Cambridge, England

It's Saturday morning and we'll be soon be boarding...
One last toot around the quad taking the pic's I think I may have missed.
I didn't make it to prayers in this chapel more than once -- I had the naive notion I could sit in the still cavernous cathedral for my personal prayers but no, I discovered about twenty others being led by a volunteer reading and chanting from the Anglican Book of Prayers.
It was a delightful experience and would have been even more edifying if I had thought to bring my reading glasses.
Those little prayer books induce blindness!

It was drizzling when we left Oxford and it was still drizzling when we entered Cambridge three hours later.

Not to worry! We suck it up true Brit style and whip out the ever-present compact/wind-resistant umbrella and carry on per usual.

Our walk from the dorms of Robinson College to our main venue (pictured left) Great St.Mary's is reduced by five minutes from the Oxford experience. The stroll through scenic paths, over rivers by bridge and aside parkland is MUCH more relaxing however and as such - it seems to take no time at all.

Note the tower of Great St.Mary's.

I paid a token of two pound sterling to climb its one way only spiral staircase to the lookout for some aerial photography.

Half way up the 123 steps, a group of five foreigners (they sounded dutch/german actually) were brazenly calling out their descent -- 'coming down'! they repeated in their thick accent.

At five to one my options were few, but fortunately, only a few steps down again there was this teeny tiny crevice I could stand in while they all passed by. Talk about intimacy.

My aerial shots were worth the effort however. The sun broke out just as I reached the pinnacle. :)

The famous King's College is pretty much across the street from this weeks main venue,

Great St.Mary's. Here's some fun facts about the beautiful building that dwarfs the landscape here:
College name: The King's College of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge
Latin name: Collegium Regale Beatae Mariae et Sancti Nicholai Cantabrigiae Motto Veritas et Utilitas(Latin: Truth and usefulness)
Founder Henry VI
Named after The Blessed Virgin MarySaint Nicholas
Established 1441
Location King's Parade
Undergraduates 392
Graduates 280
Sister college: New College, Oxford
Official website

Hurry up mom! The open air market in the town center runs

every day of the week rain or shine --- Which is a moot observation here in merry old England eh?

We enjoyed a late lunch since we are basically free now till attending church on Sunday afternoon.

The Cambridge Chophouse was a good experience...but when I ordered a glass of wine, he brought the entire bottle to our table.

I did my best to pass off as much as I could to my dinner companion but there was still a bit left :) MORE than a bit and way too much to leave sitting there -- (my bill made it clear that I was charged for it). So. Into Cath's purse she went and here beside the computer to help me wile away the hours, she keeps me company. A very tasty Aussie Shiraz called The Beak. It'll do matey, It'll do nicely.

Have I told you of the myriad bookstores?

I have already bought four and refuse to buy any more at this exchange rate. The boon would be getting penalized for overweight baggage on top of it all!

Amazon.com here we come baby!

I found this poster ironic and redundant.

Do the English not know that Darwinism is passe by now?

This type of militant secularism is precisely why the C.S. Lewis Foundation insists on setting up shop in Oxbridge.

FYI: Oxbridge refers to the combined territory of Oxford and Cambridge.

Punting on the River Cam.

We've decided to give this a whirl tomorrow afternoon - and pay a guide to do the dirty work & save myself some potential embarrassment...

(I think being chastened by a bronzed statue is enough humiliation for the week)
What is a punt?A punt is a narrow flat-bottomed boat that somewhat resembles a Venetian gondola with the curve removed. Punts generally seat up to four adults while a fifth person stands at the rear and propels the boat with a long pole.
The design was developed in the medieval period to allow for easy navigation in areas with shallow water. Until recently punts were used by commercial fishermen working the fens of East Anglia, but today they are almost exclusively used for recreation.
Poling along the river looks effortless and easy; a relaxing way to enjoy a quiet summer afternoon. Looks can be deceiving however, as steering a punt is neither as easy or effortless as it looks. For one thing, the pole can get stuck in the mud of the river bottom, and steering from the rear of a punt takes skill and dexterity.
Unless you are remarkably well co-ordinated, your first few attempts to direct a punt in a straight line will provide some entertainment for onlookers on the banks. Don't worry, it doesn't take long to get the hang of things, and it really is a great deal of fun!
Punting along the River Cam is one of the traditional delights of visiting Cambridge, and something that should be tried - at least once - by everyone! Punts can be hired at Silver Street bridge, Mill Lane, Magdalene Bridge, Jesus Green , Trinity College, or Grantchester.
The cost is in the £8/hour range, with a damage deposit generally required. If you are feeling flush in the pocket you can hire a chauffeured punt and relax while your paid punter takes you along the Backs, past the historic colleges of Cambridge University. often the chauffeurs are students at the university, and you'll be regaled with tales of Cambridge past and present.

The parkland is abundant.

It's so Narnia - the stimulus for Lewis' active imagination are everywhere present.

Barry, is this the Barberry hedging plant material that is banned in North America?

I think it has wee red berries on it and oh so delicate waxy fern like sprigs.

The wrought iron fencing along the walk is covered with this stuff.

Soon we board a coach for worship at Ely Cathedral.

Ever since first viewing the You Tube Video on Oxbridge 2008, I've been in great anticipation of singing inside this...this church (which hardly fits as descriptive).

I shall certainly make a separate post on Ely Cathedral.