Last call

(Update:  One of the places described below was just written up in the NY Times)

This was the last weekend of our stay, and also a 4 day bank holiday / Easter weekend, so we rented a car (just barely, turns out this is the 2nd busiest holiday time of the year in the UK)  and took some expeditions to places that were difficult to do by public transport.  All of the places we went were packed with families wearing wellies and accompanied by their dogs, and even with overflow parking we could barely get in.

On Saturday we went to Wimpole Estate,  a National Trust house and garden.  Downton Abbey has given us a good background for visiting country estates, as we now have an understanding of the functions of all the rooms that we are seeing.  The mansion was impressive (last lived in by Kipling's daughter), as were the grounds.  They have an amazing number of daffodils, and it is also lambing season, so I was happy.  There was also a farm and we saw a goat that had just been born and lots of baby piglets.  We took a nice walk through the sheep pasture up to the fake gothic ruins on a hill above the property.

On Sunday we drove two hours each way to go to the Suffolk Coast.  Starting at the North, we visited a town recommend to me called Southwold. It has a very old church, a lighthouse, famous beach huts, and a seaside pier (kind of like a mini-Brighton).  It is also home to the Adnams Brewery but we didn't partake.

Heading south, our next stop was a National Trust reserve called Dunwich Heath and Beach. We took a very nice walk along the cliffs through gorse and (not in bloom) heather, and then through various seaside habitats, ending at the (rocky) beach.

Finally, we ended at Aldeburgh.  This was a really cute town which we liked much better than Southwold.  Very picturesque and home of the best chippy in the UK supposedly.  We of course tried it and agree, and I don't even usually like fish and chips.  Benjamin Britten lived here but unfortunately his house was not open and we weren't there on the days of any music (there is a famous music festival now).

Today we went to Ickworth, another National Trust house and garden.  I had another transcendent garden experience in the stumpery.  And we got to see a ton of lambs.

Finally, we went to Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve, a wetland preserve which is what this whole part of England used to be (before the fens were drained).  We took very nice walks here as well.

Peterborough Cathedral

West Front

Peterborough Cathedral is Norman and is famous for its West Front, its spectacular 13th century nave with painted ceilings, and the later addition with its fan vaulted ceiling.  It is also famous for its inhabitants - Katherine of Aragon is buried there; Mary Queen of Scots was also buried there  but was moved to Westiminster when her son became King.

Chorus arriving for Evensong Service

As I was touring, the organist was practicing and the change ringers were dinging as well.

I didn't stay for the Evensong service, but as I was leaving I saw the choir in their billowing robes (it was really windy) arriving in the distance.   I have been to this service elsewhere and the choir does make a grand entrace, but I don't know if it is always from the outside since I have always been seated inside.

At the loo I saw this interesting sign.  I knew that cities had foreign partners, but toilet twinning?!

Audley End House and Gardens

View towards Audley End House

Temple of Concord

Peach trees

Grape vines

Audley End is named after Sir Thomas Audley, who was given the land after the monastery dissolution by Henry VIII in part for his help with Anne Boleyn.  Audley End House is palatial and very Downton Abby, with a whole service wing complex as well. The grounds are of the landscape park variety (designed by Capability Brown). 

Tea House Bridge

Herbs/Fruit Trees

The kitchen gardens were the best part, particularly the glasshouse for vines and fruit trues.  For someone who likes espalier (training fruit trees on a wall or even wire) the gardens were heaven.

I took the bus from the train and the driver forgot to tell me to get off, so I also got to get a driving tour of Saffron Walden.  It was actually very cute so I was glad to have seen it.  Very old and quaint medieval market town, and there were even some castle ruins.  It is named after the saffron crocus, the growing of which was a 16th and 17th century industry.

Victoria and Albert

It was another coldish weekend and something indoors seemed desirable, so back to London for another museum.  This time we went to the Victoria and Albert Museum.  It was in a different neighborhood and also featured design. There was a trendy show on the fashion of Alexander McQueen which was sold out until May, but we got there early enough to get day of tickets for 3 hours later.  Filling up the time was no problem, the museum was huge and we were there from about 11 to closing at 5:30.  We then took a long walk, seeing the Royal Albert Hall and the glistening and golden Albert Memorial then walking through Kensington Gardens (via the Diana memorial) and along the pond (filled with interesting waterfowl) to Hyde Park.  Our goal was Chinatown but we passed a promising looking Ramen place and went there instead.

The day before we took the bus to a nearby village (unfortunately not charming) to hear John Bryden - Noah's Edinburgh piano teacher - practice the Mozart Wind Quintet.  He is doing a concert to thank donors of a new Steinway but we will be back in the US by then.

Eclipse

Live feed

Viewing event

Solar Eclipse Viewing

19 March 2015
There’s a 90% solar eclipse this Friday morning, 20 March Maximum extent occurs at around 9.30am. Various methods of viewing the eclipse will be available in Trinity College outside B2 Great Court from 8.30am on Friday. All welcome!    (bring a small mirror if you can) To get an idea of how to view the eclipse safely take a look at what we did in 2004 for the Transit of Venus <http://www2.eng.cam.ac.uk/~hemh/transit.htm> You’ll see what the mirror is for.  Hopefully the weather will be OK!

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The above announcement was sent to all of Engineering.  Mark and I still remember seeing a similar level of eclipse back in NJ, so we were very psyched.  Of course, the weather forecast was for clouds until 11am, which was after the eclipse would be over.  Nonetheless, we  went over to Trinity College around 9 to see what was up and there was a hardy group of fellow revelers there despite the clouds.  The event was hosted by some random Engineering professor who apparently does this sort of thing as a hobby.  We waited around for the 30 minutes until peak, but since it was already cloudy it didn't seem to get much darker.  

Trinity College Library

Inside Trinity Library

The Trinity Library is very famous and was opening early with a special eclipse exhibit, so we decided to go over to that and hope that some clearing of the sky would happen.  Unlike Emmanuel College (my college), Trinity scores high on the wow factor.  You walk through a corrider and emerge into a courtyard, with the library straight ahead.  Gasp worthy. The ground level is a covered cloister, while the actual library is on top.  When you actually go into the library it is time for more gasps.  The pictures don't do it justice.  In addition to the eclipse things, we got to see various possesions of Isaac Newton (including his own Principia copy) and a handwritten Winnie the Pooh book.

Trinity College Main Court

Happy Spring

At 10:00 we reemerged back to the cloudy outdoors.  The crowds at the event viewing had really thinned, but our host kept encouraging people to stay as the clouds were thinning.  And we were rewarded for our patience about 15 minutes later when the cloud cover was light enough that we could actually glimpse the eclipse for a teeny bit now and then.  And because it was so so cloudy we could look directly.  Or so he says, and I haven't lost my vision yet.

Just as predicted, the sun did come out around 11 and it turned into a beautifully clear day.  I was very taken with the daffodil cupcakes that I saw in a window - it was also the first day of spring.

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Another visitor, another meal

This time it was John Reppy visiting (another former Bell Labs person, who previously had a Cambridge sabbatical and who we in fact saw here in January).  He is now at UChicago and kindly offers us lodging and supports our gluttony when we do the fall dropoff.

John's visit to Cambridge was an occasion to try out Midsummer House Restaurant - the local Michelin 2*.  I was a bit skeptical as the menu didn't look that exciting and the 1* we went to for my birthday was very disappointing.   But luckily I was wrong. 

We arrived at 9pm (that was the only time I could get a reservation).  As soon as we were seated the first of many custom trolleys was brought by.  Just as I suspected, I found a youtube video of the first: the Champange Trolley. Next, before we even got any menus, the little dishes started arriving.  That was a clever move because they were so awesome that when we had to choose between the 7 or 10 course meal (our only options), we went for 10. This
was foolhardy as with all the extra food before and after, the meal was more like 20 courses.  So between being out of training and it being near 1am by the end, I couldn't quite manage.  Mark, on the other hand...  Oh, and we also had the accompanying wine flight (although Mark and I shared one).  That was well worth it, the wines were obscure and amazingly well paired with the food (and in fact often didn't taste good without the food).

This professional review actually nicely captures our experience.  We even had some of the dishes mentioned (the beetroot/goat cheese, and the scallop/quail egg).  We also had lots of truffles, I guess it is that time of year.  One of the desserts was very similar to something we saw on Heston Blumenthal - a chocolate dome in a hard shell that dramatically dissolved when the sauce was poured over it.

It was quite interesting to compare this place with the 2* we had gone to in London.  They are definitely in an equivalence food class somehow, and we got the extravagant tasting menus at both places which led to meals that went on for 4 hours!  But while the London place was all elegance, this place was theatrical bordering on tacky.  Although the chef was British the staff was mostly French and hard to understand.  They also did some arcane things. Since I had made the reservation  they asked me if I was in charge.  What this meant was that I was the only one who had prices on my menu!  In NYC it used to be that only men were  given the menus with prices, so I guess this was an improvement.  But when it was time to leave only the females were given chocolates for the road.

The walk home was interesting, since we have never been out that late.  The pub that we had been to for dinner with John during his January visit was overflowing and could be heard blocks away at almost 2 am.

Anyway, a fun dinner, but I am still recovering today.

Be the Ball

Today on our walk to the center of town we saw football players encased in plastic bubbles.  "Be the ball."

Be the ball football on Parker's Piece.

Last night was the Emma Wine Tasting.  The first hour was a huge number of wines to taste, as much as one liked.  Followed by a buffet dinner for 2+ more hours.  We sat with all the Italian fellows and had a jolly time.

Saw my first tulip earlier this week, was very excited until today when I saw some pictures of spring and cherry trees in Seattle.

Cambridge Colleges

Master's Lodge, Christ's

Entrance to Christ's

We haven't been at all good about trying to achieve our goal of seeing all thirty-something colleges in the University.  So we knocked 4 off the list last weekend, getting up early to take advantage of the nice sunny morning before the rainy afternoon.  We didn't realize it was the half-marathon so didn't think we could even cross the road to get to most of them, but eventually we found the crossing spot and managed to execute our plan.  The colleges are like cloisters.  You enter off the busy road through a big gate in a wall (the Porter's Lodge), and when you enter the college it is like going through the rabbit hole and emerging in another world.  Typically you enter through the oldest "court" which is a square of very old buildings with green space in the middle (those famous lawns).  Then you go through more gates to progressively newer courts, passing various gardens and standard buildings like the Master's Lodge, Chapel, Library, Tutorial Offices, Residences and (Dining) Halls.  Many things are not open to the public. Eventually you end up in the newer parts of campus which have modern buildings.  Some of the colleges front the river and in fact span over to the other side.  Their age and who studied there is truly amazing.

We saw:

• Christ's College: Founded 1505.  Alums include Charles Darwin and John Milton.



Entering G&C



G&C towards Senate House

• Gonville and Caius College: Founded 1348 (4th oldest). Alums include Francis Crick and Stephen Hawking.

• Trinity College: Founded 1546 by Henry VIII.  Alums include Isaac Newton, Niels Bohr, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Bertrand Russell, and even Prince Charles.
 

Trinity Gate

 



Entering Trinity

 

• St. John's College: Founded 1511.  Alums include William Wordsworth.

St. John's

St. John's across the Cam

We've also been to

• Emmanuel College (my host college, founded 1584)
• Queen's College (noted in a prior post, founded 1448)
• King's College (founded 1441, visited most recently last night for the following concert)

Foundation Concert: Haydn Celebration

Saturday 14 March 2015, 5.30pm

The Chapel

John Wallace, alumnus, is a well known and virtuoso exponent of Haydn’s ground-breaking trumpet concerto. Haydn’s Mass in Time of War is one of his celebrated late mass settings.

• Haydn: Te Deum
• Haydn: Organ concerto in C
• Haydn: Trumpet Concerto in E flat
• Haydn: Paukenmesse – Missa in Tempore Belli

London's West End

We finally went to see a show in London - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.  We both read the book (or so we think, I couldn't remember it at all), but in any case, we enjoyed the show and I used my birthday present to upgrade to excellent seats.  Mark won a trinket for sitting in a seat with a prime number and having a name that translates into a prime number.

It was a beautiful day, the warmest since we've been here and very sunny.  It finally felt like spring, especially with the crocus and daffodils in bloom.  So before the show we spent a few hours walking around the Bloomsbury neighborhood of London, enjoying the residential squares (green spaces) and thinking of all the literary figures who lived there.

After the show the neighborhood around the theatre (Soho) had totally changed. It was Saturday night in what reminded us of a mix of Times Square before it got cleaned up and the West Village.  There were lots of trendy and relatively inexpensive restaurants to choose from,  so we went to a very yummy Udon Noodle / Japanese place called Koya Bar and even had to wait in line even though it was only 5ish.

On the way to the tube we also went to the flagship branch of Foyles, a huge and yet another amazing London independent bookstore. 

Photo catch up

Norwich Cathedral

Norwich Cathedral

Gate to Norwich Cathedral Close

Norwich Cathedral

Roof boss, Norwich Cathedral Cloister

Norwich Cathedral

Norwich Castle

Chapel at Kettle's Yard, Cambridge

Gandhi, Tavistock Square, Bloomsbury, London

St. George's, Bloomsbury, London

Crocus field by the Cam, U of Cambridge

Cambridge catch up

We have devoted a day of each of the last two weekends to catching up on our Cambridge sights.

Last weekend we finally visited Kettle's Yard, a really quirky and great little art museum.  A former art curator bought some cottages in a former slummy area and made them into a home where he could display his own collection.  He would open up the house to the public in the afternoons and also hold concerts (like our living room chamber music concert event!). Now the university owns it and runs it the same way.  The art is everywhere and not particularly labeled, but it is interesting and the house itself is also cool.  Too bad we didn't make it to a concert.  Attached to the house is a newer more traditional gallery, and a very old church is also on the property.

We then went to the see the Annual Spring Revue of the Footlights Club - a group of comic writer-performers at the university with some very famous alum such as John Cleese and Emma Thompson. Seems similar to Second City when it was at UChicago.  Anyway, they were very clever and we quite enjoyed it, especially when we could actually understand some of the UK-centric jokes.

Last but not least, we finally heard the famous King's College Choir during Evensong.  The acoustics are horrible for understanding the service, but they are great for the choir.  Because it is the 500th chapel anniversary year, there was a special organ concert afterwards as well.

Norwich

Pig Farming

As noted in the prior post, we took a day trip to Norwich.  The train ride there passed several pig farms.  Who knew pigs had these little houses! 

Our first stop was Norwich Cathedral, which was very impressive (and very old, founded in 1096!).  "One of the finest complete Romanesque cathedrals in Europe, with the second tallest spire and largest monastic cloisters in England, it houses more than a thousand beautiful medieval roof boss sculptures."

We then wandered over to Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery, which made me realize that there aren't any castles around Cambridge.  I guess it is too flat?  The castle is Norman and all that is left is the keep, which after being a palace became a prison, and now is the museum part.  In a new wing is a huge eclectic art gallery.  We particularly enjoyed the teapot gallery with its collection of over 300 teapots.

As dusk was approaching (and hoping all the soccer fans were gone) we wandered back to the train station, following a heritage trail of interesting old buildings.

Football (soccer that is)

We got to the train station today about 10am and immediately noticed all the police presence.  So we were wondering what was up, it isn't usually like that.  Was there some sort of terror alert? Then when we got to our train we observed that all the police were getting on our train in particular!  So I asked, and it was because there was a football game that afternoon in Norwich (our tourist destination of the day).  At the next stops, people in green and yellow started getting on.  We later learned that the team is called the Canaries, that explained the bird on the jerseys. Then the beer cans were opened.  I guess tailgating starts that early in the US too?  Once we actually arrived in Norwich there was even more of a presence, police vans everywhere and officers outside of all the pubs.  It was like Pittsburgh during the G-20 (ok, that is a slight exaggeration, but downtown Pittsburgh has nothing like that level of security during a Steeler's Game). Luckily the stadium was in the opposite direction from the tourist sights, and we took a late train home to let things clear out (good choice reading the news):

Police praise Norwich and Ipswich football fans as East Anglian Derby passes without major incident: "The match, which saw the Canaries beat Ipswich 2-0 in their fourth consecutive win over their rivals, resulted in just four people being arrested in the lead-up and during the game held this afternoon at Carrow Road. About 2,000 Ipswich Town FC supporters travelled to the city for the mid-afternoon kick-off with friendly, but firm policing. Earlier in the morning 14 Ipswich supporters were given direction to leave notices by British Transport Police as a result of their behaviour at Norwich train station..."

Leicester Square Adventures

Attention Brits! Visit the US.

We are now almost 2/3 of the way through our stay and all of sudden are feeling some pressure to be tourists.  So we got over our inertia (last weekend I didn't even leave the flat) and followed our Saturday trip to the country with a Sunday trip to London.  The destination was the Sargent exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery.  However, when looking at a map I noticed that the museum was near Chinatown (I didn't even know London had a Chinatown!) so a dim sum plan at Imperial China was also hatched. On the tube going to Leicester Square (about a 5 minute walk to our two destinations in either direction), we saw this amusing Las Vegas tourism sign.

Wasabi Prawn Dupmlings

Lisle Street, Chinatown

Chinese New Year had been earlier in the week and (unbenownst to us) Chinatown was still hosting festivities days later.  So there were firecrackers and hordes of people, particularly around the Lion Dance  The dim sum (off the menu rather than carts though) was delicious and there were many things we had never seen before.  The shrimp dumplings in wasabi dough were an inspiration.

New Year's Float

Sir Paul

                 






The Sargent exhibit also lived up to the hype, what a master.  The rest of the museum was really interesting too, beginning with the Tudors and showing the history of Britain through portraits.  Ending with Paul! We were there almost 4 hours and were rushed. It would have helped to know more about British history though.

Transcendence in a Winter Garden

Silver Birch Grove

While we have enjoyed many gardens over the years, to date only the White Garden of Sissinghurt (viewed in 1989 I think!)  provided a transcendent experience.  All that changed this weekend with our visit to the Winter Garden of Anglesey Abbey. "The gardens boast 270 different varieties of snowdrop (including 20 discovered there) scattered across 114 acres. Meander along the paths for fabulous displays dotted across the gardens. The Winter Garden – designed with plants that give winter colour and fragrance – also bursts with life at this time of year." 

We actually went to Anglesey because of the February Snowdrop Festival, as the snowdrops were reported to be virtually 100% in bloom and the weather was decent. Despite being a flowering bulb fanatic, for some reason I have never planted a snowdrop. Perhaps this is because snowdrops are quite short-lived in places that I have lived.  Or maybe it is because the charms of snowdrops are  rather subtle.  In any case, the lack of snowdrops in my life must change next year! The Festival seemed to be quite a draw as the garden was packed with Brits wearing Wellies.

The Angleseybbey Snowdrop itself

Parkland Snowdrops et al.

There was quite a useful display of many different snowdrop varieties before entering the garden, and each variety was also well-labeled in the Winter Garden.   We learned that the motivation for the relatively recent Winter Garden was that after some disease killed some other plants,  there were favorable conditions for the snowdrops' natural revival. The gardener built on this to turn kind of a garbage area into this beautiful garden path. In our later walk through the rest of the property, there were also many unlabelled fields of snowdrops (where we could test our new found knowledge regarding varieties).

The Winter Garden itself, however, stole the show.  The garden was filled with grasses as well as shrubs and trees with stems and barks and even flowers that provided an amazing rainbow of colors in the dead of winter.   Winter would be bearable with such a garden! Unfortunately for me,  I fear that this particular winter garden would require a winter with very little snow and would not work in Pittsburgh.

Tibetian Cherry