May Morning non-event

Yesterday, May 1, Kent dragged out of my deep slumber at 5AM to do something very "Oxford." He said we have to do these things for the short time we are here. The big deal was called "May Morning." In the rest of Europe, the first of May (May Day) (similar to the US labour day) celebrates the social and economic achievements of the labour movement. But "May Morning" is an Oxford-specific thing. The first of May is celebrated promptly at 6:00AM by the prestigious Magdalen College Choir performing for about 5 minutes from the top of the Magdalen Tower.

Magdalen College is located on the High Street, not too far from our house....so we crawled out of bed and headed over there. Arriving at about 5:45 turned out to be much too late, and we walked up just as the bobbies were closing off the street!! We happened to see a few of Kent's classmates then also. We couldn't even get close enough to see the choir up in the tower, and we could barely hear them when they did their singing and prayer. The reason we couldn't hear them? A huge group of rowdy undergrads (but here in England, they are called Graduate students...doesn't make sense, but you know...the 18-21 yr olds) walked up just as the choir was starting (remember, 5 minute performance only) and they were not only still drunk/awake from the night before, but one of them was playing a bagpipe!! We tried to listen for about 4 minutes, then were so annoyed that we left.

But, I guess this is part of the tradition of May Morning in Oxford, which has been going on for over 500 years. There were a few formal balls the night before, so people like us (who had some sleep) were mixed in with all-night partiers still in their gowns and tuxes. Some were looking tired....some had a little energy left from the alcohol. More recently, like within the last 100 years, a tradition has developed of people jumping off the Magdalen Bridge in to the river (see example below). I don't know why this is fun, but it's a tradition. When the water is low, people have been injured...hence the security that kept us from the full experience.

Magdalen Bridge

That's not Kent! (or anyone we know) but an example I found on Google Images. :-)

Check out the full summary on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_Morning

Since we were already awake, we met up with some other MBA students who were also into getting the full "Oxford experience" (even at 6am) and went for breakfast at the Oxford Union. It was pretty laid back and we actually had lively conversation for it being so early. All day I felt the pit in my stomach of pain au chocolat and egg/sausage bap, but at least the company was good! Here was are at breakfast, check out the huge carved mable fireplace. The ceiling was a cool design also...

I suppose I am glad that we went - thanks Kent for dragging me out of bed. I was even early to work (job update coming soon - I just finished Day 3 yesterday!).
More soon.....
Karen