Rolling Along

I’m having one of those slightly magical days that you have every once in awhile and as I sit here in the courtyard at Westfield House studying my list of words that occur more than 50 times in the gospel of Mark (actually as I stare up at the passing clouds), I’ve decided to write about my day rather than let it slip into the recesses of my increasingly cluttered mind.

This day revolves around music, as do so many of these neo-mystical days. This morning Becca left early for the Grand Opening of Becca's candy shop, where she exists as the assistant manager. I was hoping to go down there to see her and also my friend Robbie who was planning to don a giant Jelly Bean suit and dance around, delighting young lads and deliberately frightening slightly older lasses.

Though it be a Saturday, I had set my alarm, so as to not sleep the entire day away. However, my “alarm” was in fact was the radio, tuned to a classical radio station which not only prolonged my slumber but instigated deep REM sleep and a dream in which I insulted Robert Deniro because of my comments regarding of the high quality of Sean Penn’s acting ability.

Eventually I woke, read a little, had some tea and headed down to the city center. My plan was to stop at the candy shoppe then find somewhere to study. I loaded up my backpack and headed down, accompanied with the inspirational sounds of Arcade Fire’s first album Funeral. I always used to walk around with my ipod; back in ye olde days when the device was still a novelty to me. I have forgotten how much a soundtrack added to my life. This walk, which I had made dozens of times before, brought many more smiles to my face this time.

I arrived at the busy sweet shop and visited with Becca, unfortunately the Jelly Bean costume was malfunctioning that day.

I continued on my ramble through town down the cobblestones with Arcade Fire. I had been foolhardy in my idea of finding somewhere to study. On Saturday, Cambridge city center swells with tourists. The streets are absolutely jammed with people, no cars are allowed, and they become pedestrian only zone. I was heading toward St Michaels, an old church, half of which doubles as café on non-Sundays. I was walking down the middle of the street, daydreaming, looking at old statues, being annoyed at the congestion, when the sea of people parts and a man in a motorized wheel chair emerges, rolling toward me.

I stop. Regard the situation.

It is Steven Hawking.

There has been much news around town about how he is stepping down (figuratively) in his position at the University. I have not real affinity for Steven Hawking. I don’t know that I have an opinion about with one way or the other. But at that moment, he made me very happy. If that sea of people had parted and I had my choice of any person to step (or roll) though the multitudes, I don’t know that anyone else would have engender the same reaction. I mean if it had been one of my friends from back home, I would be really excited. But, with Steven Hawking, I don’t know, it was downright magical. It was like seeing an elf. Only a mythical or legendary creature could have produced the same sensation. Snuggle bear, an okapi, Aslan, to name a few. I felt like I had discovered Noah Ark.

Then I stepped to the left and he rolled by.

I continued on to eat a pizza, drink a beer, buy cookies, teas and wine, and walk home. And now I study, but I can take comfort in knowing that somewhere out there Steven Hawking in out there rolling around on the streets of Cambridge for the rest of us sinners.

Happy Reformation Day, Halloween and All Saints Day

We have been busy, life has kicked into full swing here leaving us little time to post and a little bit less to sleep.
The good news is that part of this busyness is due to me, Becca, finally starting to work.
I'm the assistant manager at Ye Olde Candy Shoppe. I have been working for about a week now. The manager and I have been hiring staff and sorting the massive stock for the store, the grand opening is this Saturday. It's been sweet. It feels like we are putting on a production of sorts, it reminds me of working at the gallery before a big show (only candy will be the only exhibit). I have never seen so much candy in my life. We have everything, I'm sure we even have everlasting gobstoppers and geese that lay golden chocolate eggs.

Darren has been hard at work trying to read at least 100 books at a time. He is doing a fine job. Last saturday he went to the sea with Ben from the house and saw a creepy British carnival.

We have both been enjoying the Cambridge festival of Ideas which consists of several free lectures around the city pertaining to all kinds of cool things. We also got to hang out with Melissa and Ted (California Friends) a few weekends ago. They are on an adventure of their own (see blog) and it was great to just hang out, punt the Cam, eat with clowns, and learn how to make macaroni salad. Good times guys.

I leave you with pictures from recent days gone by. I hope to update soon with pictures of the GRAND OPENING OF THE CANDY SHOP! (watch out)


Front of the Shop


Tea with M&T


Clown Cafe (this one is for Miss Katie J)


Darren schooled us all in the art of punting


Ted and Melissa

The House

via westfield homepage

I ride a bike to class. The gears don't shift all that well.
It is getting cold.
We are going to Evensong at St. John's tonight.
Lots of tea.

I am trying to hit every pub in Cambridge. So far:
The Mitre
The Castle
The Carpenter Arms
The Carlton Arms
The Boathouse
The Eagle
St. Radegunds
The Pickerel
The Rupert Brooke

and many more

tea time

We hosted House Tea this afternoon. We had PG tips (tea) w/milk, baked brie w/rasberry jam, milk and dark chocolate digestives, cream sherry and dark chocolate.

Mondays are good. We have pericope seminar at 2 in which we study the gospel lesson appointed for Sunday after next. At 3:30 we have Evening Prayer (a time of scripture and song). Afterward, we have house tea.

My lecture schedule this term includes:
Belief and Practice in the Early Church, Medieval Church (900-1200), Themes in Genesis 1-11, Church and Empire in Late Antiquity, Johannine Literature, Judaism and Hellenism, Mark's Gospel, The Letters of Paul, New Testament Textual Criticism.

I like the things I am learning.

Cambridge is a good town. I do feel old though with thousands of teenage undergrads running around. Its good fun though, Freshers week just finished up where all the new students dressed like pirates and stuff.

We have been fortunate to be able to attend Evensong at Kings College and St. Johns. Great and awesome.

I have cut my coffee intake (down from 2 pots a day) and have assummed tea consumption and my new hot bev of choice.

We are bike riding much.

Around Cambridge and Westfield

Here is a link to more pictures around Cambridge and Westfield.

We have been enjoying life at Westfield. It comes with its challenges (see no private bathroom or showers) but also it’s rewards (see built in community of friends and awesome surroundings).
I have a potential assistant manager position at a candy shop across the street from the Round Church. My possible future boss described it as “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory-esque type of thing where we need a few Americans as employees to be ‘smiley’ and all that”. The actual store opens in another three weeks but if I do get it I will get to train in London. Nothing I thought I would actually be doing that’s for sure but the economy here is as bad as it is in the States and I would be grateful for anything at the moment. I’ll keep you all posted.. in a post that is, ok moving on then!

When Darren has a free moment we try to get out and explore. This Friday night we went to St. Johns College for evensong. Though not as prominent as Kings College Choir the St. John’s Choir is still top notch and the service was wonderful. I’m a sucker for boy’s choirs they sound like they are made for beautiful cathedrals like St. John’s (which is technically not a cathedral but a chapel but it seriously looks like one so there!)

Last weekend the whole house made a day trip to the Orchard in Grantchester. Check out the link.
It’s about a four mile walk or bike ride through beautiful countryside. The Orchard is a great place for tea and scones, which we partook in and Grantchester the town is a really cute village of thatched roofed pubs and houses. Darren and I went back yesterday to read at one of the pubs and watch the cows go by, good times. Tonight we have house dinner (every week someone makes a dinner and we all chip in a few pounds, we made chili last week) and this afternoon we are going to Kings for a chapel service.


Love and miss you all

Becca (y Darren)

School days

I started Cambridge classes officially on Thursday. The Lectures are great. After two days I am noticing how my American education has failed me. In America, we tend to coddle. In Britain, there is no condesending, at least at university level. You do as much of the work as you want. No busy work. The standard is always (impossibly) high. It's like they dare you to reach it. Some do, then they go an teach at Cambridge.

Baseball

Tigers lost. No playoffs for them. Sad.

I guess it's time to do school work.

After I put up my sackcloth and ashes.

In England there is/are:

Lots of tea, with milk
Lots of air-dry handdryer things in bathrooms
2 faucets, hot and cold
Not many good radio stations
Not good Chinese Food
No mexican food
Lots of old things
Many churches.
Much Football on TV
Mild weather
Many pubs
Many breweries
Good walking and bike riding trails

Sept 18-24

Fri, Sept 18
Becca and I spent the morning in Dublin. We ate a big Irish Breakfast at the B and B, then waddled around Dublin with our backpacks. We took a bus to Galway. On the way, we stopped at the oldest pub in Europe in Athlone, Ireland, 900 AD, authenticated by Guinness. There was a fire fueled by peat. In Galway, we went to Christopher Columbus' Church where the Knights Templar buried Jesus' manger, saw a Spanish Arch, met San Diego, Italy, France People. A crazy horse-racing aficionado accosted us in a pub and gave us a boxing quiz: "NAM THA FIFE PEEPL HA BET MUHAMMED ALI!" We ate some fish and chips then had some nice drinks at The Quays (Keys), the hugest pub in the universe.

Sat, Sept 19
We rambled around Galway with a morning walk. Pleasant. Saw some sights, walked around the open air market near Columbus' manger church and ate a falafel next to a hippie caravan, then bused to Dingle Peninsula via Limerick and Tralee. In Limerick, we ate an unsavory kebab. Met Ben and Christine in Dingle. We went to Dick Mack's, a great little pub that used to sell shoes a few decades ago with boxes of dusty shoe boxes everywhere. There was a Stag (bachelor) party in the pub and about a dozen guys of all ages were standing in a circle singing song after song of traditional Irish tunes.

Sun, Sept 20
Dingle is a great town. We did a monster 30 mile bike ride around the peninsula. Amazing views of hills and the ocean and islands and little towns and old failed potato crops. We stopped at an old fort and old stone houses and a super old church called Gallaurus Oratory. It looked like and upside down boat. Dingle is in County Kerry and everyone was excited about All-Ireland Gallic football final. Gallic football is like soccer, but with your hands instead of your feet. I mean, you can kick it through these uprights and bounce the ball and stuff though. It's kind of confusing but it was interesting and it's the most popular sport in Ireland. Every house and car and store was flying the green and gold Kerry flags. Kerry won. I didn't understand the score to well. It was like 1-11 to 0-9. OK, sounds good.
The bike ride was fun, but the last 1/4 of the trip was mostly uphill. That part was a bit difficult. When we got back into town, we went to a pub and listened to traditional Irish music.

The Guinness does taste better in Ireland by the way. I think it is a combination of the freshness, the quality of the pour, and the magic of the leprechaun.

Mon, Sept 21
We stayed another day in Dingle because we were tired of moving all the time. We had a great walk to a castle and lighthouse with dog that Becca named Matt Maust. Dingle is famous for this dolphin they named Fungi. About 30 years ago, the fishermen noticed that a dolphin was following them into Dingle Bay from the sea. Fungi just stuck around and still hangs out in the bay. Some of the fishermen gave up their craft and turned their boats into viewing ships. We sat next to the castle and watched this boat going in circles and Fungi would pop up near it every minute or so. It was all pretty amusing.
To celebrate Fungi, we ate some fish and chips we bought from some guy who moved to Ireland from Santa Monica. That night we went to a concert. Some guy played an Irish version of the bagpipes. There were accordions and fiddles and guitars. It was the cat's meow.

Tues, Sept 22
We journeyed by bus to Cork and got a good deal on a nice hotel, with spa and sauna, albeit up a steep hill. I was sick but we hoofed it around Cork for a bit. Great town. Must less of a tourist crowd than other mid to large cities in Ireland. We went to a cool park and I used a cool public toilet that made funny noices like a robot. We walked through a college near the toliet and saw some old church. There was a good micro brew place (Abbey something) near an old Abbey with some tasty beers. We ate at this vegetarian place (Co-op), but the food was actually good. Had a pint, went back to the hotel, steam room, spa, sauna, and watched funny TV shows.

Wed, Sept 23
We went to the old Market that Rick Steves and Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern told us to go to. We rode the bus to Dublin and checked into the Avalon Hostel. Ben and Christine met us there. We took a fantastic tour of some of Dublin's finest pubs. The Long Hall, the Porterhouse, Brogans, and O'Neill. O'Neills was this amazing place; Huge and grandly decorated. Our first time in Dublin we hit Palace Bar and the Stag's Head, also fantastic spots. I have been in awe of all the beautiful drinking establishments in Ireland. And other old things too.

Thurs, Sept 24
Today was Arthur Guinness Day. 250 years of Guinness. St James Gate Brewery was closed though so that was not cool. There was an old man outside the gate though with a horse and cart who yelled at Becca, so that made up for it. We went to an old jail where a bunch of political prisoners had been held. Becca read about one of her Meagher ancestors. We met a guy dressed like Arthur Guinness at the Davy Burnes and he bought me a pint. Ireland was fun, but we had to bid a fond farewell. We flew to London, bused to Cambridge, then walked back to Westfield House. Time for school.