Cambridge

July 10, 2013

I arrived safely in London late on the evening of July 8^th. After clearing customs I checked into a hotel close to the London Heathrow airport and slept 3 hours. I got up and had a cup of instant coffee in my hotel room; along with a package of three small “biscuits” (oatmeal cookies) left with the instant coffee by the hotel. I had my morning quiet time before heading out towing my two heavy roller bags, brief case, and backpack. I was told by staff at the hotel that it would take 1 - 1 ½ hours to get from the hotel to where I needed to be on the subway. So, I gave myself two hours, which was still ½ hour too little. It was a beautiful train ride – comfortable and scenic. The English countryside between London and Cambridge is richly green and sprawling. From what I could see from the train the towns along the way appeared to have cobblestone streets and old brick row homes with cute shops. Once I arrived in Cambridge I was very hungry and so I decided to just eat at the train station before going in to the city.

 

This is a picture of my first meal in England (I am not counting my hotel room coffee and biscuit breakfast). You see my computer and phone in the picture because I tried for one hour to get my phone working using my new sim card with the carrier “Orange”.

Before continuing this post about Cambridge I wanted to share a few pictures and comments from last month while I was still in the United States.

My beloved nephew, Jake, graduated from USC and will be working as an aerospace engineer for Boeing Pictured here with his family and with extended family (below)

And dear friend, Madge Haynes, who orchestrated the most incredible send-off dinner (as only she can do). Thank you Madge! What a special touch to write in Khmer on the cake! And thank you Arizona friends for all the special send-offs (Maricopa County HSD, Hrniceks, Roosevelt Community Church, Judy, Andrea, Melba, Caroline, Tina, Barb and Ray). Thank you so much! I miss you all.

 

OK, back to England: I immediately felt welcome as they greeted me with my own special truck.

 

I am not only blessed to visit Cambridge, but also blessed to be staying in a room at the St John's College (founded in 1511) and one of the 31 colleges that comprise Cambridge University. A narrow, steep, winding staircase of worn wood leads up to my 3rd floor room with views of the River Cam, the Kitchen ("Wren") Bridge, Bridge of Sighs, and one of the college’s gorgeous courtyards. I am staying just to the right of the second bridge in this picture. It is called the Bridge of Sighs - originally named because there was a court on one side and a gallows on the other; and convicts would sigh just before being hung. (There have been no sighs since I have been here.) This is a picture of the college where I am staying (to the right) and in the foreground is the Kitchen Bridge and background is the Bridge of Sighs (the covered bridge).

 

Finally, here are some pictures from the "Punt" ride that we took along the River Cam. A punt boat is a flat bottomed canoe-like boat that is propelled by someone on the stern using a pole to push off the bottom of the river. I had a guided tour, which was excellent both from the standpoint of safety, but also for learning a lot of interesting history. I could have rented a boat to self-steer, which many people do, but people were all over the river - running into the walls and each other.

 

Trinity

King's College

The Kitchen ("Wren") Bridge by St. John's College - my room is right below the round window in the center of the picture

The Bridge of Sighs

Bridge of Sighs from the inside

 

I will continue to assist my American friends with British English vocabulary as I learn it. For all the tea that our English friends consume here iced tea does not seem to be in their vocabulary. I have twice tried to order it in restaurants and have gotten some puzzled responses.