Christmas Eve in Cambridge

Today I went to King's College to queue for the famous sung service done with King's College Choir. Unfortunatly, I locked myself out of my flat and had to wait for someone, on Christmas Eve Day, to come out with a spare key. Thus I was not in line early enough to get in to the service (boo).

I did get to see the choristers come across from their school. I thought to listen to the service from outside the chapel but it started pouring down rain.

The service is available online here, and it will be played on BBC worldservice.

Merry Christmas!

Choristers entering King's Chapel 

Choristers coming over from their school 

Line forming to enter the chapel 

A Day in London

I spent Thursday in London with James. We went to Westminster Abbey, where I haven't been in 6 years. I tried not to be a 'Da Vinci Code' tourist and just look for the sites associated with the book. Unfortunatly, we weren't allowed to take any pictures inside.

We also visited Covent Garden and went window shopping on Oxford street. It was all very festive!

Window shopping at Selfridge's 

Santa's Grotto - Covent Garden 

Being a tourist! 

Westminster 

Westminster Abbey 

Weird

This afternoon a fair ride mysteriously appeared across the street! Just one ride, out in the middle of an empty parking lot, with no riders in sight! Weird.

Fair ride outside our apartment building 

London Trip

Spent Saturday in London. My museums group went museum hopping first to the British Museum. Then on to the Natural History, Science, and Victoria and Albert Museum.

Later I got to see the last performance of Beckett, at the Royal Haymarket Theatre.

Giles and Trajan 

Beckett Reliquary 

Chihuly Glass Sculpture in the V&A Lobby 

Albert Memorial 

Reading Room 

Elgin Marbles 

British Museum 

Trip to Ely

Today I had a nice (although short) trip to Ely. I saw the cathedral and Oliver Cromwell's house. Unfortunatly, the museum was closed by the time we got there.

Ely Cathedral 

Lady Chapel 

Lara in the Lady Chapel 

Giles with a pony 

Templar sword

Look what's selling on ebay- why would anyone want to part with their Templar sword?

eBay item 2291154554 (Ends 12-Dec-04 21:47:35 GMT) - 12th century Knights Templar crusader sword

Although, I doubt that it is really "12th century."

Didjeridoo!

My sister Lissa just sent me the best Christmas present - a Didgeridoo! It's an aboriginal wind instrument made from hollow wood. So far, I'm only good at annoying my neighbors and flatmate with playing it.

You can listen to what a didgeridoo sounds like here.

Downing College Christmas Dinner

Had a very nice Christmas Dinner this evening at Downing College formal hall. There were crackers and mince pies galore!

Philharmonia Concert

Philharmonia concert in Sidney Sussex Chapel last night.
It was fun to play in a space with so much character! The music went better than expected as well. Recordings should be up soon.

Sidney Sussex Chapel 

eBay!

Just put some tile up for auction on ebay.

Take a look:
eBay item 5938251057 (Ends 06-Dec-04 23:51:07 GMT) - Grey Italian Stoneware Tile

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Sean and my sister Jaime, who got engaged on Thanksgiving!

(no- he didn't hide the ring in the turkey, I asked)

CNN.com - Offbeat News

A new exciting discovery- CNN's Offbeat News

CNN.com - Offbeat News

Check out the story from Nov 15 about beavers weaving money into their dam!

What are we thankful for?

Someone asked me the other day what we Americans are thankful for at Thanksgiving.
I couldn't remember at the time, but now I do.
We're thankful for having left England!

Day in the Stores

I had an awesome day today working with Peruvian textiles in the stores of the museum. A new exhibit is going up in January and I got to help pick the objects that will go in the new display. There should be a nice balance of various textile techniques and iconography.

UCPO Concert

Had a great concert this evening at West Road. My friend Mark conducted half and Merlin came and listened to his first classical music concert!

Our Thanksgiving makeshift baseball game.

Marco and his Napkins

Marco concentrating hard on his napkin-folding job.

Merlin attempting to open a can without a can opener.

Thanksgiving Dinner

Yesterday I had Thanksgiving Dinner for about 20 of my friends! We had all of the tradition delicious items minus pumpkin pie. There is not a pumpkin to be found in Cambridge, UK this time of year. Believe me, I found out the hard way. Rita did make some very tasty squash pies though, and you could hardly taste the difference.

We also convinced our friends to play some makeshift baseball, involving plastic sacks for bases and a tennis ball. Watching a British person try to decide where to run once they've actually made contact with the ball is hilarious! I got to learn some cricket techniques in return.

Two especially poignant moments of the evening: Marco (who is currently studying for a PhD at Oxford) carefully folding napkins, and Merlin (a fourth-year Chemical Engineering student) attempting to open a can of corn with a medieval utensil provided him by our weird Eastern-European neighbors.

Best part of the evening: great friends that cleaned up my post-turkey disaster of a kitchen!

Oxford

Just got back from a day in Oxford. My museums study group went to visit the Ashmolean and Pitt Rivers Museums. The Trandescant room in the Ashmolean was a highlight. It is a remake of a cabinet of curiosities from the 17th century.

I also got to visit Marco, a friend from MIT, who is studying and the University of Oxford.