Cambridge Capers and Crawl

The plan was to arrive in at Cambridge for 1 in the afternoon of last Saturday but owing to the merriment of the evening before we actually got in just after 3. The wet whether hit us as we walked out the door in Ipswich and boarded the bus to the Train station. Unfortunately we just missed a Cambridge train so went to Keo’s delicatessen on the platform and purchased sandwiches organic fruit juices, homemade Scotch eggs and other delicacies. I selected homemade chicken curry and bhajis surprisingly and then washed it down with a bottle of Bishops Tipple a strong hoppy brew from Wadworth’s purchased from the Wine Buffer’s store next door. This repast was taken on Platform two of Ipswich Railway station after which we got on the train and for an hour said little but listened to music and \slept.

We walked with the aid of our 4 legged friends and the GPS to the Live and Let Live, Cambridge Camera pub of the year but it was shut until later that evening so we taxied to Paul and Tinas house to drink tea eat nearly out of date mince pies and dry out. Paul then took us on a mammoth crawl through Cambridge at which we walked around 4 miles and took in many good pubs the best of these was for me the St Radegund. This small boozer features beers from the local Milton brewery and the easy drinking sackcloth bitter was a delight.

We then hit the Champion of the Tems at which the landlord would I’m sure have asked me to leave if Paul were not around. I made my views known on Greene King ales and this didn’t go down too well.

The next stop was the Live and Let Live which was ok but not as good as I’d expected, and then on to the Kingston Arms, a large airy pub followed by the charming Cambridge Blue who’s beers were all in tiptop form.

The curry bug then hit and just after 11 we hit the Curry queen for a slap-up binge of spicy nosh. The owners were reluctant to let us in with the dogs but with some tact I tipped the balance in our favour and we will be welcome back any time along with the dogs. Well, they would welcome us back for £90 going in the till I guess.

The party was to continue back home with Clare hitting the whisky and me going for organic ale and ahem, some of Clare’s whisky. Paul put on a good show and we listened to Lemon Jelly and the snores of Steve.

Bacon was the first thing assailing my nostrils at half 1 on Sunday afternoon and the cooked breakfast Tina provided was sensational with bacon, snorkers, eggs, tomatoes, beans, toast and tea but the snorkers a speciality.

Not wanting to waist our time in Cambridge we went to King’s College Chapel for evensong. Now I’m not at all religious or a god botherer but the quire and building are world renown and provide the setting for the BBC carol service broadcast on radio each year. The chapel dates from the 1460s and is grand in scale with dimensions that put many cathedrals to shame. Basically funded by king Henry VI and the next few after him the structure is ornate and the windows world famous. For me it was a privilege to be able to touch the 550 year old organ casing and here the magnificent instrument and angelic quire. The acoustics of this place have to be listened to in order that one can take in the utter brilliance of the sound.

After the service we went to the Eagle pub and I endured more Greene King ale. Interestingly One of the back rooms has graffiti scrawled by WWII fliers in the soot of candles onto the ceiling. Watson and Crick discoverers of
DNA allegedly pronounced the 'eureka' here over a pint. If only the pub were that interesting these days. A wetherspoon like place with prices not to match and a Greene King monster pub.

We had planned to watch a jazz combo back in the St Radegund but owing to Tina’s beautiful roast lamb and much cheese, beer, wine and Gin plus good conversation and malt we gave it a miss and had a lovely night in.

So it was back to work on Monday and a big thanks to Steve Paul Tina and Clare.