Favourites on Friday - Cambridge: Beautiful Yet Somehow Lacking

Even though I limit myself to no more than one weekend away a month, decided on a second weekend away; did not want to be in the same house, same space as him … it was 1 year ago, on the 29th August, that I told him I wanted a divorce.

My choices were limited last weekend, thanks to railway engineering works; finally picked Cambridge.  I’d been there many, many years ago, while still studying, to visit my father’s friend and mentor from his railway days.  I remember the place being very pretty …

King's College

King's Cross Station, London, for connection to Cambridge

Cambridge is still pretty, lovely parks with beautiful architecture, and the River Cam running through it.  And yet, it felt like it was lacking … ‘something’.  In Oxford, I could really ‘feel’ the history of the place; by comparison, if Cambridge ever had that sense of history or something ‘extra’, it seems to have lost it.  But that’s just my opinion. 

Being a bank holiday weekend, I was expecting the place to be crowded as it is a tourist town, but I wasn’t expecting it to be teeming!  And being a student town, the number of bicycles … I swear I’ve never seen so many bicycles in one place anywhere I’ve been in the UK.  I usually don’t mind bicycles, but I am not used to them speeding past me down narrow streets, in the park … was a bit off-putting.

The other thing that spoiled an otherwise lovely walk through the town – punting-touts!!  Young, student-types making like used-car salesmen … and not in a good way!  If I was asked once – “Interested in punting today?” – I must have been asked more than 10 times!!  And some of the guys were literally just a few feet apart.  They couldn't hear my answer?  See me shaking my head?  My replies started polite and quickly turned into a sharp, “No.”  Honestly!  It was like being in the bazaars in Kuala Lumpur.  At least there it’s expected.

Apart from one University college, the name of which I cannot remember, and which had free entry, I didn’t go in any of the others as they each had an entry fee of £7.50.  I decided, on principle, to satisfy myself with pictures of the outside.

Interesting place to keep a cow ;)

Can't remember the name of the church - this was on the walk from the station to the town

'Keep off the Grass', said the sign ... the temptation to run across ...

The Round Church

One of the parks - Jesus Green

King's College

St John's College

Midsummer Common, separated from Jesus Green by a road - with such an enchanting name, I thought there would be more to it ...

... than free-grazing cows.

Looks almost solid!

Reading all that makes it sound as if I really disliked the place; I didn’t.  It was ok, and I’m glad I went.  Though, on the Sunday, I found there wasn’t really much else to do, so spent time in Waterstone’s before heading back to the train station.  My favourite part of the weekend – sat in the park by the river as evening drew in …

Oh … looked out the window Tuesday morning to find we had a surprise sleepover guest …