A very nice breakfast at the Arden Hotel had us ready for the 1:45 minute drive east to Cambridge.
Sunday is a perfect day to travel across central England as you miss the traffic heading into the numerous circle intersections. We arrived at The Varsity Hotel just before eleven and our room was not ready. So we checked our bags, had the car valeted and changed for a workout in their gym and spa.
Our room was ready at 12:30 so we went up to our 3rd floor room, changed and went back down to the spa for a sauna and jacuzzi.
Fully invigorated, we hit the streets to experience Cambridge.
We walked over to Fitzbillies bakery and ordered a sticky bun to go and headed down to the River Cam at the Silver Street bridge to sit, eat, people watch and view the Mathematical Bridge at Queens College.
Walked back towards the hotel and viewed Pembroke College, which dates back to 1347 and was open and free to walk about.
Much of the town center closes up at 5 pm so we decided to eat Indian food at The Curry King, just two blocks from the hotel. Very good, authentic cuisine,
A brisk 2.9 mile walk (yes, 2.9 miles) in mildly drizzly weather from The Swan Hotel door back to the breakfast room set up a perfect day.
Situated along the winding mountain road that is the historic village of Omori, Takyo Abeke is hidden behind a rustic bamboo fence covered in climbing roses and shielded from the road by a deep courtyard garden. The 228-year-old building was once the home of the Abe family (Abeke), who were administrative officials for the Iwami Ginzan silver mine dug deep into the mountains at the top of the village. During the 17th and 18th centuries the silver mine was the largest in the world, and its output financed not only bustling local village life and imposing houses like Abeke but also Japan’s rapid economic growth, urbanization, and flowering of its unique culture of shibusa— aesthetics based on nature, simplicity, and the ephemeral—during the first centuries of the Edo period (1603-1868).
Our first stop was the Ashmolean Museum, which was remarkably uncrowded at 9:30 am this Wednesday morning. We paid to see the special exhibit “Last Supper In Pompeii” and it was outstanding.
The camper is a light, mobile dome made of FUTURELIGHT™ material and heavy-duty geometry. As the fabric stretches over a geodesic dome, it creates a natural, weather-proof space. Somewhere to sleep after a day of hiking, or a place to take cover when nature is being, well, nature.
Left The Painswick after a fine British breakfast (highlighted by fabulous, freshly made crumpets and a berry compote), we drove into a heavy rain toward Cirencester and the on to Bibury for a 3-night stay at The Swan Hotel.
The finest brownie in the world (layered peanut butter, chocolate fudge) was waiting for us at Huffkins Bakery. That and an iced coffee is worth a flight to London and the drive to Stow.
Boomers Daily 