Cambridge 2010: Three Months On The Trot

I got up this morning at 7:30am, took a shower, got ready, and went to breakfast. I had scrambled eggs, sausage, toast, and…brie cheese! Yes, you read that correctly. I was more than thrilled this morning. After breakfast, we met up in the lobby and the group went to tour the Bodleian Library.

We got there a little early and Andy told us to roam in the exhibition and gift shop. I went into the exhibition first. It had many rare manuscripts in it, including some psalters. The colors were so vivid. I got mom and dad a postcard since I found a musical one. We started walking around to different sections of the library and area. We went to the circular building where the tour guide lady told us that it used to be open air before homeless people started hanging around. They enclosed it in glass and it is only now for students (or those authorized to be there). We went inside and looked around. The ceiling was very beautifully decorated, much like that of the mayor’s parlor in Bath. It was extremely beautiful. We went down some stairs to a lower level with bookshelves that could be moved. There was also a chained book. I have never seen anything like that before. It was awesome.

We go through a couple more doors and the lady informed us that we were entering a tunnel that passed under the two buildings and would end back up into the Bodleian library. Going through the tunnel, we came across a conveyor system for books. When an order for a book is made from one section of the library, it is found and then put on the conveyor to send to where the order came from. The orders, up until this year, were made through pressurized tubes. It was kind of like how banks use the pressurized tubes for the lanes not at the window. We made our way back up to the main floor and were let free to do as we wanted until dinner.

I made my way toward the ice skating rink. I ran into Andy on the way there and we walked together since the coach park is right beside of the ice skating rink. When I went in, I was a little early. They were not taking people in or selling tickets yet, so I went to go eat. I went next door to a place called Wetherspoon’s. I ordered myself a chicken Panini.

There was an elderly gentleman sitting near me and he struck up a conversation with me. He started out asking me how I liked the food, where I was from, etc, etc. Somehow we ended up on the subject of WWII and how it was different for America compared to England. He told me that the war started on his birth year and did not end until he was 6 years old. His father was a grounds person in the British Royal Air Force. He said that his childhood was war and that he did not remember his father being around a lot. So sad.

After lunch, I went back to the ice skating rink. For a ticket plus skate rental (on student discount) was 4.20 pounds. That would be like $6-7. I got out on the ice and regained my ice skating knowledge in about 10-15 minutes. I had not been on the ice in at least 10 years. This was my second time. In an hour, I was skating around the ice like the more seasoned skaters. I could not do any cool tricks, but I definitely had the anti-clockwise circle down! You know what they say about people who stir their tea anti-clockwise…

I noticed this guy and girl skating. The girl was having a hard time and kept falling. I was near her one time she fell and offered a helping hand. I began talking with these two people, Jay and Bexi, and by the end of the general skate session, we were off to Que Pasa to get a drink. I had a hot chocolate. Bexie bought me a mocha for the second round. They taught me all kinds of British words, so I cannot wait to try them out.

Andy called around 6:30pm and informed me that I was missing dinner. I thought dinner was at 7pm. Oh well, I told him where I was and I would let him know when I got back to the hotel. He was cool with that. Since I was missing dinner, we all decided to go to some place down the road called Maxwell’s. It was a Chicago-style pub. I had a burger since there was not anything unique to England on the menu. We all sat and laughed like a bunch of crazy people. It was great! When we were finished eating, we ended up drawing on the paper tablecloth. We left when it was closing time and parted ways at the train station.

The youth hostel we were staying at was right beside of the train station, so I did not have far to walk on my own. I got on Facebook and added both Jay and Bexi to my friends list. I was bushed for the night, so I went upstairs and went to bed.