Some years ago, while I was out in my car exploring the roads that lead away from my hometown of Chelmsford in Essex, I happened upon the famous and historic University town of Cambridge. I had just recently past my driving test and hadn’t yet grasped the geography of my rapidly expanding world, it’s territories made more accessible by the very fact I now had 4 wheels on which to explore them.
My discovery of Cambridge was liberating. Despite not being far from home I felt like I had travelled a great distance. The narrow streets and the grandiose colleges engulfed me, and as inane as it might seem the discovery of Cambridge marked an important milestone in my life as I realized for the first time my own freedom.
Since then I’ve always held Cambridge in special regard. My frequent visits have led to the city often becoming the backdrop for a tale repeated, and a story retold. From the heady dashes there with my old friend Anne-marie O’Conner, to the quintessential relaxing ride along the river in a punt on a beautiful sunny day last year with Posh and Jerry.
I was once more in Cambridge this last weekend, meeting up with a blogging buddy from Texas who is over here on vacation. Heather and I know each other from the Xanga blogging community and I met her at last years Xangbang in Texas. She’s over here staying with her friend Mark who has just graduated from Cambridge University.
The weather was doing its best to dampen the high spirits of ‘May week’ (a University thing), but the rain held off as a group of us wandered into town to watch The Bumps, a rowing race where different colleges chase one another along the river and try to bump into one another. (See the movie at the bottom of this post.)
Standing beside the river cheering the boats as they passed felt wonderfully English. Mark did his best to explain exactly what was going on, but really it didn’t matter. With a drink in hand we bellowed at the tops of our voices as ‘our boat’ from Downing College went by. Just having the opportunity to be a part of such an event was fun enough, and standing with Mark’s friends from Downing College made me feel a part of it.
In the evening we all headed out for dinner then on to Downing College Boat Club for a few drinks. Those who were involved in the boat race were wearing the traditional blazers and some were clearly already well on their way to a Sunday morning hangover.
The second part of my weekend was spent in Essex celebrating my parents ruby wedding anniversary (40 years).
Loads of people were already there when I arrived. As I scanned around the faces of the guest gathered in the garden I recognized a few, but had no idea who a great many of them were.
Dad made a speech as he and Mom cut their cake together. As he spoke a formation of military planes flew past. Dad joked that no expense had been spared which raised a laugh. In truth the flypast was for a celebration in London of Britain’s victory in the Falklands war 25 years ago.
It was also Fathers day and so I had a gift for Dad, a good one too I thought. Dad is a keen gardener so I bought two small banana plants and a Datura Variegata then asked Dad to choose one of each. After he had made his choice I told him that the gift was also going to be a competition between us to see which one of us could grow the most impressive plants.
All in all what with the visit to Cambridge then the garden party at my folks house it felt like a very English weekend indeed.
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[Video] Mark on why big cox are bad
[Video] Another good video of The Bumps
Cambridge University Combined Boat Clubs
Downing College Boat Club
Downing College, Cambridge University
Wrote the following comment on Jun 20, 2007 at 6:17 pm
Looks like heath is having a great time! good to see her.
Wrote the following comment on Jun 20, 2007 at 11:18 pm
Nice one Simon. Another good read. Very nice and relaxing, in a kind of Sunday-evening-BBC-kind-of-a-way if you know what I mean(?) Congratulations to your parents and best regards to you, old cyber-buddy, Clive ;o)
Wrote the following comment on Jun 20, 2007 at 11:23 pm
What a great weekend! :-)
Wrote the following comment on Jun 21, 2007 at 1:47 am
That very well might be the last ever time I’ll be pictured in those cool glasses. The last I saw of them was at my folks place on the passenger seat of my car. It seems that like so many other sunglasses in my life, they have dissapeared. As we say here in England… “Bugger!”
Wrote the following comment on Jun 21, 2007 at 7:08 am
Yeh what is it about sunglasses? They always seem to go missing. I think we all go through at least 2 pairs during the summer!
Wrote the following comment on Jun 21, 2007 at 6:17 pm
As one whose profession is in higher education, who is working on a second Master’s degree, and whose reading diet largely consists of works from the academy, I am quite jealous of your proximity to Cambridge as it is an icon of academia.
It sounds like you had a great weekend. Speaking of garden parties and by association things that are English, do people do, or did they ever do, tea and crumpets (krumpets, crumpettes, ?) or is that just an unfounded stereotype? And if people do eat crumpets (krumpets, crumpettes, ?), what is it?
Wrote the following comment on Jun 21, 2007 at 6:49 pm
that was a really great afternoon and evening… it was fun seeing you again simon!
Wrote the following comment on Jun 21, 2007 at 6:56 pm
Tea and crumpets! Yes we do have tea and crumpets, but it’s not something that people do like you Americans do coffee. No one says “I’ll meet you for tea and crumpets.” Mainly crumpets are something one might be served with a cup of tea at some point, though a scone might be served instead.
People here in England don’t take ‘afternoon tea’ drinking from porcelain cups. They ‘have a brew’ at anytime of the day, usually from a mug. In my case my mugs are mainly all stolen from Starbucks or the various other indy coffee houses I frequent in the States.
If you ever come visiting though Anthony, I’ll take you somewhere for afternoon tea and we can sit there and talk about “works from the academy” (though I assume that has nothing to do with the Oscars?).
Wrote the following comment on Jun 22, 2007 at 2:30 am
Yes, the academy is generic for the whole culture of academia, which probably gets its name from Plato’s Academy, who, as you probably know, is also an icon of Western academics. This said, however, I would be just as happy having a conversation with you during afternoon tea about the stuff that comes from the other academy, the one that is located in Hollywood.
Wrote the following comment on Jun 22, 2007 at 7:37 am
Can’t we just sit there and exchange comments about the girls who walk by Anthony? :-)
Wrote the following comment on Jun 22, 2007 at 2:47 pm
I’ll have to ask my WIFE about that.
Wrote the following comment on Jun 22, 2007 at 3:34 pm
Looks like a wonderful weekend. It’s always been one of my dreams to row like that. I think my grandfather was on some kind of rowing team – at least we have pictures of it.
And how is your castor bean doing? Mine recovered from the freeze this winter and, what with all the rain we’ve had this season, it is thriving…as you’ll see in a couple of weeks. Good luck with your little “friendly” competition with your Dad.
Wrote the following comment on Jun 22, 2007 at 6:37 pm
way to go anthony! :)
Wrote the following comment on Jun 23, 2007 at 12:25 pm
Love the delight of the travel and sights through your post. Amazing you are gathering with people from Houston there. I could never have a competition like that with my Mom as I’d lose. Thanks for sharing!