Oxford and Eurovision

...are completely unrelated, but I experienced both this week. Eurovision is this BIG deal for Europe, every European country fields a band in a singing contest. I watched it last night and the UK version likes to overlay the show with this wonderfully cynical commentary from a Brit who mercilessly (but deservedly) makes fun of the performers and, more importantly, the hilariously horrible hosts. Quite literally, they are so bad that anyone watching without knowing it actually is serious would think it's a complete spoof, a farce. Only sadly it's not! Evidently we have Eurovision to thank for the popularity of Riverdance and ABBA. ABBA won it one year for Sweden (or wherever they're from) and Riverdance was one of the halftime show type acts when their country hosted it one year. So anyway, congratulations to this year's winners, Finland's Lordi performing Hard Rock Hallelulia. The only reason they won was because of their rediculous costume geddup, they were otherwise dreadful. So actually I withdraw my congratulations, they were definitely not amazing.

Oxford was amazing however, I spent several hours walking around in awe of just being there. They have several free museums, the one I was able to see was the Natural History Museum, really cool place. Lots of dinosaur bones, whale jaws, stuffed leopards, and live 3 inch cockroaches. You know, the usual stuff. Their engineering buildings were pretty unimpressive though, they wouldn't even let me take a look around without an appointment. Here's my conversation:

Me: "Hi, I'm and engineering student from the US, would it be OK for me to take a look around some of your labs?"
Receptionist: "Now when would you be starting here, in the September or December term?"
Me: "No no, I'm not a perspective student or anything, I'd just like to take a look around"
Receptionist: "So do you know which one? Fall or winter?"
Me: "No, I'm not going to come here for school, I'm wondering if I can look in your engineering labs."
Receptionist: "Yes sir, you would have to set up an appointment ahead of time with one of the students to find out more about the university."
Me: "No thank you. Thanks for your help."

She didn't seem to get it, I'm not sure what her problem was. She would have probably signed me up for classes had I told her I was going to attend. Maybe I should go back... Last week I also saw Warwick Castle ("Britain's greatest Medieval experience") and Alton Towers ("Britain's best theme park"). Tomorrow I fly to Paris and will poke around there on Tuesday. I'm dancing either in front of the Louvre or the Eiffel Tower, not sure which one yet.