Serina and I have embraced the habit of taking a kids-free vacation each summer. Last year we went to Glacier National Park in Montana, and the year before we headed to Zion National Park and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. This year we decided to go international, and traveled to England and France. The occasion was the 50th annual Hume Society Conference, held at the University of Oxford, July 1-6.

For those who don’t know much about Oxford, the city is basically one large university, with the University’s various colleges spread throughout town. The university consists of a collection of thirty-nine independent colleges, each with its own distinctive character and history. Some of the most famous include Christ Church College, Magdalen College, Balliol College, and St. John’s College. Balliol is often cited as the oldest, having been founded in 1263.

In our case, the conference was held at Wadham College, founded in 1610, and located next to The Kings Arms pub at the corner of Parks and Holywell. Participants had the option to stay on the college grounds, which was a real treat. Many of the colleges leave only a few hours for visitors, so it was wonderful to be able to wander wherever we wished, with the chapel and other restricted areas open to us.

You may notice, in one of the pictures above, a statue of Cecil Rhodes. This was the center of controversy in 2020. You can read about the controversy here. There is also a picture of a blackboard that Einstein used during one of his lectures on General Relativity at Oxford. Once the lecture was completed, it was immediately removed and preserved, and now hangs in the History of Science museum just down the road from Wadham and next to the Sheldonian Theatre.

In addition to the insightful talks and presentations, one of the highlights of the visit was the opportunity to have breakfast and dinner receptions in the 400-year-old Dining Hall. I’m not much of a Harry Potter fan, but I’m sure such fans would have envied this experience. I also cannot say enough about the gracious nature of Hume Society members. One never quite knows what will happen when you get a group of philosophers together, but spending time with other Hume scholars was a rare pleasure. It was fun to meet and converse with Peter Millican (who I seemed to always owe money—my fault!), Elizabeth Radcliffe, and Ken Winkler, some of whom I have had the pleasure of conversing with virtually (Ken was on my dissertation committee), but whom I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting in person. This was a true delight.

During the week of the conference, Serina and I also managed to do some sightseeing. The organizers helpfully scheduled time for excursions, and Oxford is close enough to a number of popular English landmarks that it takes only an hour or so by train to get there. We first headed to the Cotswolds—no, we did not have time for Diddly Squat!—and jumped from archaically-named town to archaically-named town, towns with names such as Moreton-in-Marsh, Stow-on-the-Wold, Bourton-on-the-Water, and Higher and Lower Slaughter. This is some beautiful, English countryside. The picture above, of the small river Windrush running through town, is of Bourton-on-the-Water, and the picture of the church door straddled by two massive trees is Stow-on-the-Wold. Here one needs to either rent a car or make good use of the bus system.

We also had time to visit Windsor Castle, and, following the conclusion of the conference, eventually headed for London. At this time, Euro 2024 was underway, and England was doing well. It was fun to watch the team play and witness the excitement firsthand in the English pubs, but they eventually fell to Spain. We of course did the usual sightseeing in London—Big Ben, Westminster, Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, and so on—all in the rain!

From London, we headed to Paris via the Chunnel. This was quick and convenient, but expensive. We arrived in France just a few weeks prior to the opening of the 2024 Paris Olympics, staying at the beautiful Le Metropolitan Hotel in the Place de Mexico, just a short walk from the Eiffel Tower.

Paris was very touristy, but it was great to sit in the street-side Cafes. Generally speaking, one can just grab a seat, and the waiter/waitress will find you. You are free to sit as long as you like and just “people watch.” We utilized the Metro heavily and visited the various Arrondissements. Montmartre is a cute part of Paris, to the north, which we recommend visiting. But be prepared for many tourists, and don’t dress like an American—fancy it up a bit!

If we had to pick a favorite for this trip, however, both of us would pick Oxford. As an undergrad and (then) Christian, I was once obsessed with C.S. Lewis. Magdalen College, the college Lewis taught at, is not far from Wadham. It was fun to visit locations he was known to frequent. Turf Tavern was our favorite pub, which is hidden at the end of a narrow alleyway on Holywell Street, and features low ceilings and a cozy atmosphere. Don’t be deceived, however, as the pub stretches further back and back, with many garden patios along the way. Serina also enjoyed the Covered Market, and we both loved Blackwell Bookshop. We will be back, and hopefully sooner rather than later!