I was in England from March 30 to April 9, our first pseudo-holiday this year. The main reason we made this trip was to attend a friend’s wedding in Cambridge but Adam added a business trip to Abingdon in Oxford before the wedding.
Since Adam has to be in Abindgon for work, my MIL took me under her care and she ’suggested’ (she had it planned all along) we went to visit some of her relatives who has not met me. It’s nerve-wrecking meeting relatives after relatives without Adam but I knew I have to do it sooner or later, so better get it over with now.
So where have I gone to during the duration I was there?
I was in Surrey for 3 days. My MIL and Step-FIL lives in Godalming and my MIL took me to Guildford one day for some shopping and sight-seeing.
Godalming High Street. Part of the movie The Holiday is shot here. The scene where Cameron Diaz walked into a pub when it’s snowing.
Walk around Godalming and you will see Jack Phillips almost everywhere. Who or what is Jack Phillips?
He’s the Senior Wireless Officer on RMS Titanic. He’s from Surrey, studied in Godalming and is said to be the last person in the control room sending out SOS signals. He went down with the ship.
My MIL at the Jack Phillips Memorial Garden
Guildford High Street - city centre and shopping district in Guilford
Guildford Castle
My MIL then took me Nottingham to meet her sister and brother. They are very lovely people and Nottingham is a very lovely place but probably not as hilly as Surrey.
Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem - believed to be the oldest pub in England. Built in 1189 AD.
You can’t say you have been to Nottingham if you did not see Robin Hood and Nottingham Castle, can you?
Nottingham Old Market Square
After meeting the family, my MIL took me to Abingdon in Oxford to meet up with Adam.
View of the country side and the River Thames from our room. In the summer you can take these boats out to Oxford city centre.
The following day I went into Oxford city on my own and did some sightseeing. Oxford is such a beautiful city.
The University Church of St Mary the Virgin - is the largest of Oxford’s parish churches and the centre from which the University of Oxford grew. St Mary’s has one of the most beautiful spires in England and an eccentric baroque porch.
Christ Church - one of the largest and wealthiest of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford. The college is the setting for parts of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. More recently, the Dining Hall has been used in the filming of Harry Potter.
Radcliffe Camera - built in 1737 - 1749 to house the Radcliffe Science Library
I only have 2 days in Oxford before Adam and I have to leave for Cambridge for our friend Carl and Myra’s wedding.
This is the couple
We got to Cambridge on a Friday (Good Friday), met up with Carl and some friends at the pub in evening. The following day there’s a pre-wedding open house at Carl’s Cambridge home at 4pm and a party at a pub in the evening which is themed Be Norwegian.
During the day, Adam and I met up with Sandra and Kathy to get our Norwegian headgears for the party and then we decided to go punting on the River Cam.
Setting off. That’s Sandra and Kathy. We bought a bottle of Cava, plastic cups and crisps to enjoy on the river
Adam, our first punter with a glass of Cava. Sandra and I went next.
We initially intended to hire someone to do the punting but Adam decides that we should do it ourselves. The thought that none of us has done it before and that he might have to do it all by himself didn’t really crossed his mind.
Kathy with the Bridge of Sights behind her
Along the River Cam - St John’s College
Along the River Cam - Clare’s College, King’s College Chapel and Senate House
Evening at The Castle for the pre-wedding party.
The Vikings. My face is red not because I am drunk but just because I was flushing with embarrassment. I fell on my arse getting over to this spot cos I missed a step.
It was a great night out. It’s always great meeting friends whom you don’t normally get to spend time with cos they live in another country. Carl lives in Norway, Kathy in Aberdeen and Sandra in Houston but she’s away half the time.
Sandra, Carl, Kathy and Adam
Carl and Myra’s wedding on Sunday was held at Jesus College. Theme of the day: Black Tie
That’s us at the bar after the wedding reception.
The next morning I was ready to go home. Close to 2 weeks away and meeting alot of people and entertaining family is tiring business. I am happy going back to Houston with nothing much to do and just enjoy some time alone.
England is a very beautiful place. Very green, very hilly and it’s definately a place I can live in but everything seems to be so expensive and food taste so bland. I have tried English pub food, Indian food, Japanese ramen and I have to say most of them does not have enough flavour, other than the pork sausages which was so yummy.
I didn’t get a chance to go to London this time but I’ll be going back to England in September. I will make sure I visit my friends in London and Buckinghamshire then. See you guys in September!
