London Days 3: A Day in Cambridge

(Kings College, Cambridge)

Getting There

One of our old friends from Taipei, Ken, now lives in Cambridge. Although he offered to come down to London for the day to see us, we thought it was a perfect opportunity to get out of London for the day and explore a new town. We got on the tube at Willesden Green, transferred at Finchly Road, hopped off at Kings Cross station and jumped onto a train. One hour later we were in Cambridge, and Ken was there to meet us.

(Paul and Ken in Cambridge)


(Queenie and Paul in Cambridge)

Once we found Ken we jumped onto a bus and went into the center of the town. The first sight that greeted us when we jumped off the bus was a trickster playing with a soccer ball and asking for money. He could do a great many tricks with a soccer ball and Ken suggested that he joins the premiere league. No doubt he would make a faster buck there!

(Football Busker)

The Old Town and Market

We then walked through the old streets and found some interesting markets selling all kinds of wares. One of the stalls sold a wide variety of sweets and candy. Another sold dried fruits from all over the world. We also met a vendor from Fujian in China who gave Queenie a Chinese newspaper. He was really excited to be able to find someone to speak mandarin to. We did not linger in the market for long as we wanted to explore some of the older buildings and perhaps catch a bite to eat for lunch. Of course, in one part of the town, outside one of the old Churches, were two violinists, busking!

(Hot Dog Stand)


(Buskers)

Ancient Buildings

We also went for a walk through some of the schools that allowed visitors to pass through, although some of the areas were closed off in certain areas. The architecture of these ancient University Buildings was astounding and certainly reflects the origins of this university, which does date back quite a few centuries and boasts a large number of Nobel Prize winners. Of course, for us visitors the prestige of the University is not as important as the antiquity of the buildings and the beauty of the town.

(Ken, Paul, Queenie and Mom)

We first walked through King’s college. Perhaps at this point a student of architectural history could tell you many interesting facts about the building. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) we are not and therefore cannot tell you anything significant about the buildings. We can tell you that the so many old and beautifully designed structures take your breath away. There is no describing the feeling of looking at these old buildings. And to think these were designed and built without any modern technology blows the mind.

(Kings College Entrance)

We continued to meander our way through the over touristed streets of Cambridge and, after a bit, built up a large appetite, which was well and good. Ken invited us to lunch in the first pub he ever went to in Cambridge, The Eagle.

(The View in Cambridge)

The Eagle

The Eagle must be Cambridge’s most famous pub. Many a famous academic, including Crick and Watson (the DNA guys) drank a pint or two in the Eagle. In fact one of them sold the final part of the DNA riddle in the pub over a pint (or so it is rumored). Therefore this pub has become quite the hangout for tourists.

(Plaque outside the Eagle)

We trundled in at around 2:00pm and all the tables were full. We were lucky to eventually find a free table inside or else we would have had to sit outside in the cold. Queenie and Mom ordered sausages and Mash and Paul and Ken had the steak ale pie. Both meals were amazing. We caught with Ken and his news and he was anxious to find out about Taipei. He has lived there on and off for more than 10 years and has real affection for the city. We were happy to tell him that Taipei was still around and that all his mates (as far as we could tell) were doing well.

(Mom in the Eagle)

Punting on The Cam

After the big lunch we headed off to the river Cam and the punters boats to be punted along the river. By this time the temperature had dropped significantly. We bought our £10 per person ticket and were herded into a 12-seat boat. The punter assured us that we would not fall into the water and that we were perfectly safe. We were not so sure.

(Paul and Queenie in the Boat)

(Ken and Mom in the Boat)

The punt up the river included a punter that gave an introduction to some of the buildings, the history of some of the colleges and some of the stories and facts and figures of the University. Some of the stories are below:

• One of the colleges stopped admitting girls in 1988. In protest students wore white armbands to their lectures. To this day, whenever there is a formal dinner, the students will were white armbands to remember the protest of a previous generation.
  
  
• Prince Charles attended Trinity College. His bodyguard attended too. Upon graduating, his bodyguard had done better than Prince Charles.
  
  
• One of the scenes for Harry Potter was filmed at one of the colleges (cannot remember the name).
  
  
• During the World War II there was a tax on glass to discourage the use of windows. This is where the term “daylight robbery” allegedly originated.
  
  
• During World War II a tax was also levied on any newly completed construction. During this time a certain individual erected a bridge over the river Cam for the public. To prevent himself from paying tax he cut out ¼ of one of the spheres of that decorated the bridge handrail to ensure that the bridge was incomplete and to thereby avoid paying the tax.
  
  
• The mathematical bridge was named as such because Isaac Newton designed and built the bridge using geometric principles and not a single bolt or screw. Later engineers tried to understand the design by taking the bridge apart. When the bridge was reconstructed, nails and bolts were needed.

The ride on the boat (punt) was actually very relaxing (and interesting). Just sitting in the boat was very soothing. The punter did all the work. Our punter was fairly young, we guess he is a student and he will be heading off to the US next week for a vacation. We wish him well.

Along the river we actually crashed into a few other boats. Many of those punting had little or no experience and this led to us having quite a few crashes with other boats piling into ours. Some of the punters in the other boats nearly fell into the river. They were really struggling. Although neither of us tried it, we could imagine how difficult punting actually is.

(Some Views from the Boat)

After 30 minutes on the river we were freezing cold and it was time to get off the boat. We immediately headed off to find a coffee shop to drink something warm and eat something to make us feel better. We used this last opportunity to catch up with Ken and the stories of his life in Cambridge.

Ken told us that he will come to Taipei in the near future so we look forward to seeing him then.

Anyway, once again thanks for reading.

We will see you next time
Ciao,
Queenie and Paul

London Days 2: The River Thames

(Tower Bridge)

Westminister Bridge

On the first morning after we arrived we immediately decided to go touring. Mom was teaching so we were to be alone on the first few days. We decided to follow the Southbank Walk suggested by the Lonely Planet. We arrived at the Westminister Station and as we exited were stunned by the sight of the clock tower and the chiming of Big Ben. That was the point we really knew we were in London.

(Houses of Parliament and Big Ben)

We walked along the Westminister Bridge and were blown away by the view of the River Thames, Houses of Parliament and The London Eye. Images of the Thames, Houses of Parliament and Big Ben are the images I (Paul) have grown up with my whole life. Therefore, when I arrived I was surprised at how much at home I felt and the tremendous affinity I felt towards this place.

The beautiful buildings that frame the Thames as it winds its way through London are also tremendous echoes of the majestic history of this city and the influence that this city once had (and still has) throughout the world. For me (Paul) the worst part was the London Eye. It may be London’s most popular tourist destination but it is an eyesore that doesn’t belong in these settings. We may go on the London Eye next week but it won’t change my impression of the structure.

(London Eye)

So anyway, we lingered on Westminister bridge for a long while. Soaking up the views of the Houses of Parliament, the clock tower with Big Ben and the river. We slowly walked over the building and headed out towards the Tate Museum of Modern Art where there was a Salvador Dali exhibit. Having seen the exhibit in Taipei we didn’t feel compelled to go inside.

(London South Bank)

Human Statues

Now, just outside the museum we saw the most amazing sight: Human Statues! Queenie had seen these statues in New York but I (Paul) had never seen them. The make up on the first statue was so convincing that when we walked past the person we thought he/she was a real statue. When we saw the eye-balls of the statue moved we nearly jumped out of our skin. There were about eight human statues in all. Each of them did a special dance when pennies were dropped into their hat.

(Human Statue)

(Human Statue)

(Dancing to Say Thank You)

We can honestly say that we would not be able to do this job. How can these people stand still for so long? The patience and the discipline is amazing! Now, as we said earlier, when someone gives them money, they do move, but those movements are very rigid and set. We wondered how long they had to stand, how much money they would make doing it and what happened if the weather turned really bad, but of course they couldn’t speak so these questions remained unanswered.

Beggars or Buskers?

This leads to the second question, how many buskers and variations thereof are there in London? On our first morning walking through the streets we saw some side street performer or another nearly every 50 meters. We saw a guitarist, we saw the human statues, we saw a juggler who even juggled fire sticks, we saw a man making a sign on the beach asking for some money, we saw a South American jazz quartet, and this within the first few minutes of walking!

(Strange way to ask for money)

Over the past few days we have seen many more roadside performers with their hats out on the ground asking for a few pennies, while it does make walking along the street a little more interesting, we also felt guilty if we stopped to watch but didn’t give anything! Well, hopefully we will become de-sanitized in the near future so that we can enjoy the performances without feeling guilty.

First Pub Lunch

We continued to meander along the South Bank until we reached the Blackfriar Bridge. By this time jet lag had kicked in and we started to feel hungry. Right next door to the bridge was a charming pub called Doggets with a tremendous view of the river. So we went inside and settled down to our first of what has already been many pub meals.

(Pie, Mash and Gravy)


(Fish and Chips)

The pub itself was everything that would be expected of an English pub: wooden décor, homely feel, great home cooked food including pies and fish and chips and many different kinds of ales and lagers. But once again, the view of the Thames was spectacular.

Foreigners in London

The only non-English part of the pub was the service staff. Our waiter was Polish. We were to find that many of the service personnel in London are indeed foreign. The lady providing information in the information booth was Romanian, our first cab driver, Mr. Shabaz, Pakistani, as are most of the restaurant owners in Mom’s neighborhood. The assistant at the Cambridge information office was Italian, the attendant in the Brent Cross shopping center fruit juice store was also Polish etc. etc. etc….

It seems impossible to find English people working in London. Most of the English people we guess work in offices and have other jobs, but they don’t seem to work on the front end of the service industry. Of course we know and have heard that London is a multi-cultural metropolis, but first-hand experience provides an excellent perspective on that reality.

The North Bank

The rest of the day we spent meandering up the Thames towards London Bridge, the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. After leaving Duggets we crossed the Thames on the millennium bridge, walked up to St. Paul’s Cathedral, detoured back down to the river and continued walking along the north bank.

(View from the Millenium Bridge)

While we were walking we were able to get some great views of London’s modern architecture. Most prominent among these structures were the cucumber buildings and the half-sphere building that was designed to apparently maximize views of the river Thames. These modern designs provided a stark contrast to the Tower of London, where we arrived after about an hour.

(Half-sphere)


(Cucumber)

The Tower of London and the Tower Bridge

(Tower of London)

Of course the Tower of London was inundated with tourists. So be it! We walked alongside the tower and looked at the battlements. We decided not to go in because we were too tired and jet lagged and we would probably not remember anything that was said to us. So we just enjoyed the view from the outside.

On the opposite side of the Thames were two modern battleships that provided an excellent contrast between old England and modern Britain. The Tower of London we guess represented the might and power of a previous era whereas the battleships represented the pride and strength of modern Britain, a country that has become less influential but is still a global power and major player in international affairs.

(Battleships)

Just outside the Tower of London were two old canons pointed at the battleships. These cannons seemed also to represent the grandeur of the British military in times gone past. However, times have changed, the sun was out and we were tired and thirsty. We decided to sit and have some refreshments at the restaurant just below the Tower Bridge.

(Tower Bridge)

After about half-an-hour, we decided to leave and head off home. We would walk over the Tower Bridge, which is one of the quintessential images of England, old and new. Once again this structure is deeply rooted inside my (Paul) consciousness. It is an image that I have grown up with and something that has always been a part of my heritage (my father is a very proud Englishman) so finally walking across this icon of England was a brilliant feeling.

(View of the Thames from Tower Bridge)

The architecture is truly amazing and the fact that this building has stood for so many years and still functions properly as a busy thoroughfare is an amazing testament to the adaptability of the original architecture.

Anyway, we finally crossed the bridge in about 30-minutes and headed off home.

It was a brilliant day. The walk from Westminister to Tower Bridge is well worth the effort, especially on the first day of a trip to London. It gives a tremendous perspective on the old city and the architecture and history of this country. Of course we were fortunate with the sunny weather. Perhaps if it were colder, the walk would not be as pleasant.

London Days 1: Finally Arrived

(Tourist map near St. Paul's)

Well, after being sick for so many days, we finally boarded a flight on Tuesday, three days after our original departure date. Although we were still sick, we decided we were in good enough condition to fly so we set off for the airport once more. This time, there were no major problems.

After a fifteen-hour journey we finally landed in London, at Heathrow Airport, and went through the gates only to find that Mom was not there! It seems that her and her London cabbie friend, Mr. Shabaz had been caught in the traffic. However, after a few minutes we saw Mom frantically running through the airport with Mr. Shabaz in tow looking for us.

London Cabbies

Mr. Shabaz is a London cabbie from Pakistan. Mom tutors his children and he and his wife are now Mom’s good friends. He offered to pick us up from the airport and take us to Mom’s home for free so we were very fortunate that we did not have to lug all our bags through the airport, onto the tube and then to Mom’s apartment.

Mr. Shabaz and his wife have lived in London for 19 years. He explained to us that to become a London cabbie takes a minimum of four years of studying (what they call) “The Knowledge”. They have to write exams every two months. The latest record for the longest time to pass The Knowledge is thirteen years.

Another friend Richard also told us that in London, it is legal for a cabbie to relieve himself on the wheel of his taxi if his hand is touching the bonnet of the car. Now this seems perfectly reasonable for a male cab driver, but what about a female taxi driver? Perhaps this is some obscure law that exists in the penal code and has yet to be removed. We will have to ask Mr. Shabaz about it the next time we see him.

Arriving at Mom’s Home

Well, after a forty-minute drive through the London night we finally arrived at Mom’s house. Over the years we have heard about her apartment but this was the first time we were actually visiting it. We were surprised by how cozy, warm and welcoming her home was. We really felt welcome and were made to feel comfortable immediately. Her neighborhood would also prove to be one of the best around.

So anyway, here we are in London. We will be sure to update you as we go along or, at the very worst, when we get back to Taipei.

London Not Yet -- Maybe Tomorrow

Hi All,

So anyway the year of the Rat has been a disaster so far. We were meant to leave for London on Saturday but Queenie came down with a terrible case of the flu and my flu got worse so we couldn't leave. We thought we could go on Sunday but Queenie was still too sick. So anyway, its Monday night here in Taiwan, we have booked a flight for tomorrow morning. Our vacation time is drifting away, but hopefully tomorrow we can leave and be in London on Tuesday night, London time.

So here is hoping and praying we can leave Taiwan, just for a litte while....

Hopefully the next post is from London.

Take care all
Queenie and Paul

Chinese New Year Dinner,

Hi All,

(Chinese New Year Feast)

Well we all had a great feast for Chinese New Year (see above). We absolutely love Chinese New Year and the time spent with family. The last time we spent Chinese New Year with the family was in 2005 as in 2006 we were in South Africa and 2007 we were in Turkey. So this was the first time in a while.

Queenie's Mom cooked the food and we got to spend a lot of time playing with our two nieces Rochelle and Charlene. We also had a great time chatting with Queenie's Dad who just came back from China. He will return on Sunday but said China is very cold right now! Some of the pictures from our evening are below.

(Queenie and Charlene before Dinner)


(Rochelle and her Hong Bao)


(Mom and Dad)


(Johnny joined us)


(Charlene, Ming Rong and Rochelle)


(Dad, Charlene and Andrew)


(After Dinner Airplane)


(Charlene)

As we are writing this, the fire crackers and fire works are exploding outside. It will be a noisy evening. Once again, have a geat Chinese New Year All.

Queenie and Paul

Happy Chinese New Year Everyone

Hi All,

(Happy New Year)

Today is Chinese New Year's eve, the last day of the Year of the Pig. Tomorrow will be the start of the Year of the Rat. Today we will eat dinner with Queenie's family and spend a lot of time with family.

We wish you all the best for the Chinese New Year.

Have a great day, and have a spectacular year.

Queenie and Paul

Queenie's Ilan Trip

Hi All, Queenie here for a change!

(The waves can't catch me!)

Myself and a couple of volunteers from the PMI organization met at the Panciao train station at 8:30am for a day of fun in Ilan, East of Taipei. Of course one of the volunteers, Frank was a half hour late and another volunteer, Diana, was one hour late! So much for catching the train. Frank decided to drive us to Ilan in his car.

When we left, the weather was terrible and there was a lot of rain. Then, when we were on the road, Queena, another volunteer, realized she had forgotten her map and then discovered she lost her mobile phone. As a consequence we stopped and asked quit a few local Ilan people (including policeman) how to get there, but many of them didn't know the way.

We finally found a great beach to hangout on. We had a lot of fun running around the beach while Frank with his great camera snapped about a thousand pictures every 10 minutes. We were lucky that the rain had stopped at the time so we could spend time on the beach. The beach was beautiful. We even found some friendly street dogs that wanted to play with us.

(Sylph, Queena, Diana and Queenie)

(Queena)

(Strong Man Frank)

(Sylph and Queena)

Right next to the beach was a school. I was thinking how lucky those kids were! Day dreaming in class meant they could look out of the window and see the vast expanse of the Pacific ocean. They are very lucky kids. I guess during a typhoon though the school would be a very scary place!

After the beach we stopped off and ate some fish bowl soup. We then went off to visit Queena's house but her mother wasn't there. Her house is in the middle of the rice paddy, a real country home. We walked around the rice paddy and listened to Queena's stories of how she had grown up there. Frank wanted to sleep in the middle of the rice paddy but, since it was raining and he had to take us home, it wasn't possible.

(In Queena's Rice Paddy)

Afterwards we met up with another colleague Gloria and her mother. We all then went to the Ilan night market where all my friends helped me buy a beautiful ring that according to Taiwnese superstition will ward off evil people.

After the night market Frank drove us home. We had a great day on the beach and lots of excellent food. I hope to take Paul there with me next time as I know he will love it.

Until the next time,
Queenie.

Rooibos Tea in Taiwan

Hi All,

(Advert for Rooibos Latte)

The other day I (Paul) went to my local Starbucks and saw a big advert for Rooibos Tea, a South African Herbal Tea. Imagine that, South Africa importing tea to Taiwan! Who would have believed it for all the tea in China! (Yeah I know it sounds corny).

I guess the South African global diaspora and particular diaspora to Taiwan has created new markets for South African products. I am certainly looking forward to biltong and boerewors appearing in the 7-11 soon, but I won't hold my breath waiting. Not for all the tea in China!

Have a great day all.
Paul