Cambridge

Update on debit card saga: It is now working. I have money. Now I just have to figure out how to make sense of infinite varieties of coins they use here.

 

It's been a while, I know. My internet connection here is rather sketchy so uploading pictures to this blog is next to impossible. And I didn't want to post without including some. All of this is just a long-winded way of refusing to accept responsibility for neglecting ye olde blog.

 

But at last, I here give you the colleges of Cambridge:

 

 

 

This is the view from the main bridge in the city. On the left (only its shadow is visible) is Magdalene College, and on the right are all the punting boats. If you keep going to the right, you'll end up in the center of the city. The high street (main street) is full of a bunch of random shops and restaurants. Every day I pass things like "Byron's Proper Hamburgers" and an indie music shop which sells ridiculously cheap British cds. There's also a Sainsbury's grocery store which sells even cheaper pizzas and has a self-checkout which is eerily similar to the ones we have in the US, except the accent of the audio instructions is British. That threw us.

 

 

This is the Round Church. Also the second oldest building in the city. Because it's next to a major crossroads, it's a good landmark to orient yourself from for directions. An evangelical organization maintains the church and offers a bunch of tours and resources demonstrating the positive impact Christianity has left on Britain. I highly recommend visiting it.

 

 

 

This is Magdalene College's courtyard. I took the picture from underneath the gate. In front is the dining hall, and on the left is the Chapel. Magdalene was a big stop for us because this is where the great C.S. Lewis taught for the last years of his life. According to our tour guide, when Lewis would give the chapel devotional, he'd set a tea kettle going across the hall, and when it'd go off, he'd know that he was going on for too long. I found that entertaining.

 

 

Trinity College's gate. In the alcove above the great gate, there's a statue of Henry VIII, who I believe was involved in founding the college. What a festive guy. Some of the famous students here included Isaac Newton and Francis Bacon. AND GEORGE HERBERT. AHHHHHH!!!!!!! It makes me giddy just thinking about it.

 

 

This is the chapel of Sidney Sussex College. Along with Emmanuel College, this was one of the biggest centers of Puritanism in England. Which is cool. However, there is another important thing about the college....

 

 

THEY HAVE OLIVER CROMWELL'S HEAD.

 

This is how the story goes: After the restoration of the monarchy under Charles II, there was a major PR overhaul and they were very concerned about erasing any signs of republicanism from the country. So in their efforts to cleanse England of the taint of Cromwell, the natural course of action was to dig up his body, lop off his head, and stick it on a pole outside Westminster. That'll show them. In what I think is a surprising case of longevity, it stayed there for something like 25 years. However, amid a dark and stormy night, a gust of wind blew it off the pole and the watchman chilling out nearby stashed the head and brought it home. It became a family heirloom, being passed down from generation to generation until the 60's, when, as the plaque says, they donated it to his alma mater.

 

I just love how random and macabre that story is. After reading about the first part in a history book when I just started homeschooling, I have always wondered whatever happened to the head. And now I know. It's in Sidney Sussex College's garden, and only the Warden knows where it's buried. 

 

King's College chapel. The picture is really dark, I know, but I needed proof that I was there. The structure dominates the surrounding area - it's HUGE. Sometime, when it isn't sunset, I'll come back and get a better picture.

 

Next to King's College is a plaque commemorating the site of the original White Horse Inn. Not only is it the namesake of the podcast, it was the heart of the Reformation in England. I reacted as any good reformed person ought to react. And now you have evidence.

 

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So there's your short tour. Other interesting things:

• I found a copy of Harry Potter translated in classical Greek in one of the bookstores here. So English. So nerdy.
• The one hill in Cambridge is the site of an old roman fort/castle that used to control the area. I climbed to the top with some friends and the view is gorgeous. I'll add that to the list of photos I need to take.
• I now have a library card for the university library, which grants reading privileges. The place is so huge, I don't know what to do with myself inside it.

Coming back to the States is going to be hard. I am absolutely smitten with England. Pubs are fun. You can walk pretty much anywhere, and in the cases that you can't, there's fantastic public transportation. I've been spending an embarrassing amount of time planning trips around the country. I was going to go to Bedford today to see the John Bunyan attractions, but I don't have a bus pass (=cheaper fares), and it's cold outside. And by cold I mean upper 30's. I'm getting soft.

 

I made it to the congregation I'll be attending here - Cambridge Presbyterian Church. The people are lovely and very welcoming, and the preaching is excellent. I've already been invited to bible studies and people's homes for dinner, and got to grab some coffee with my new pastor. And then on top of all that, the building they meet in on Sunday mornings is incredible. Every surface is covered in some form of Gothic Revival décor. As much as I miss my church in Milwaukee, I know I am in a very good place here as well.

 

Also of interest, I had my first week of classes. Philosophy of Religion has emerged the frontrunner. Throughout the two hour class period, I was literally sitting on the edge of my seat, barely able to stay calm because IT IS THAT GOOD. Christianity and the Arts is also going to be lovely, with all of the fieldtrips we have planned. Keywords include "Roman Villa" and "Salisbury Cathedral." And then there's the whole issue of the 2nd Commandment and its implications on art. I'm the lone descendant of the Puritans here, so it's going to be a trip.

 

Off to buy some shampoo and $0.30 pasta from Aldi. Not going to confirm or deny whether we have been living off the latter. Living the dream.