From Here to Where?

Day Two & Three
London, Cambridge, a whole lot of places I don't remember, & Huntingdon

"So where shall we go?"

Seems an innocent enough question, yeah? Well not so much really, with names like Kettering and Chelltenham bantered about and no plan on hand. Except we needed to be wherever we were going to be by 6:20. For as (someone else's) luck would have it we just happened into the UK as the new series (season for you yanks) of "Doctor Who" was starting Saturday at 6:20. With a new Doctor and everything, dead exciting really.

And so our near aimless amble began, near aimless cos we also needed to be towards Birmingham by Sunday afternoon (it was too be Saturday afternoon, but I guess the folks at Sky Sports thought they could make a little more money off a Easter Sunday Liverpool v Birmingham City match) so we just needed to head North. So we ambled up to Cambridge to see what is what. After driving around in circles (and not just on the roundabouts) we finally found a place to stop and take in the town and a pub for a pint. You know it must have been near 11 or so and we hadn't had one yet.

We both agreed that Cambridge was nice but that there really was no reason to stay there. Not as nice as Oxford. Hope no one takes offense none is meant and maybe it is not right to compare, but I am pretty sure they get it all the time. Just our humble opinion of the towns themselves not their rowing teams, or academia, or anything like that.

Interlude:

Iraq

So I looked up into the night sky last night, and here is how mundane day-to-day (even month-to-month) life is around here...I thought, "Hey did they get new lights on the blimp?" I was so excited that they seemed to be flashing differently. Of course then I thought how it might be a trick of the light, or my mind, or it could have been that way for months and I just didn't notice. I asked about it the next day (or was it the day after that?) and got the answer of, "I think so...but I really don't know when." (Note: I'll keep doing this from now on so we don't loose track of where and what things are like in the here and now.)

End Interlude.

So we consulted the only "Guidebook" we had, "Good Beer Guide 2009" naturally. (Note: While the "Good Beer Guide" is an essential, whichever year it may be from, it is not suggested that it be the only book or planning tool that you bring. {more on this later}) So as we crossed back and forth through Shires, I would flip around and try and find places that sounded good, and maybe had rooms. We put in several City Centers into good old Tom Tom, and sort of drove a jagged path towards Birmingham. Jennifer suggested we go to someplace where they grow horses (I don't remember the name {I could look it up, but...} and yes I know they raise horse they don't grow them) but we just plowed away eating up the motorway, sandwiches from the Services, and Cadbury cream eggs (it being nearly Easter and all.) We stopped for another pint in there somewhere too I'd reckon.

And so we ended up in Huntingdon, and yes I would have as much luck finding it on a map throwing darts blindfolded as anyone else. Suffice it to say it is between London and Birmingham, maybe it is the "Gateway to the Midlands." A quaint but pricey Inn, nice place on some river with the Motorway nearby. Most importantly it had everything we needed; a bed, a TV, and a pub with Real Ale all in one building.

We found a new favored brewery in Adnams and Jennifer even got a couple of cool glasses. We had a pint or two downstairs in the bar, and then had a couple more with our cheeseboard upstairs in the room while watching The Doctor. Was pretty good, this new guy he'll be alright I think. He's no Baker or Tennant, but he's good...who knows. Stories are still good and all that...so here's hoping. We felt kinda special, you know being in Britain for the premiere and all that ('course then we learned it was evidently on all over the world.) Basically all was right in the world, ale and cheese in our bellies, The Doctor on the tellie, and Liverpool vs. Birmingham City tomorrow.

So the pictures are of,
1. Some Abbey or Cathedral that neither the Missus or I remember where it was (we blew through a bunch of little places that day) but thought it was cool that you can see right through the windows.
2. Our cheeseboard and pints (shoulda take a picture with the tellie in the background, yeah?)



Cheers,
g