How are you all?
I have finished my exams! (Well 2 weeks ago I finished, but celebration have been somewhat intense, as you will see!) So there is really nothing to report before 2 weeks ago. The exams went ok, nothing brilliant to tell of, and my results are not out for at least a month yet. During the exam study, the seasons changed from winter to summer and the sun tortured me with its rays through my windows as I sat in my room working.
The day of real summer outside St. mary's church in Market SquareAs term progressed more and more bizarrely Cambridge things happened, and this is one of them
The choir's 'Corpus Christi Day' concert on the lawn. The first time I had seen students on the grass. I got my turn on the grass at the may ball. Oh and I suppose the culture I was exposed to in this photo was more important than being jealous of my fellow peers on the grass, so I should add they sounded good. But none of this is bizarre. The odd thing was, they didn't tell anybody, but at 9am in the morning they just walked out and started singing for 15 minutes. That's bizarre. Apparently they do it every year.
So two weeks ago....The day after I finished exams everybody else finished, and we went to the Eagle Pub for a celebratory drink in the sun. The english know how to celebrate seasonally - Mulled Wine in Winter and Pimm's in Summer.
Note the post-exams pastiness on my part.
That afternoon Adam and I flew over to Northern Ireland on Air Berlin in terrible weather. As we were landing and descended below the cloud the plane started moving all over the place, and seconds before we landed the tv screens came down from the roof and said "Auf Wiedersehen Ihre" (Goodbye) Basically I had to laugh because Air Berlin was wishing me a goodbye to the end of my life...but we landed to tell the story - though after reading the story, you're probably not so sure it was worth telling. We went to see Rob Bell speak that night. He's very tall in real life, that was most unexpected. I had a brief chat to him afterwards and he's really good quality, though like all famous people, is somewhat wearied by all the people who have small talk with him. So we talked about dots that you see when you have loads of photos, and how it's annoying that you can never look directly at the dot cause it keeps on moving. Needless to say it was an uplifting experience for all...
Ben, Me, Emma, Adam and Rob. (Ben and Emma are Adam's younger siblings)
The following day Adam and I flew back to Stansted to meet our friends from Corpus for a trip to Bremen, Germany. The trip to say the least was somewhat awesome! I will let the photos tell the story. But, for most of the time we were just relaxing in the park, in the pub, eating sausages and talking German. It was good craic.
Bremen City Centre at night
More of the city centre
Jonny and I outside the Windmill Park
Jack, Anna and Adam in the Beck's Pub, after our Beck's Brewery Tour (all they seem to do in Europe is brew alcohol)
All of us outside the Beck's Brewery
The gang on the bridge over the River Wese
The boys shopping...Jack, Adam, Jonny and I
The group strutting outside the main station
Rhys and Jack show off their knowledge of the German language by browsing through the daily copy of Der Zeit. They actually brought it to stuff a couple of glasses purchased from the Beck's brewery.
Shinanigans in the Park
The hassle we went to for the earlier photo
In the old town (what I pictured all of Europe to be like)
If there were 8 charlie's angels (and outside the Hostel where we stayed)
Xavier, Jack and I next to the Bremen town musicians. If any of you have seen the Muppets you will know the story. But basicall, this Donkey, Dog, Cat and Rooster got together to go and make their musical fortunes in Bremen. On the way they had nowhere to stay so they spent the night in this abandoned old farmhouse. However in the middle of the night a robber came and stole all their instruments so they never made it to Bremen to become famous musicians. And the Bremen people love the story so much there are statues to these guys everywhere. If you can see the Donkey has a shiny leg, because you are suppose to rub it for some reason.
When we arrived in Bremen, Rhys informed everyone about the basics of German he learnt in GCSE (5th form). Pointing to this sign he said "Terminale" and stated that all German words are exactly the same as english words except you add an E to the end. It actually says Terminal 'E'
Frisbee in the park. Probably the very throw I shamefully hurt my leg on. Who hurts their leg playing frisbee?
We lost the frisbee. Disappointment reigns.
Our communal meal cooked by Rhys. Das Shmeckt Lecker
Feeding the pigs
Everybody on the pigs. Anna is not liking this too much.
The album cover. (or a view of the Cathedral through the bank archway)
Rhys, Anna and I in the pub for lunch
We arrived back in Cambridge Saturday evening, for Sunday and the first day of May Week. Sunday is notorious for being 'Suicide Sunday'. Basically it is the first day where everyone in Cmabridge is finished exams, and the students of Cambridge drink so much alcohol they almost kill themselves. It is not the mos pleasant of days to be on the street. Fortuntately for myself, more of the light-hearted fun-loving type, Holy Trinity had it's Life Sunday that day (like the word play they have going there?) It's a picnic at Jesus' Green Park with a bouncy castle and loads of good sport and food. Fun times for all. The following week was May Week and loads of fun - just partying and picnics and punting (what I call the three Cambridge P's) all week long. It goes well with the two R's (rest and relaxation) if I do say so myself.
Monday: Anna's 20th Birthday in the park
Anna's 20th Birthday in the park. This slingshot fire's waterballoons up to 200m...enough said
Tuesday: Sports at Leckhampton and John's Fireworks
St. John's May Ball fireworks above Cambridge. St. John's May Ball ranks the 5th best party in the world, apparently. Above the Rio festival, and tickets cost heaps!
Wednesday: Liz's Corpus Birthday (it's actually in July but we're on holiday then) and Punting
Liz's birthday punting trip. All year people had been saying "In summer you have to punt to Grantchester with a glass of Pimm's and sit in the sun. So we drank Pimm's, sat in the sun and went to the Grantchester Orchard. It was so beautiful. And I now know why they said to do it so much.
Punting to Grantchester
Liz's Birthday at Grantchester
Thursday: Packing and preparation for the holiday
Friday: May Ball!!!! It kind of dwarfs any previous experiences. To describe it, think the end of Grease Lightning at the carnival - minus the leather jackets, replace it with Black Tie and change the time of day. Even more good times! The theme for the Corpus Ball was Carnivalia, which was some kind of Latin American theme. Basically an excuse for funky music, scantally dressed waiters and waitresses and great food. Anyway, see below for one of the best nights ever.
The beuatiful people wait in anticipation
The girls
Jack, Liz, Me, Emma, Rhys, Vicky, Ross
Emma, Vicky and Jonny waiting to go in
An aerial view of the ball from my old staircase
Jousting on the inflatable bouncy poediums. That's me in blue kicking Chris in Red's butt. He's a lawyer so show no mercy.
Adam and Me
Sarah Shcuksmith from Holy Trinity worked at the Ball that evening. She normally attends Fitzwilliam College. Her and I lead the 11-14 year old youth group.
The Masters' Garden. I had not seen this garden before, and it is beautiful. And so large for just one person. He should really open it up fully to the whole college. There's just his beautiful garden hiding away, and nobody knew it existed. But also ideally suited for the ball as you see.
Jousting on the inflatable bouncy poediums. That's me in blue kicking Chris in Red's butt. He's a lawyer so show no mercy.
Adam and Me
Sarah Shcuksmith from Holy Trinity worked at the Ball that evening. She normally attends Fitzwilliam College. Her and I lead the 11-14 year old youth group.
Boxing in the Hall
The fire dancers in front of the chapel and the fountain hired in for the evening.
The Arch and Anthers (Archaeology and Anthropology)
Adam loving Luiseach's attention
Luiseach, Anna and Rebecca
Xavier, Jonny, Me and Michal
Me, Cat and Oli
Me, David, Liz and Vicky
Anna, Xavier and Rhys
Rebecca and Luiseach. (Rebecca is the one coming to visit for three weeks in September. And again, NO, we're not going out!)
I'm now in Northern Ireland again, helping out with a Christian Festival here, Summer Madness and StreetReach. Summer Madness is like Easter Camp, and StreetReach is a mission in Belfast cleaning up the streets and helping to improve Catholic Protestant relations. It'll be wild. After that I'll be back in England for two days staying with Rebecca in Reading, hopefully to reassure her parents she'll be safe and have a good time visiting me in NZ later in September. I'll then be leaving England for home (that's you guys!) on the 11th July - and starting work at a lab in Auckland University researching in the field of tumour immunology the following Monday. I'm very excited about seeing everyone again and starting there. So all of you keep safe until I return and I'll see you soon!
God bless my friends,
Blake
