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26th April
I made reservation for one night at this hotel on May 13th and checked out at about 9 a.m.
I left Paddington at 10:05 a.m. and arrived at Oxford at about 11:15 a.m.
A guest house was recommended at the Information Center. Booking fee of 30 pence. Mr. Goodall,"The Athena" 253, Cowley Road.
£3.00 per a night. I got off at Divinity Rd. and could find it easily.
It began to rain at about 1 p.m. and stopped raining at about 5 p.m.
I went sightseeing in the town with an umbrella. "Where is the university?" Anybody that has little knowledge of Oxford must utter such a question.
I was walking along several alleys. When I peeped in through a window, I found a young man studying in earnest and a single bed just beside him.
When I was out of New College, an elderly gentleman came walking toward me. I made way for him to go into. He said to me,"Thank you."
But I wondered if I really made way for him. I could only slow my walk a little. If he had passed me without saying anything, I wouldn't have had
any feeling for him. I realized that he was sensitive enough to get aware of the slight change of my movement.
I was much impressed at the gentleman's words, for I felt in a guilty conscience that I had peeped in the place for a student to study hard in.
27th April
I feel a pain in my little toes, for I walked around for miles today.
It takes about twenty minutes to walk from this guesthouse to the center of this town.
I didn't see so many pedestrians on the street yesterday. Today, it was very fine all day long. The center of the town was crowded with many people: tourists, students and so on.
There were many bibycles in front of each college. I suppose that many students take bibycle on their way to and from school. The looks on their faces about studying, which
were all serious, so overwhelmed me that I felt ashamed of myself. I am only a tourist now, and I don't have a clear vision of what my life should be.
When I was walking in Christ Church Meadow, a student walked slowly toward me. He came nearer making some gestures by hand. He wore a worn-out overcoat. He passed me
murmuring something. He must have been absorbed in thought of some serious problem. I thought that he was leading a very happy school life in such wonderful circumstances.
I looked in at several secondhand bookshops for the books Mr.S (my respected teacher in Japan) wanted to get. I looked for them for about two hours at a big bookshop,
J. Thornton & Son on Broad Street, but in vain. I wish I could find them in Cambridge or in Winsor.
I wonder what on earth Oxford in june will be, thinking of the heavy traffic on High Street or at Carfox: so many pedestrians and so many cars. But as soon as you go into
one of the colleges escaping from such a din and traffic, you can be in silence. This is Oxford, old and new, with long history and tradition of study. However many tourists
may come here, Oxford won't fail to lose the function as University.
I'm now aged 28. If I were ten years younger, I could be more spirited. Time, once lost, forever lost, never to return! It should be thanked, however, that I'm travelling
under the sunny skies. I will sweep away the clouds of such a silly regret.
28th April
I went to Woodstock. It took about twenty minutes by bus. As soon as I got off the bus, it began to rain and continued until I left there.
I didn't enter Blenheim Palace where Winston Churchill was born. The site of it seemed to be too broad and I was in a little gloomy mood because of raining.
I looked in Oxfordshire County Museum. I didn't get interested in the many relics of the Stone Age, of the Iron Age and of the Bronze Age. I went upstairs, and I took
an interest in churches of the Middle Ages and the history of Oxford.
I got to Oxford at about 3 p.m. I came to know "Hamlet" was going to be played at New Theatre from tomorrow. I felt a little regret for leaving here tomorrow. I bought
a ticket of "The Threepenny Opera" by Brecht at Play House. Opening 8:00 p.m.
I came back to the guesthouse. It cleared up at 5:30 p.m. I made a reservation at Nando's Guest House in Stratford by telephone. I heard £3.50.
I went out to the theater at about 7 p.m. The play seemed to be performed on purpose to parody Queen's Jubilee. Just when Mackeath was going to be hanged, a royal messenger
came driving a motorcycle and his life was saved. That was the end of the play. I was very sorry I couldn't understand the laughter of audience because of my English ability,
especially of poor listening. I must listen to BBC on the radio more often!
The play ended at 11:30 p.m. On my way to the guesthouse, I saw many people walking on the street. Quite different from Bournemouth, Oxford is an active town where young men
and women are living.
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