A very English Affair

I've finally downloaded my photos onto my computer. I have over 1300 to trawl through and it's making me travel-sick (is that the right word?). I miss the butterflies that were everywhere; the so easily available fresh pineapple juice that I loved way too much; the long long bus journeys where I failed to read Crime & Punishment or learn German with Michel Thomas because I was distracted by: the magical scenery, Steve's obssessive photo editing, Oreos, the incessant beeping of cars. I miss the heat, the amazing food that were obscenely cheap, Hannah's facial melodramatics, getting lost with Sophie, Tristan's constant whining..... I miss travelling! And sleeping an average of 5 hours each night since I got back probably ain't helping me get over the jet lag. In spite of all this, I still made it to Samira's big day. It was possibly the poshest affair I had ever been to.

The day started in Christ Church College  (for the non-oxonians/those who don't know, some of the scenes in the Harry Potter films were filmed in the Christ Church College, so yes, there are ALWAYS tourists invading the place), followed by a boat ride down the ISIS river, where my so far dormant hayfever unfortunately kicked into gear, and finally, a reception in Blenheim Palace, the birth place and vacation home of Winston Churchill.... I think..... I'm so bad with remembering these kind of facts. Saj and I once tried to cycle to Blenheim Palace one summer. We ended up heading towards Coventry. This is not surprising since even with the two of us (she being a real Londoner and me a semi-Londoner), we somehow still manage to get lost together in Central London....

Blenheim like Buckingham is huge and grand, with immaculately manicured lawns and beautifully tended gardens surrounding the palace. It is located in the lovely village of Woodstock, with its little stone cottages and houses, and a small town square. It is a 20-30 minute bus ride south of Central Oxford, though I never did figure out which bus it was one would take there. But why take the bus when you can cycle through the glorious English countryside in the summer? Anyway, Samira and Ed's wedding reception. Have I said it was very English? And very posh? It was also very elegant, with guests having dinner to the whimsical serenades of a harp. The newly-married couple danced their first dance to Louis Armstrong's "We've got all the time in the world". I was secretly hoping they would break out into a hip-hop routine midway to make things "street" but then realised this was Samira and Ed, super-posh and very most refined. They'd have most likely balked at the idea if they'd come to me for suggestions. And also quite possibly un-invited me. The opening to my thank you wishes in the guest book at the end of the night was, "Samira, who is this Ed guy?" Saj is reconsidering inviting me to her own wedding.