Saturday July 25th – This morning dawned wet and cool – “a bit like fall, really” say the Brits. After a full English breakfast at our B&B we headed downtown for a walking tour of the Colleges. We have raincoats and umbrellas but we find that many of the Brits just walk about in shirtsleeves and don’t seem to mind either the wetness or the cool unseasonable weather.

Our tour began at the Tourist Information Centre and as we meandered through our guide provided a running commentary of various interesting historical facts and sites of interest. Our tour took us into the beautiful King’s College Chapel, home of the Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight broadcast to millions around the world during the Christmas season. Having been there now, we’ll be able to picture it next year when we watch it on TV.

The first thing you notice as you walk through the door is the size. Originally conceived in 1441 by Henry VI, it was to be without equal in size and beauty. The building took 100 years to finish through a succession of wars and kings, finally being finished shortly before Henry VIII’s death. All this…and the original college only had 70 students!

 

 

 

The stained glass windows are colourful and depict stories from the Old and New Testament. They were removed during the war, but interestingly Cambridge received only minor damage because, word has it, Hitler dictated that both Oxford and Cambridge be spared. There are many theories as to why.

 

The Cambridge Summer Music Festival is on this month and we noticed in a brochure that John Rutter, a well-known composer, was speaking at lunchtime. We’ve sung many of his choral works and so off we went to hear Confessions of a Composer in the lovely Old Divinity School of St John’s College. He was quite amusing and told a number of stories of the people he has worked/collaborated with over the years.

In the evening we went to hear The Piper of Hamelin, a children’s opera composed by Rutter and based on the German folktale. It was premiered earlier in July at the International Youth Arts Festival but we’re not sure if this was the same cast or a different group of local children. It was excellent and provided an enjoyable evening of entertainment.

Home by 9:30pm we waited for the last few holes of the Canadian Open to be posted on the leaderboard, before turning in – go David Hearn! But then again maybe this tournament is jinxed for Canadian players.