Road Trip Day #2

The goal today was to get to Mom's place. That didn't happen. It was all Interstate Highway and good speed for the most part but I just cannot drive as long as I used to.

Central Illinois is super flat and also super green this time of year.  I never encountered any real rain but it was overcast (good driving condition) and off-an-on sprinkles.  There were several road construction zones with posted speeds of 55 but most were short.

There a lots of 18 wheelers on the highway. At some times it seemed it was just me and a hundred truckers. The economy must be doing better if all this trucking is happening.

Morning start at 17040.

Indiana welcome center.

 Standing water on all the fields while on the news the drought and fires in California.

Ohio's welcome center. Very depressing looking building but it was an earth-bermed structure so eco-friendly.

The Ohio town of Cambridge.

Made as far as eastern Ohio. Stayed the night in Cambridge where they have re-done their downtown. It is very lovely.

More of Boston

Tuesday and Wednesday we went down to Cambridge and Harvard Square.

The evening weather has been fantastic.  There are lots of people walking around, talking, eating and drinking.

Tons of restaurants and bars...guitar players and singers...a fun vibe.

The big adventure out of London - part 7 - final

I thought I was going to end this with the last entry but don't want to make each one too long.

After Saint John's College we were hungry. On our way to find food, we stopped in the Round Church. It is a lovely, very little church and it is round and very old.

The first restaurant we went to was full. It was Mothering Day in Great Britain. We ended up in a pub and I had the best hamburger I've had since getting here.

The real place of interest we were heading to on this trip was Kettle's Yard. I'm not usually one for modern art but this home and gallery were great.

The home belonged to Jim Ede, a former curator at the Tate Britain. He lived here and furnished his home with art and artifacts from the many artists of his time and they often visited him there. Since, there has been a gallery addition where there are works from many well-known artists.

Also on the property is a tiny little chapel that still has the original Norman architecture. This is a rare find. It is so tiny that it is now a children's chapel.

We were pooped out after the day but it was great. It started to snow shower when we were walking back to the car. They dropped me off at the train station. I made it back to London before they made it back to Harlaxton. They also got hailed on.

The big adventure out of London - part 6

I've got to wrap this up. There was just so much to see.

It was definitely cold and very, very windy while we were in Cambridge. Helene and I wandered around the street market while Nick was bookstore shopping. Once back together we headed down the Trinity Street to Trinity College. When we neared the chapel, we could hear the choir. We stepped in and the sound was wonderful. The choir was rehearsing but it was glorious. We couldn't see them as they were behind the wood wall.

We were sitting and enjoying the choir when a tour came in with a loud guide who talked and talked.

College is in session so we weren't allowed to do the full tour. Helene and I did step into the Hall (cafeteria) and saw the portrait of Henry VII, the founder of the College, before we were kicked out.

Trinity College library was designed by Christopher Wren and has some famous artwork inside. We couldn't go in on Sunday. That's the library behind the lovely Helene and Nick.

After Trinity College we headed on down Trinity Street which changes its name to St. John's Street as we entered St. John's College.

St. John's College Chapel is small but has a beautiful wood ceiling (shown to the left). There is a strange tomb just as you walk in. And the tower connected to the chapel is open to the top in one big expanse.

The colleges are all layed out about the same with gates or guard house entrances to an open court yard of grass (no trees). You pass from courtyard to courtyard walking through the buildings that make up the courtyard.

St. John's college has the Bridge of Sighs which is kind of a replica of the bridge of the same name in Italy.

The bridge spans the River Cam which runs right though Cambridge. On the river you will find people, usually students, .