Cambridge 4 April 2016

Spending a weekend with the Edges is like being home - good food, good conversation, lots of wine and chocolate.

On Saturday Bridget took us through to Cambridge.  We did the park and ride thing which is a great way to come across this beautiful city.  The surrounding countryside is fairly flat and undistinguished and then rising out of that is this incredible architecture with beautiful gardens and hordes of people. This is just the beginning of the season!  There is such a feeling of age and academia.  We didn't think to check beforehand but it turned out that this was a graduation weekend so all the colleges were closed to visitors - deep disappointment but reason to go back.  There is so much to see and we were able to look through doorways longingly.

We came across this group of graduates waiting to enter their ceremony.

Mainly girls, hmmm.  And with fur lined graduate gowns.  Way to go!  It was a pretty chilly day but the sun was shining.

Every way you turn is just architectural feature after feature and absolutely full of life.  There was some pretty good shopping too.

The preferred mode of transport is bicycle or on foot.  Good thing too as there really isn't much parking and most of the roads are cobble stones.

We could walk through this college - I can't recall the name though.  Isn't this tree jewel like?  Spring!

Ducking through a side corridor we came across this pianist performing to an empty chapel.

Then out through another archway ..

.. we finally came to the river Cam.  Students punting were doing a roaring trade.

On the other side were fields of flowers

And a rather strange japanese type sculpture.

Walking along the other side of the river we could see more colleges through the still bare winter trees.

And more impressive buildings

Then it was time for lunch and some retail distraction.  Only after we had ice cream did we come across this queue for Gelato.  I had to take this picture so we know where to go back to next time.  We walked past a couple of times and the queue was as long as ever.

Some more buildings - it is mind boggling how much there is to see in such a small area.

Then back on the bus and homeward bound.  It was a lovely day and a lovely weekend.

Thanks Girls!

London 25 March 2016

I've never been into London on my own in the evening and I wanted to give it a try - how easy was it going to be to get around? Would I feel safe?  As a South African I'm sure you can understand my concerns.  You would never wander around a big city centre on your own at night.  You would never do public transport at night.  Well, it was easy!  I left home around 5pm, caught the train into Paddington.

Hopped onto the tube at Paddington and headed toward the Embankment.  There wasn't the crowds there are during the week, but I didn't feel isolated at all.  This was the day that the clocks were going forward an hour for summer time but for today at least, it was twilight at around 6pm and isn't the light just beautiful?

The play didn't start until 7.30pm so I still had time to wander along the Embankment for a bit.  There were more people here, as you would expect.  The weather was perfect for a twilight stroll.

I thought this was blown up in the last James Bond movie!

Time to head to the theatre.  I had booked to see the Matthew Perry play The End of Longing.  It was being staged at the Playhouse Theatre in Northumberland Avenue, a skip and a jump down from Trafalgar Square.

I tend to choose theatre visits on a very random basis, so whatever captures my attention.  This wasn't the greatest show I've ever seen.  The acting was pretty good but the script was weak.  Matthew Perry should stick to acting.  The theatre was full, the opportunity to see one of the famous Friends cast would pull a lot of people, but whatever it takes, seeing a theatre full is a good thing and the audience was probably made up more of tv viewers than would normally attend the theatre.  I overheard a young guy behind me, much to his date's amazement comment that he'd never been to the theatre before.

After the show it was simple to hop back on to the tube and head home.  I'll definitely be doing that again and for all those friends who are going to be in London in the next few months, just let me know when and I'll be there!

Another picture of the skyline just because I have one and it's gorgeous.

The Thames in Maidenhead 26 March 2016

The forecast weather for the Easter Weekend was not good - only Friday was going to be clear and sunny, the rest of the weekend was going to be given over to Storm Katie, so I had to get out on Friday.  I work in Maidenhead a couple of times a month but I've never spent any time here, except an occasional visit to the South African shop (certain things are necessities in life - Crosse & Blackwell Mayonnaise, Spray n Cook etc.).  The Thames runs through Maidenhead - a very different Thames to the London river, as you will see.

The first part of the walk is alongside the road but once the road branches off it becomes quite urban for a while with some spectacular houses.  This one is for sale - you can just imagine the asking price!

Quite idyllic.  There were quite a few boats out.  During the summer the river is packed!

There is an island in the middle of the river.  One side is the weir and the water is quite fierce.

On the other side of the island is Boulters Lock.  It was quite fun to sit a while and watch how the process works.  Quite a few of the Lock Keepers that I've seen are women.

Further on along the path you come out into farm land and open countryside.  It's not very far to Cookham, only about 4 miles.  A very pleasant walk on a beautiful sunny day, and warm!

But I was heading off to London later in the day so I didn't walk all the way.  There were some interesting sights on the way back too - I did find the old man made of wood quite creepy!

And the birds drying off their wings and basking in the sun.  Lovely.

Shottesbrook Farm 20 March 2016

This was such a grey day, winter holding on tightly even though there were signs of spring around.  It was really cold when we met up in Littlewick Green and headed through the village out into the countryside.

A lovely village green surrounded by really quaint houses.

Thimble Cottage - it was quite dinky, and a dog who wished he was joining us.

Even a theatre school ...

There are lots of traditional British farms but, quite surprisingly, a Rasta compound.  The flag is all that was visible.  No time to stop and look around though - the Ramblers march on!

Shortly we turned into Shottesbrooke Farm.  It looks so bleak, but in a few weeks it will all be soft green.

Walking through the Park and past the 18th century manor house

we came to the medieval church, St John the Baptist, which was built in 1337.  Apparently the church isn't often open but we were lucky on this day and able to have a quick look around.

The church is quite unusual in that the flint, which was normally not worked before building, was chipped away to form bricks in the lower part of the building.  Time consuming and very expensive.

The inside is very beautiful with stained glass windows, original brasses and a couple of tombs

An old tombstone but not as old as the church

Look at the size of these walls

Then back through the countryside to Waltham St Lawrence

Another of those impossibly quaint villages - all the buildings in wonderful condition.

Half a door?

To end the walk, daffodils, blue bells and blossoms