On Saturday, my friend Michelle (who was visiting from Boston) and I headed out to Cambridge to meet up with Allison, a college pal who is now a British vet (her profession = as quirky as it sounds).  We took the early train from King’s Cross, which was already swarming with tourists, including a line dozens of people long waiting to run through the new and improved Platform 9 3/4.

By the time we got to Cambridge, any chance of a sunny day had faded away to gray.  The three of us trudged around town, getting progressively wet and only kinda sorta drying out between stops for tea, postcards, etc.  Luckily, we were in the same (sinking) boat as every other tourist. It also made the scene dramatically English, even the part where I came down with the chills like some Victorian heroine who gets caught in the rain while delivering a letter.

I still got to enjoy the cute shops and narrow streets, the view of punts on the River Cam (I was glad not to be in one – and not taking a boat ride saved me money…. right?), and the parks.  It was a sweet day of strolling among the cobblestones, even if we were soaking to the point where we went barefoot on the train so we could lay our shoes and socks on the heaters.

Back in London, we saw “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: the musical” from the noseblood section of the Drury Lane theater.  It was a good try, but not nearly as charming as I had hoped, especially after the magical production of “Finding Neverland” I saw in Boston (twice in the last month).  Still, seeing a new musical with 90 minutes notice = winning.  And by the time Alli went home, we were finally (mostly) dry!

Streets of Cambridge

Punts on the river

Enjoying the rain like the odd duck I am