Cambridge is lovely!

After our over the top day with Harry Potter and Wicked, where I found out for the first time in my life that driving on the wrong side of the road, sitting on the wrong side of the car, and staying awake from 6:00 am to 2:00 am makes me very ill,  we decided we needed a later morning and a relaxing itinerary . . . Cambridge!

Cambridge = Lovely!  That is the best word to describe it. The very first thing we walked into was a flea market.  Of course we perused it, you cannot pull Bailey and I away from an outdoor market.

Coming out of the market we happened upon King's College.  It really is an immaculate and beautiful landscape around the college and the chapel.

 This is a shot of King's College Chapel from the "backs", the dirt walkway that runs across the back of the colleges.

Luck was shining down on us this day.  We popped into the tourist office (which I do on a regular basis when we travel and I am always rewarded) to find out there was a free choral concert in King's College Chapel that afternoon at 5:30.  Sold!!  It really was amazing.  Mark said that may have been one of the top highlights of our entire experience in Europe, but he has a trained ear and knows what to listen for.  All I know is that it was different, I couldn't understand what they were singing but it was in English, the music lulled McKenna to sleep in 3 seconds flat, and it was really very beautiful. This was the line for the concert.

Here is a shot of Bailey with the college entrance right behind her, and Kings College Chapel to the right.  What we said to her was, "Bailey, see how cool college is?!?"  Especially when you see the students lazily sitting in the grass, eating treats, visiting with friends . . . I'm sure finals are just finishing up.

Speaking of treats, here is the best kept secret (don't really know if it is secret or not) in all of England.  HARDY'S ORIGINAL SWEET SHOP.  First, the Frandsen's cannot in good faith pass by a sweet shop in Europe without checkin' it out.  This one is by far my favorite.  Yes, it had every candy you could think of, but even better was the decor and the feeling you got when you went in.  You just knew every imaginable treat could be found within the walls of this shop. Truly a "purveyor of finest confectionery".  I'd like to be called a "purveyor of finest confectionery".

My favorite wall in all the world.  I don't know why this "keep calm" theme calls to me. I love it, I love the history behind it, the way it looks and how simple the message is.  Unfortunately, when I got home and looked at these pictures, I realized I didn't purchase one canister. What?! Was?! I thinking?!  In my mind I purchased several.  Luckily Mark goes back before we move, he will have a list, it will be long.  He must find a Hardys.

Good to remind people, because they sure aren't paying attention with all the confectionery distracting them!

As we were checking out and waiting for the girls to make their choices, I started looking at the fine details of Hardys.  Check it out: Twinkies at 1 pound and 49 pence, which is $2.33 with the painful exchange rate.  You can't buy Twinkies in the UK, they have to be imported.

Guess what else, you can't buy Froot Loops or Apple Jacks in the UK, they too must be imported at 8 pounds and 99 pence, which is $14.00 a box!!!!  I wish I could "all caps" numbers.  That is crazy talk!  My conclusion is this: it is no wonder America is the fattest country in the US, it looks like we corner the market on sugary refined breakfast cereals and trans fat.  It is that simple folks, we need to give it up, share the wealth. Or better yet, charge $14 for a box and $3 for a healthy alternative.

Ah, finally got my iconic London photo op!

McKenna walking along the "backs" demonstrating her "duck whisperer" talent.  They followed her for awhile, even after they realized she had no bread.  She would motion "come on" and they would "come on".

Yep, Bailey picked a Slytherin T-shirt for her souvenir.  Don't ask me to explain, I cannot.  She merely stated that no one ever picks Slytherin and she felt sorry for their T-shirts.  I proceeded to tell her, "There is a reason no one picks Slytherin, it is because they are the Bad Guys".  She didn't care.

Favorite past time in Cambridge, punting!  All the cool people are doing it.  The Frandsens did not, we spent too much time in Hardy's.  The bridge is called the "Mathmatics Bridge" (I think).  Plus it was right near this spot that we spooked 2 elder missionary's when Mark went out of his way to introduce himself to them.  For missionarys it is usually the other way around.  One was from Delta Utah!!

Found this cute quaint little bookstore in one of Cambridge's back alleys.  Bailey found an old leather bound book of Shakespeare stories.  The store owner was FAB!  Just as you would expect a little back alley book store owner would be, accent and all!  Mind your step dears!