Jaunted

Literary Travel / Oxford / University Travel / Britain Travel / → All Tags

Study 'Alice in Wonderland' and The Beatles by Taking Summer School at Oxford

It's hard to think of summer when we're in the throes of the holiday season. But if you want to spend the hot days in Oxford studying scholarly pursuits like "The Art of Lying" or "The Beatles, Popular Music and Sixties Britain," you'll need to sign up now because the spots in the University of Oxford's Oxford Experience program fill quickly.

Offered through the Department of Continuing Education, the program allows you to play international exchange student for a week.

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'Alice in Wonderland' Fans Can Now Take Alice Tours in Oxford, England

Would you like to attend the Mad Hatter's tea party? Well, the city of Oxford in England is hoping that its part in "Alice in Wonderland" will equal big tourism bucks as Tim Burton's new film, starring Johnny Depp, hits theaters March 5. They're already preparing for a rush of visitors who want to follow in Alice's footsteps, and are hoping that instead of kids wanting to see where Harry Potter went to school, they'll want to see where Alice grew up.

The city has created the Alice Tour, which visits various locations connected to the story. Colin Cook, an executive member for the Oxford city centre, explains:

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Beatles Travel / Summer Schools / Oxford / History Travel / → All Tags

Brush Up on Your Beatles Knowledge With Summer School at Oxford University

You'll get schooled in the Beatles at Christ Church in Oxford.

While smarty-pants head to Oxford for serious academic study, you can go to become a Beatles scholar.

The University of Oxford's Continuing Education Department's 20-year-old Oxford Experience program will offer an intensive class on "The Beatles, Popular Music and Sixties Britain" from July 4 to 10. It may not sound like the rigorous courses that one would expect from the hallowed halls of Oxford, but this won't be a class you can sleep through—especially since classes don't have more than 12 students in them.

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Wanna 'Study' at Oxford? It's Easy, Just Pay Your Way

Dear AIG's Jake DeSantis, Now you have time to take this trip!

Are you tired of attending congressional hearings about your company's questionable government-funded, million-dollar employee bonuses and feeling inadequate because you can't defend yourself as an Oxford-educated businessman (or woman)? Well, here's your chance to show those silly congressional types that you really have the pedigree to run a major corporation, bail-out or no bail-out. And hey, better late than never right?

The Oxford Experience is a one-week summer school open to any one with an interest in studying at the historic Oxford University. Founded in the 16th century by Cardinal Thomas Wosely, Henry VIII's trusted advisor (up to a certain point, of course), Oxford has long been a prestigious academic establishment churning out famous grads like W.H. Auden, William Penn, Lewis Carroll and countless others including Nobel prize winners and politicians.

It's like Harvard but on steroids. When someone mentions that they are studying at Oxford, you can't help but pull back a little and say, "Oooooh."

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Missed Connections in Memphis: ISO Weak-Chinned White Guy

For a while there, it looked like John McCain was going to break his date with Barack Obama at Ole Miss tonight. But you can't break a date that you don't have!

Since there's nothing doing in the Northern Mississippi missed connections (go look, we'll wait!), suspend your break from dating and find a worthy opponent at one of these hot spots in the nearest big city, Memphis, Tennessee:

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Possible Presidents Travel: McCain to Mississippi, Despite Bailout Stalemate

His poor travel agent! After declaring he would stay in Washington, DC until the bailout package had been pushed through Congress, John McCain will participate in tonight's debate against Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama. A campaign statement said the Republican candidate was "optimistic" that a solution had advanced far enough that he felt that he could resume normal campaign activities.

If we could suggest a venue change, we would love to see the candidates opine while scrambling through this corn maze of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. A Whitehouse, Ohio farmer carved the election-themed maze this year in hopes that Palin would pay him a visit, but also in the wish that people would take this election seriously. How corny!

Related Stories:
· McCain to Show up for Debate After All [CNN]
· Palin A-Maze-Ing in Whitehouse Cornfield [Toledo Free Press]
· Possible Presidents Travel: Get Me to Ole Miss on Time [Jaunted]

[Photo: Toledo Free Press]

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Possible Presidents Travel: Get Me to Ole Miss on Time

Retreat or revolution? John McCain announced he was "suspending" his campaign yesterday to return to Washington and vote on the impending bank bailout proposal.

The Obama campaign rejected this postponement (and a subsequent suggestion to replace the October 2 Veep debate with this Friday's tourney), so... what's going on? Where are we? What are these holes in our pants?

In all seriousness, the Commission on Presidential Debates has not yet made any official announcement about a postponement of lack thereof, so our two potential presidents are still expected to show up in Mississippi on Friday. He who does not will be roundly mocked even more than David Letterman mocked McCain for canceling last night's talk show appearance!

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Malmaison Oxford

The Times heads to Oxford to pay a call on the newest Malmaison -- a former jail. As is standard boutique-hotel M.O., the place has kept lots of touches of its past around. In this case, that includes a sample cell on display, perhaps to help get you in the mood, or at least to discourage bathrobe theft. An introductory rate of £140 per room is running for stays through January: the package includes a bottle of Veuve Clicquot to help fuel those dirty-weekend-in-Oxford fantasies. You have to book the stay before the end of the year.

Related Stories:  
·   Go directly to a British jail, do not pass [Times]

·   Malmaison Oxford [Official site]
·   Oxford hotels [HotelChatter]
·   Sentenced to Luxury [Fodor's]

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Faulkner's House Open to Public

Just in time for Oprah's Summer of Faulkner, the house that the novelist lived in for decades, Rowan Oak, has been so carefully restored that you can almost smell the bourbon in the air.

Related Stories:
·   Reviving His Works, on Paper and Plaster [New York Times]
·   Rowan Oak [Official Web site]