bath.
Most of the homes are privately owned today. One of these bad boys will set you back Β£4 million (around $6.8 million).
Unfortunately the rain caught up with us, so we decided to head indoors to the Jane Austen Centre.
Don't worry, I won't bore you with those details, but let's all swoon over Colin Firth for a bit.
The highlight of the city is visiting the actual Roman baths.
Here's where the warm water is pumped from the springs through the complex.
Gettin steamy
It's the natural minerals that turn the water into the funky green color.
We even ran into some ancient locals during our visit! "Salvete!", I shouted in Latin. "Quid agitis?" (Hello, how are you?) They must not be very friendly, as the two just kind of stared back at me with a confused look. Just trying to put some of this Latin knowledge to use!
Around the corner is a smaller bath dedicated to offerings to the gods. Ancient Romans would throw in whatever tokens they had on hand in the hopes of being blessed. I made it a really great wish!
There was once a floor on top of these stacks of stone. Hot steam flowed through to heat the ground from below. Ingenious!
We even had a chance to taste some of the mineral water. It was believed that the water could cure any ailments and boost energy. Between this water and the holy water in Glastonbury, I should be set for a while.
The sun finally greeted us, and we headed back to London after a sightseeing weekend in the country. So long Bath!