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a day of bliss
Jul. 6th, 2008 09:09 pmThat's what yesterday was.
Cambridge is an exceedingly beautiful city. Before I arrived, I wondered how it would compare to Oxford. Coming to Oxford felt like coming home. Almost from stepping off the train at the station I felt that that was where I belong. Wandering around the city was merely discovering something that I already knew, whereas Cambridge was like stepping into a world which may on the outside resemble mine but which will never be mine, and which, if I was to entire, would mean entirely leaving myself behind. Objectively, of the two cities I think I prefer Cambridge. Every where you turn in the center of the city there is some beautiful and stunning skyline. The inner courtyards of the colleges are, after the tourists are gone, so quiet and empty and peaceful that they feel a world apart. You step through the great gates of Trinity into the silence and the stillness and it feels like time hasn't passed at all since the college first came into existence. But despite all this, I still prefer Oxford. Oxford felt like home. I wonder if I would feel differently if I'd been to Cambridge first, and was just now in Oxford for my first time. But I doubt it.
I got into the city center around 9:30 this morning, and headed out to the Castle Mound as my first order of business. Rather overshot it because there was no sign at the turn-off, and you don't actually see it coming up from the south if you don't know where it is. Coming from the north, you do: So I walked to the top and got some lovely pictures looking down over the city. I sat there reading for awhile but then the wind picked up and it was rather cold. Walked around taking pictures for about an hour before it started raining. It wasn't raining hard, but I figured there was a good chance it would clear up if I waited so I found a cafe with wireless and nursed a chai for two and a half hours. Figured out how to get to Leeds from here and how to get to Bodington Hall once I arrive in Leeds. Caught Joel online which was a pleasant and very welcome chance. Around noon the cafe was filling up and I noticed that it was no longer raining so I headed back out for more photography. Walked from King's back up to Trinity, and then across the King's Bridge and around the back, since I'd been told that there's a cow pasture along the back of King's on the other side of the river and I wanted to see it. They were unfortunately standing in such a position that I could not get a clear shot of them with the King's Chapel as backdrop, oh well. I circled down around past Queen's College and then back across the river. By then the sun was out in force and I saw a bench next to a church so I sat down with my book for a long while. At one point a couple sat next to me and perused their map; I believe they were Dutch. I actually overheard quite a lot of Dutch tourists throughout the day, which I found a bit surprising. I then wandered back to King's and sat out front there in the sun until finally accepting that I was hungry. Jennifer had recommended the Copper Kettle, right across from King's, as a good place to go, and I was quite happy with my choice. I had red lentil soup with bread and a pot of tea, and lingered there reading until it was time to wander and photograph again. Standing on the King's bridge looking over the river I finally decided to indulge myself. When we went to dinner Wednesday night I saw the punts on the river and my first thought was "It's just like Doctor Who!!" And the day was so sunny and so lovely and idyllic that I told myself if it was less than 15 pounds, I'd treat myself to punting. I wandered over to ask the guy how much it was at the same time as another young couple inquired; it was only 10 pounds per person and so we took a boat together. It was lovely and lazy being poled down the river and then back, and also neat to see the backs of the colleges at closer proximity. Many beautiful photographs were taken that I couldn't have gotten otherwise.
Afterwards I returned to the green behind the backs and lay in the sun until I finished the book I'd brought with, and then I headed back to the open air market to buy another book and incidentally two packages of raspberries as they were 2 for 2 pounds. Back at the green I inhaled one package and then savoured the next -- something I don't normally get to do with raspberries.
Around 6pm I decided I should go about trying to get something for dinner, and was a little bit shocked to see that pretty much everything in the college vicinity closed up around 6:30! I finally decided I'd just start walking towards the train station (where I was going to give my hosts a call and they'd pick me up when I was finished) and hope I'd find something along the way. I did -- quite probably the worst half burrito I've ever eaten. It was just...tasteless. Amazingly so. But luckily even half (which was all I could eat) was enough to tide me over for the evening, so I can't complain too much.
There aren't many days when I get to wander around aimlessly, or sit and lie in the sun reading, or eat my fill of raspberries, or buy new books just because I finished an old one. The only thing that could've made that day better is if I'd done it all with Joel. Upon arriving at Leeds today I was rather frustrated until I finally was able to get the wireless working on my laptop and reach him on IM. Today is a golden anniversary -- we started dating 6 years ago today, July 6. It would've been nice to have been with him. As it is, by the time I get back a week from today, it'll be a few hours after he's left for Chicago. So I've still got another two weeks before I see him again. :( Traveling is nice and all, but the whole "being in a different country from my husband" thing is a bit wearing.
Cambridge is an exceedingly beautiful city. Before I arrived, I wondered how it would compare to Oxford. Coming to Oxford felt like coming home. Almost from stepping off the train at the station I felt that that was where I belong. Wandering around the city was merely discovering something that I already knew, whereas Cambridge was like stepping into a world which may on the outside resemble mine but which will never be mine, and which, if I was to entire, would mean entirely leaving myself behind. Objectively, of the two cities I think I prefer Cambridge. Every where you turn in the center of the city there is some beautiful and stunning skyline. The inner courtyards of the colleges are, after the tourists are gone, so quiet and empty and peaceful that they feel a world apart. You step through the great gates of Trinity into the silence and the stillness and it feels like time hasn't passed at all since the college first came into existence. But despite all this, I still prefer Oxford. Oxford felt like home. I wonder if I would feel differently if I'd been to Cambridge first, and was just now in Oxford for my first time. But I doubt it.
I got into the city center around 9:30 this morning, and headed out to the Castle Mound as my first order of business. Rather overshot it because there was no sign at the turn-off, and you don't actually see it coming up from the south if you don't know where it is. Coming from the north, you do: So I walked to the top and got some lovely pictures looking down over the city. I sat there reading for awhile but then the wind picked up and it was rather cold. Walked around taking pictures for about an hour before it started raining. It wasn't raining hard, but I figured there was a good chance it would clear up if I waited so I found a cafe with wireless and nursed a chai for two and a half hours. Figured out how to get to Leeds from here and how to get to Bodington Hall once I arrive in Leeds. Caught Joel online which was a pleasant and very welcome chance. Around noon the cafe was filling up and I noticed that it was no longer raining so I headed back out for more photography. Walked from King's back up to Trinity, and then across the King's Bridge and around the back, since I'd been told that there's a cow pasture along the back of King's on the other side of the river and I wanted to see it. They were unfortunately standing in such a position that I could not get a clear shot of them with the King's Chapel as backdrop, oh well. I circled down around past Queen's College and then back across the river. By then the sun was out in force and I saw a bench next to a church so I sat down with my book for a long while. At one point a couple sat next to me and perused their map; I believe they were Dutch. I actually overheard quite a lot of Dutch tourists throughout the day, which I found a bit surprising. I then wandered back to King's and sat out front there in the sun until finally accepting that I was hungry. Jennifer had recommended the Copper Kettle, right across from King's, as a good place to go, and I was quite happy with my choice. I had red lentil soup with bread and a pot of tea, and lingered there reading until it was time to wander and photograph again. Standing on the King's bridge looking over the river I finally decided to indulge myself. When we went to dinner Wednesday night I saw the punts on the river and my first thought was "It's just like Doctor Who!!" And the day was so sunny and so lovely and idyllic that I told myself if it was less than 15 pounds, I'd treat myself to punting. I wandered over to ask the guy how much it was at the same time as another young couple inquired; it was only 10 pounds per person and so we took a boat together. It was lovely and lazy being poled down the river and then back, and also neat to see the backs of the colleges at closer proximity. Many beautiful photographs were taken that I couldn't have gotten otherwise.
Afterwards I returned to the green behind the backs and lay in the sun until I finished the book I'd brought with, and then I headed back to the open air market to buy another book and incidentally two packages of raspberries as they were 2 for 2 pounds. Back at the green I inhaled one package and then savoured the next -- something I don't normally get to do with raspberries.
Around 6pm I decided I should go about trying to get something for dinner, and was a little bit shocked to see that pretty much everything in the college vicinity closed up around 6:30! I finally decided I'd just start walking towards the train station (where I was going to give my hosts a call and they'd pick me up when I was finished) and hope I'd find something along the way. I did -- quite probably the worst half burrito I've ever eaten. It was just...tasteless. Amazingly so. But luckily even half (which was all I could eat) was enough to tide me over for the evening, so I can't complain too much.
There aren't many days when I get to wander around aimlessly, or sit and lie in the sun reading, or eat my fill of raspberries, or buy new books just because I finished an old one. The only thing that could've made that day better is if I'd done it all with Joel. Upon arriving at Leeds today I was rather frustrated until I finally was able to get the wireless working on my laptop and reach him on IM. Today is a golden anniversary -- we started dating 6 years ago today, July 6. It would've been nice to have been with him. As it is, by the time I get back a week from today, it'll be a few hours after he's left for Chicago. So I've still got another two weeks before I see him again. :( Traveling is nice and all, but the whole "being in a different country from my husband" thing is a bit wearing.
