Blackbird: Ultimate Boy's Toy

71, originally uploaded by Neorelix.

A great perk of being a tourguide the other week meant a trip to the Imperial War Museum at Duxford (actually, I sometimes go here on my own or force Godkids to come along - I love the place) to show my mate the wealth of wartime planes they have exhibited here and especially the American Air Museum. This, the SR-71 Blackbird, is my favourite; probably of many other kids too... Flying at 85,000 ft in excess of Mach 3.3?!? I feel the need....

Batting for Thailand

Hobbs, originally uploaded by Neorelix.

Overlooking Parker's Piece, this weather vane sits atop Hobb's Pavilion, so named to commemorate the career of Jack Hobbs, a Cambridge man often regarded as a 'greatest batsman ever' candidate. Part of the pavilion is still used for cricket games that take place throughout the summer but most of it is given over to the Mai Thai restaurant - an (imo) average eatery with better-than-average views. For awesome Thai, visit Sala Thong on Newnham Street - you will, however, have to do without your googlies...

Ceiling Roses

Fitz, originally uploaded by Neorelix.

The Fitzwilliam Museum (founded in 1816 but not built until 1837-45) is one of Cambridge's treasures and is worth spending half the day on. It has an eclectic collection of exhibits - a lot of which have been bequeathed to it by university alumni. If you look up as you enter this is what you'll see. The detail is mind-boggling.

Twilights

K-Stars, originally uploaded by Neorelix.

As dusk fell with a thud at about 2pm - well, more like 4.30 I guess but it just seems so early - King's College Chapel stood sharply silhouetted against the diamond sky; a scene that hasn't changed for almost 460 years. Then the festive lights on a nearby lamppost flared up and added a little 21st Century... flair.

Rapt Attention

Rapt, originally uploaded by Neorelix.

Christmas is upon us I guess - town today was rammed with hordes of folk stretching their credit limits. I spent most of the time being buffeted by these waves of shoppers responding dutifully to the incessant advertising campaigns of the big-name brands and stores. And talking of preying on the hapless, this guy's one ruthless killing machine. The Raptor Foundation had a stall on Fitzroy Street introducing passers-by to some of their feathered residents and were drawing a fair crowd. They're based near where I grew up and are well worth a visit - they do a great job helping birds of prey.I offered to sell this chap a pea green boat but he didn't seem impressed...

There is a Corner...

Peter1, originally uploaded by Neorelix.

...Of a courtyard that even on a freezing cold day seems warm. Came across this quiet corner of Gisborne Court in Peterhouse College. The college is Cambridge's oldest - founded in 1284. I don't think the lamp is that old though...

Good Evening

Trin 1, originally uploaded by Neorelix.

Back from beyond. Well, the East Coast which is much the same thing. I've been tourguide for the last week or so and have returned, exhausted, to the city on the edge of the Fens. If you think the pics for the next week are all going to be side-effects of last week's holiday-repping, you'd be right. Tonight the sun sets on Trinity Great Court...

Mad March Hare

Mad March Hare, originally uploaded by Neorelix.

Alice hypothesises:

"The March Hare will be much the most interesting, and perhaps as this is [November] it won't be raving mad -- at least not so mad as it was in March."

Judgement

Divinity, originally uploaded by Neorelix.

This is a detail of the facade of the old Faculty of Divinity building in St John's St in the town centre. Based on Hampton Court, the building was designed by Basil Champneys and was one of the first purpose-built buildings in the University. The faculty has since moved to a new larger structure and this building has reverted to St John's College. That's some elaborate stonework - it's just been cleaned last year and so is looking like it must have done in 1897. Entering the building - you'd feel like you were being judged every time you passed under the gaze of these gatekeepers wouldn't you...?

Brave Brigade in Cute Kitten Rescue!

Stuck, originally uploaded by Neorelix.

Yep, seriously, someone called the Fire Brigade to come and rescue this plaster kitty. Thehy don't talk about it anymore. I guess the cat got their tongues... heh. I hear the cat is actually a talking point / advertisement for a local chap who does landscape gardening etc and has all sorts of plaster animals with which you can populate your slice of terra firma. So much less trouble than the real thing...

Helpless Newborn Baby in Rooftop Plunge Scare!

Baby, originally uploaded by Neorelix.

Well, not quite but a few were fooled when this doll first appeared edging towards oblivion on a building in City Road. I remember it made me and my pals double-take. I mean, imagine if it had been real. Actually, don't... Anyway, somebody did call the emergency services to deal with a nearby situation - I'll post that shot tomorrow and you can try and figure out how big a fool they felt....

Morning Glory

Morning, originally uploaded by Neorelix.

A common sight of a morning on the Cam is the college boat clubs out training. It's a timeless thing and makes for fascinating viewing as you walk the towpath and hear the coxes (tiny) yelling at the crew (huge). Each college has a boathouse along the river and here you can see, with the red doors, Lady Margaret (St. John's) with Queens' alongside. Licences are granted by the council for boat moorings and there a whole bunch of them, mainly narrowboats with a couple of Dutch barges, lined up all the way back to Chesterton. This is one of the cleanest. One of the downsides of such a seemingly peaceful river existence must be landlubbers like myself peering in and talking photos...

Remember Remember...

6th, originally uploaded by Neorelix.

...that the 5th of November was yesterday ,it's now all over for another year and the fun and frolics are rolling on out of town. Cambridge still has a municipal fireworks display - they're becoming a rarity due to insurance concerns largely due to our increasingly litigious society. This year's was sponsored by The Grand Arcade and although I'm far too grumpy to attend the festivities I understand the display was spectacular and thousands enjoyed themselves. I stayed in the pub of course...

Choices, Choices...

No Choice, originally uploaded by Neorelix.

At the junction of Lensfield and Trumpington is placed this monument to Thomas Hobson - a carrier delivering mail between London and Cambridge, operating a livery stable outside the gates of St Catharine's College. When they were not needed to deliver mail, Hobson's horses were rented to students and faculty from the university. "Hobson's Choice" as we all know is a phrase meaning no choice at all and it's gratifying to know that the story of its derivation is not proverbial but true:

The Spectator, No. 509, 1712, shows clearly how the phrase came into being:

"He lived in Cambridge, and observing that the Scholars rid hard, his manner was to keep a large Stable of Horses, ... when a Man came for a Horse, he was led into the Stable, where there was great Choice, but he obliged him to take the Horse which stood next to the Stable-Door; so that every Customer was alike well served according."

It is of course a concept famously adopted by Henry Ford :)

The monument stands over Hobson's Conduit which he had built to convey springwater from Nine Wells, near Shelford, into the city centre.

The Town's Talking

Borders' No.1 bestseller this week in town. No.1 on Amazon.co.uk, No.8 on Amazon.com. It looks like everyone has questions. But whatever you think, it's impressive that a book such as this can top a chart normally filled with diet fads and D-list Celeb Biographies. If the general population is making an effort to think and understand, you'd hope our elected leaders would make more of an effort to listen to the general population... Anyway, I'm waiting until it's half-price...

Mystery History II



(Friday's late post) Tucked away in Bridge Street with thousands of people walking past it is this odd, secretive doorway with a ratherr bizarre garden gate across it. I've asked around and perhaps it was once a club of some sort. Google doesn't know (how is that possible?). In fact, I think I'd like to be a member of a club that Google hasn't catalogued and filed...

But seriously - I think it's far more likely a trans-dimensional portal to fantastic places including Camelot, Narnia, Shangri-La, Lackswalmart and Notesco and the gate only opens at three minutes, 33 seconds past 3 a.m. during the neap tide. And then only if you're riding a griffin and have the password (the first word from a newborn unicorn's mouth of course). Ok, stop me, please...

Squares and Stripes



(Thursday's late post.) Took my Grandfather to his naval reunion today in London. At 91 he's fit and active but needed a helping hand with the trains and taxis. It's quite a trip for him but there's only 5 of them left now and it's the last one - an important and poignant occasion. So it was off to the Victory Services Club at Marble Arch for a formal lunch and speeches etc. He had a great time (and evidently some great wine!) and we meandered home - not exactly shipshape - as the sun began to wane. I was waiting for what seemed like hours in the club and decided I liked the way the floor and stairs came together here - so that's the shot.

Mystery History

CF, originally uploaded by Neorelix.

I wandered over to the river near Coe Fen a couple of days ago in response to an email asking about this building. It's been here for as long as I can remember - recollections of teenage hours spent smokin' and drinkin' here on the banks of the cam after exams etc... the usual stuff - fun times, halcyon days. But I can't find out what it was and who built it and so I thought I'd open it up to the cambridge regulars who visit - you guys usually come up with the goods. Otherwise I'll have to head to the library and I owe them so much money....

A cool side-effect of this was the introduction to the photos of the emailer, John Wall - they're great and highly recommended. Here's his original picture of this ancient gazebo when it was slightly less ancient or just go straight to his front page front page and explore.