It is 6:30 AM.
I do not have any point of reference. I am not certain why we are in Cambridge. We visited Oxford because of our enjoyment of Inspector Morse and Inspector Lewis. Hey, people visit the White House because of "Olympus has Fallen" ( I am not serious).
On our one day journey to Oxford, we had met a gentleman who said Cambridge was impressive. Also, Cambridge is a stop on our journey to Southwold.
Betty is sleeping. The weather is sunny. I need coffee. I need a walk.
We arrived in darkness. The entrance with the classic Rolls Royce in the circle driveway is impressive. But. we could not see a lot.
The hotel facade is impressive. The Spa rooms are separate from the main building. I pass through the lobby. I turn left and walk to the intersection. I am looking for coffee - Starbucks. A Starbuck opens before the other coffee shops.
I turn right. Regents Street looks more commercial. I have no great infinity for Starbucks. I would prefer a local shop. But, Starbucks - like McDonald's - is uniform and open. It is a place locals use for the same reasons.
I am hungry. Joy! Across the street is a Starbucks. The first coffee is still dripping. I am the second person in the shop.
I order coffee and a biscuit. I find a comfortable chair and I am happy. The biscuit disappears. A few more customers arrive.
Leaving, I turn to the left again.
Cambridge is not Oxford. Oxford seemed more compact. older and less overtly commercial. Cambridge is modern. A few blocks, there is a multi-story indoor shopping mall. There are restaurants and shops.
It is about 7:30 AM, traffic is picking up. On Regent Street, I find a small college. I have never quite figured out the British University system. A student claims attendance at Cambridge, but, actually, they attended one of the colleges. Within that system, there are major colleges and lesser colleges. Colleges within the system are recognized for different academia, for example, divinity.
I pass several colleges with signs saying students only. I do enter Sidney Sussex College mall (more later). The architecture is familiar.
I walk up to the Round Church. I am now on Bridge Street (yep, same street different name) It is not open. But, the garden has a bench to sit and rest. This is the first quiet place I have found. It is a 12 century round church. It becomes my stop and rest for the next two days.
I continue up Bridge Street. It is 8 AM and traffic and more pedestrians. I walk up to Chesterton Rd. I feel as I did when I found the privity of Cardinal John Henry Newman in London. Sanctity!!!
Also, there is Father Brown. There is Grantchester.
And, the bicycles. Wave after wave of bicycles. Twenty. Then thirty. You feel the wind as they pass. They are indifferent to you. It is their world. I have been to Rome and I was not intimidated. I am intimidated. These are weapons.
I seem to be entering a more residential area and turn around. It is about 9AM.
As always, the walk back is quicker.
We are changing to a room in he main building and have made arrangements to have luggage moved while we are out. We talk to the front desk. Although we had not intended to have dinner in the hotel restaurant, with the encouragement of the young man at the desk, we have reservations.
There is a large park across the street from the hotel.
Betty has been remarkable. She began the trip with an injuried foot that made walking difficult. Now, she is back to taking the long sightseeing walks we enjoy.
We leave the hotel around 11AM and walk up Regent Street. It is early lunch at Pret a Manger. it is crowded. We are lucky and find seats.
With people on the street, I am starting to warm up to Cambridge. A very vibrate city. Very Young. A lot more tourists than you would expect. It is mid October. School has begun.
As we move up Regent St. We pass a candy store. It is across St John's College. Halloween candy is out. The candies are similar but slightly different packaging.
There is a porter outside St. John's College. There are specific hours for tourists. Other than those hours, the college is not open. Of course, there is a cost associated with the tour.
Betty sees a Toni & Guy across from the Round Church. She makes an appointment for tomorrow.
The Street changes its name to Bridge Street. Betty explains that "punting" is a big thing in Cambridge. You can "punt" all the way to Grantchester (There is the PBS again).
"Punt" is a flat-bottomed boat with a square-cut bow. The "punter" propels the punt by pushing against the river bed with a pole.
The bridge crosses over the River Cam and the street changes again to Magdalene Street. A number of tour "punting" operations are on the side on the bridge. We decide not to go "punting". We do some shopping at the stores. I visit a wine store.
I am interested in how wine is marketed. Obviously, there are great wines. I have that experience. Where that first taste tells you that wine can be exceptional. Most wine is more mundane. Often, more it is marketing. And. tradition.
Obviously, there is no representation of California wines. A strong showing for South American. French, of course. Italian.
Overall, I am not impressed. It ia not exciting. The store does have a wine bar. I am tempted. It is about 2 PM - too early. If Betty was with me, maybe.
We turn back. We turn right at St John's College. There are older stores and restaurants. We walk under some scaffolding. We pass "Newton's Apple Tree. There is a bookstore- Heffers Bookstore. If there is a bookstore, we will be there.
It is somewhat a student store. I look for a copy of "Pride and Prejudges" for Caroline and Poirot for Betty. I am disappointed. No "Pride and Prejudges". And, very pedestrian copies of Poirot. Nothing worth buying. I decide that the UK is not the place to buy interesting copies of English authors.
We walk towards University of Cambridge and Kings College. I had passed this way in the morning.
Stores are opposite the University. There is a fee to tour the college and there are specific hours.
I need to show Betty the Corpus Clock. The Corpus Clock was designed by John C Taylor and inaugurated in 2008 by Stephen Hawking.
I will try to describe. It is a large sort of golden colored mantel clock with a large cricket type insect perch on time tracking the seconds and minutes as they click by. Yeah, you have to see it.
I do note that it located on the corner of Trumpington Street/Kings Parade and Bene't Street.
We start back the way we came. I am surprised that we have held up as well as we have. Yesterday's travel was great fun and adventure. It was also thirteen hours of stressful travel.
I show Betty the open market I discovered this morning. Of course, there is a MacDonald's just off the market.
The market is very interesting. It is a mixture of food and needful and needless items for sale.We wander towards Regent Street. The streets are full of bicycles again. Autos clog the narrow streets. Rush hour has begun.
It is a longer walk back as we make little detours on the way. I am always surprised how much we walk and the distances we travel.
We take the path through the park. The park is very public. Football, students at play, small kids and walkers. And, bicycles . Careless, Thoughtless. Cambridge City Government view auto as clogging their streets (which they do). Therefore, they encourage bicycles. They actually track the number of bicycles on the road. They proudly display the daily number along the walking paths.
Unfortunately, for pedestrians, autos stay off paths and sidewalks. Bikers do not see the distinction. Hell, they see pedestrians as targets.
We walk to the light and cross. We turn right and walk 200 yds to the hotel.
The standard is pleasant. I judge European hotels by the shower and bathroom. And, that the television works.
We rest. then, dress for our early dinner at the hotel.
We walk into the restaurant about 7PM. The restaurant is empty. I think we are in a void in the hotel occupancy. It is Wednesday and mid October.
We are greeted by the restaurant assistant manager. She is delightful. I do not remember the menu. I do remember that the food was tasty and well prepared. I remember our server. She did not disappear when not serving. We talked. We learnt. We knew a little about each other when desert arrived.
As we experienced at the Gonville Hotel, the staff was exceptional. It was personal service.
Tomorrow, Cambridge and the Wren Library.
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