Travels with Em - "Through Alice's Door in Wonderland"

And so it was indeed: she was now only ten inches high, and her face brightened up at the thought that she was now the right size for going through the little door into that lovely garden.

This is the small door in the Master gardens of Christ Church College which inspired the one in "Alice in Wonderland." Alice peeks through and sees bright flowers and fountains soon after she arrives in Wonderland. She believes it is the most beautiful garden imaginable. The garden is part of the realm of the King and Queen of Hearts.

Travels With Em - "A Visit to Jericho"

The children stayed behind for an activity and the adults had a field trip to Jericho. Joshua may have "fit the battle of Jericho," but Mark Davies has brought it to life.
Mark, our EH speaker, lives on the Oxford Canal in a "narrow boat." He says he didn't start out to write a book, but became intrigued by the area called Jericho and has spent a great deal of time researching it, interviewing people who have lived in the area a long time and, this year, trying to make a living telling the world about it. He now gives tours and has just released his 3rd book on the area. Check out Oxford Towpath Press.
Mark led us on a tour of Jericho, which was originally an unsavory, red light district, but has been renovated and currently consists mostly of living spaces and shops. You will also find Jericho listed in Colin Dexter's novels.

We meandered along the paths by the Isis (known as the Thames elsewhere in England)., where long, narrow boats lined one side of the Oxford Canal.

Some of the occupants of these boats were at home, while other boats were dark and quiet.

The boat owners pay one fee for plying the waterways and another, depending on the town or area, for mooring. They have coal and fresh water delivered, and sump tanks emptied, by other boats who service the area. It is all very picturesque.

On this particular day, police were, quietly, everywhere and a police tape cordoned off an area where divers were searching the dark, murky waters. One of the boat people was missing.