Category Archives: Photos

Location: Magdalen Bridge, Oxford

Fancy going punting in the rain? Guess not.

Near to this site stood the King’s houses later known as Beaumont Palace

King Richard I was born here in 1157 and King John in 1167

If you walk down Beaumont Street from the Ashmolean Museum towards Worcester College, you may come across a small pillar near the junction with Walton Street. It’s partly hidden by bushes, but you can just about see it in the image from Google Street View below (on the right side of the picture, next to the man walking on the pavement):

Originally built in the early 12th century by Henry I outside the north gate of Oxford, Beaumont Palace was partly dismantled following the Reformation. What remains of the palace was eventually torn down in the laying out of Beaumont Street in 1829.

All that’s left now is a pillar, and memories of times long past.

I didn’t have to self-isolate thanks to the existence of travel corridors, but at the same time I didn’t really want to go anywhere crowded. So I took a walk in the University Parks instead, stopping at St. Catherine’s College along the way to check my mail.

Admittedly, it’s strange to see Oxford so quiet this time of the year. Strange, but also nice in a certain way, because it’s often difficult to appreciate how beautiful the place is when there are a million tourists around.

Anyway, here are some pictures from my walk yesterday (click/tap on a picture to see the full size image):

How do I even begin?

Location: Kinokuniya, KLCC

This book was mentioned on a podcast I was listening to recently. I originally planned to buy it once I’m back in Oxford (sometime in September inshaAllah), but failed to overcome my craving and ended up purchasing it last weekend.