Cambridge, England - Historical Delight

Town and University




I had my bags packed, ready to go back to London. The first train back after lunch in Cambridge. Nando's is a chain-y type place in Cambridge that melds African and Portuguese flavors into whole grilled chicken. The spicy herb sauce was addictive and piquant, though the chicken was moist and flavorful enough not to need it. Sides such as fries (or chips in England), sweet potato hash, and cole slaw were freshly and deftly prepared. Most of all, the place was friendly to messy babies like Shane, who clobbered his meal right and left.



We decided to take a walk through town, where we entered into St. John's College, one of the many smaller pieces of Cambridge University, one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world. It's funny that Shelly wasn't really aware of Cambridge's stature in the world of academia, but one look at the age of the university said it: 800 years. It eclipses the age of the U.S.A. by more than two fold. The grounds of the college were stunning, with huge grassy fields of perfect temperament, bright green trees and a meandering river filled with punting gondolas. The buildings were actually old, instead of so many of the "fake" old that we get in the U.S.



The close-knit streets of Cambridge weave through the town with swanky stores and coffeeshops lining them. We made another stop at Shelly's favorite shop, Costa Coffee. I noticed in England that very few places offer drip coffee. The closest you can get is really an Americano, espresso that's watered down with hot water. The drinks aren't really special compared to what one might get at Intelligentsia, but the environs of the shops are very pleasant, a respite to the bustle outside.



Back to Newmarket

After a stroll through Cambridge, we drove back to Newmarket to prepare dinner for Spencer, who'd be home after work. I appointed myself to cook dinner, a vegetable and shrimp stir-fry using ingredients found in the fridge. It was quite good, mixing in flavors of ginger, garlic, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and sesame seeds.



I crashed out after dinner, waking up near 10PM. Oh, if it's not obvious by this point, I decided not to go to London. I liked it so much better out here in the countryside. London will have to wait, for when I have more time, money and companions.

I stayed up through the night since I had to leave early in the morning.

Taking the train at 7AM from Cambridge, the morning light of England was gorgeous. A misty sheen hung over the fields, with the glint of the sun's rays piercing through the cabin. Trains travel extremely fast in the countryside, somewhere around 60-70 MPH, to my estimation. The cars fill with commuters on their way to London. I was happy to see an African fellow reading a biography of Barack Obama, holding a smile throughout. "I voted for him," I tell him. He's pleased.

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London to Hong Kong

After an 11 hour flight from London to Hong Kong on Qantas Airlines, I was hungry, ragged, and tired. I took a $20 shower at the facility, well worth it considering that I made it last at least 25 minutes. The hot water (interspersed with cold water) rejuvenated me with life. I foraged for food in the massive long terminal with wide vistas of the tarmacs and airplanes. In the distance, I saw the gargantuan A380, the newest Airbus belonging (in this instance) to Singapore Airlines.



I settled for a simple bowl of shrimp wonton noodles in broth from King's Palance Congee and Noodle Bar. The hot broth made a perfect breakfast while the meaty wontons and stringy noodles played second (and third) fiddle.



I hopped onto the next plane, a Cathay Pacific flight to Jakarta. The food on both Qantas and Cathay were rather disappointing considering the stature of their airlines. I think Japan Airlines and Korean Airlines have vastly superior food for the economy class. My meal on Cathay was a poached fish with a gummy sauce and white rice. Not bad, but not good either. I indulged in the cheesy and exciting Fast & Furious (a guilty pleasure and a throwback to my rice-rocket wannabe days) and finished off the flight catching up on Entourage. I miss that show, and especially Ari Gold.

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Jakarta

Stepping into Jakarta Airport, I immediately feel the heat and the choke of humidity. What a contrast to the cool air of England. Then again, it's a completely different latitude, much closer to the equator. It's a pain in the butt trying to get from one terminal to another, but I finally make it, running into the very relieved Teenage Gluster (Javier), who had flown in from Taipei.



In a few short hours I will have ended the second long leg of the trip. At this point, I don't even know how long I've been flying! I could be 20 hours or so. I'm beat. Tomorrow we're flying out to Bali, one of the most beautiful places in the world. I assure you, my 5 cameras are ready for their work.