Saturday 13 September

After some discussion about the weather, it being nice today and deteriorating for the rest of our stay, we decided to drive to Cambridge. This is only an hour away to the Park and Ride, then a 10 minute free bus into the centre of the old Roman city. A hop on hop off roof top bus tour was very informative. We hopped on at the start and hopped off at the end, so a good overview of the city and its history. Not many tourists about and the sun was out all day. But it was cold.

A pre lunch gin and tonic in 'The Eagle' was called for. "I've been to Cambridge."  "So, did you have a pint in the Eagle?" Apparently, this is a tradition. At 11.30 am it was just open and we snaffled the seat in the window with the sun streaming through and a wedding about to take place in the church opposite. Remember it's cold outside. A cornucopia of fashion laughs. Girls in summer frocks and too poor for underwear; brown dresses and black thongs (that's on their feet); some visible tattoos and the blokes unaccustomed to wearing suits, pulling at cuffs and adjusting trousers. We lingered as long as polite but didn't see the bride.

Lowes Bootmaker in the city gave us our much needed shoelaces for Flashy’s dress shoes and then it was on to ‘The Orator.’ This is a bit of a gastro pub owned by the Union Society of Cambridge University. The Cambridge Union Society, also known as the Cambridge Union, is a historic debating and free speech society and the largest society in the University. It was founded in 1815, making it the oldest continuously running debating society in the world. The pub gives all its profits to the maintenance of the listed building and to the Society. Given that Alyssa and Jack are both world renowned, prize winning debaters, we thought it would be a good choice.

And it certainly was. The chicken schnitzel and monkfish dishes were wonderful. The Rhone red wine likewise appreciated and the truffle infused gin and tonic, well, she said it was good.

Apart from Lady P and the nice Indian waiter smashing the salt shaker loudly on the floor, it was an embarrassment free lunch, inside overlooking the street and in old world charm. We were so impressed that a) Flashy tipped 10% and b) Lady P wrote a glowing review.

We liked Cambridge. Probably a bit more than Oxford. I helped that it was a lovely day and there were not all that many tourists wandering aimlessly around the streets on the wrong side of the  footpath.

An easy navigation on the A roads home. Well driven of course. Parked the car. Cats alive and well. Gin is delicious and a scratch tea is on the cards.

A pre lunch gin in the famous 'The Eagle' hotel overlooking a church.
The Mathematical Bridge.
Truffle Gin at The Orator.
Prosciutto wrapped monkfish.
Punting on the Cam. Not us.
St John's College.

Comments

  1. Graeme15 September 2025 at 19:01

    When I was in Cambridge I was watching the punts on the river and one of the punters called me a silly punt, at least that is what I thought he said.

    ReplyDelete

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