It's All Random In My Head...

Out of town again today, as I’m off to Cambridge.  The educational alma mater of Stephen Fry (and Hugh Laurie, as well as other giants in British Comedy, including some of the Pythons), it vies for top UK higher learning with Oxford. 

The train left from Kings Cross station and I think it’s the busiest station in London, frankly.  A quick and easy journey later and I was deposited into the centre of Cambridge. 

Lots of people milling up and down the streets, and there was some sort of graduation going on because I saw a fair amount of people in caps and gowns wandering with groups of parents and friends.  I picked up a few more items for my cricket gear at Sports Direct, which I found out has gone up for liquidation and will be closing all their stores.  So, if you want properly cheap sports equipment, head to Sports Direct. 

I wandered around, as I usually do, when I visit towns.  I don’t follow any map, just walk wherever my feet take me.  I stopped off for lunch and had a delicious Coronation Chicken sandwich and a Peppermint Cake Bar at a lovely little corner cafe/patisserie near Quayside called Bridges.  I recommend it highly if you’re visiting Cambridge. I was amused greatly by a pair of Asian girls sitting behind me at the cafe, continuously humming ‘Oh Susannah’. 

Then I decided to take some snaps of the historic buildings around, churches and colleges.  As I was walking down past Kings College, I heard a familiar voice and looked up to see Grayson Perry walking past me with some colleagues.  Yes, he had makeup on and yes, he was in womens’ clothes.  He had a nice swingcoat on with a black and white floral pattern and pink piped edges.

I took a stroll through the Fitzwilliam Museum and slowly began suffering my ‘museumitis’, so I decided to head back to the train station. 

The one great thing about trains is you get a chance to take a small nap in the middle of the day and you don’t feel guilty about it.  Of course, you may feel a bit of a berk when you end up with your mouth hanging open and drool hanging out as other passengers see you in such a state. 

The bad thing about trains is that occasionally, they’re rubbish.  Greater Anglia is one such rubbish train.  The decor and seats were awful, hideous and uncomfortable.  The ride was crap, you were jostled around more than a pack of Twinkies at an Overeaters Anonymous meeting.  Just terrible. 

I arrived in London and took a gander around Old Spitalfields Market and had a delightful cod and chips supper at Poppies.  Back to the market, I was meeting up with a tour group for an Alternative London tour of street art and alternative history of Spitalfields, East London, Shoreditch and Brick Lane area.  The tour guide was called Doug and he was Scottish.  He reminded me of a rogue David Tennant, and was a great chap.  He was passionate about street art and his tour was great. 

Seeing the street art was fascinating and seeing how it can be done in so many different forms.  It was slightly tough taking decent pictures of the artworks at night.  And, it was sad and depressing when a great piece of art gets tagged by graffiti artists.  We saw one of Banksy’s pieces and we got to see a huge piece being actually in the process of being worked on by a team working under the direction of street artist Shepard Fairey.  He’s responsible for the ‘Obey’ street art pieces.  I am looking forward to seeing the finished piece. 

The tour group was really great, except for these two American girls who lived in London.  They spent the entire time talking loudly to each other every moment they could when the guide wasn’t talking.  No matter where I travelled in the group, I could hear them.  It’s people like that that make me hate the fact I *am* an American.  And, it’s also people like that that make me jealous I have such difficulty getting a job here. 

During the day, I got an email from sro audiences and I found out I was accepted for a ticket for 8 Out of 10 Cats for next week.  Hurray!  I enjoy that show, and what makes it even more interesting is that I’ll be seeing all three regular performers on the programme doing stand up while I’m in town. 

I have noticed very many attractive chaps on the streets since I arrived.  Damn, where are all these fine hotties in the States.

Tomorrow is my first full day back in London since I arrived a week ago.  I have a chocolate tasting in the afternoon and I have Gingerline HQ at night.  Gingerline is a ‘secret dining experience’.  You hang about on the East side of London and get a text telling you to turn up at an address, where you get entertainment, a themed 4 course meal (the menu, of which, you have no idea what you will have) and a piece of art.  Sounds like great fun!