Farewell Reception at Queen's College

The bagpipe carries a long and honorable history stretching back to the beginnings civilisation as one of the oldest instruments created and played by early humans.
In Britain, its history and fate, except in the Highlands of Scotland, followed the same pattern as on the continent. It came with the Celts and the Romans and flourished for centuries as the instrument of the common people. It was played at fairs, weddings, open air dancing, pageants and all sorts of processions and merry makings. It is mentioned and described in books of all kinds, from the plays of Shakespeare to country ballads, and pictures and carvings of it are numerous. Elaborate forms of it became popular in Northumbria, Ireland and Southern Scotland. In the first two places they are still played though in all other parts of the country it disappeared about the beginning of the eighteenth century.























Catherine and the crazy bunch whom I'm assuming are still over at Bag End, drowning their sorrows and saying their goodbyes. Now it's my turn to roll the eyes! :)
Actually, I'll just stay completely out of it. I was excited to see her take off and integrate like that....she presumed to lecture me to get out there and meet people!

I'm a wee bit proud of this one too.

When I have it up as a slide on my screen I can count the raindrops...

Queen's College dormitories....

The calm after the storm. Ah yes, the storm.

We had a freak downpour this afternoon complete with thunder and lightning flashes -- it lasted precisely all of the 30 minutes or so that it took me to pick my way over to Queen's.

My sandals were drenched to the point where I feared wrenching my ankle. I thought taking them off would have been far safer, but in the end, keeping the trot to a minimum got me there well and good.

I kept thinking about that spike at the top of my umbrella as the bolts came down around me.

..hmmm...that might have restored some curl to the hair eh?

By the way, we're coming home with a new Brit model of hair blower and hot rollers. Whoever is next to cross the pond is most welcome to them!

Ah! finally found it!

I love this shot and have deemed it a fitting photo to close my Ode to Cambridge.

We're "strolling" back from Queen's and Catherine long legs with her friend Elizabeth have left me in the dusk :)

I wish I knew the identity of these buildings but now is not the time to tarry...now it's time to FLY!