F is for Festivals

The UK is known for its festivals, and two we were fortunate enough to enjoy multiple times were the Cambridge Beer Festival and the Cambridge Shakespeare Festival.

The Cambridge Beer Festival is held in May each year on Jesus Green.  You pay your admission and get a commemorative pint glass (each one is dated, so people often collect them from each year), and then have access to a variety of beers and fermented alcohol, including ciders (there is no such thing as "regular" cider in the UK--it's all alcoholic) and mead. You can buy samples of the drinks in varying amounts--I believe anywhere from a quarter of a pint to a full pint--to enjoy.  I'd recommend going with the smaller amounts, then you can try more of them before you get too full (or tipsy).  There are usually plenty of food vendors to try, so you won't be hungry or thirsty.  The festival also goes on rain or shine, so bring your Wellies and rain jackets.  

The Cambridge Shakespeare Festival runs from mid-July to the end of August each summer, and offers up to eight plays for your viewing pleasure. The plays are stripped-down versions in the sense that they're not performed on a stage--they're performed in the lovely college gardens all around Cambridge.  You can bring your own seat or get there early to claim one, and have a picnic while you wait for the play to start.  Nibbles and wine are encouraged.  My husband and I have been lucky enough to see The Merchant of Venice, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and The Taming of the Shrew.  I'm a firm believer that, in order to get the most out of Shakespeare, you need to see it performed, not just read it, and what better place to get that experience then like this.

G is up tomorrow...it's gonna be great!

xoxo Sarah

C is for Cambridge

Oh my goodness. Nothing made me feel luckier to live in the UK than being so close to such a lovely and historic city.  Well, maybe not nothing...there are a whole lot of wonderful things...but being able to explore Cambridge whenever we wanted is right up there.

Cambridge was one of places relatively close to where we lived that had a bigger-city feel to it and offered shopping, restaurants, and tons of other fun things to do.

Getting into Cambridge was easy for the most part.  There is a streamlined park-and-ride system that we often took advantage of, as well as a few multi-story car parks (aka parking garages).  The whole city is very walkable and if you have a bike, even better, though as a driver, I always wondered when I'd accidentally run a cyclist over.  Thankfully, no one ever got squished, at least by me.

Restaurants ranged from great pub fare to different international cuisines (including excellent Italian, Thai, Indian, and Turkish restaurants!) and chain restaurants.  No matter what you were in the mood for, Cambridge could satisfy that craving.  There were so many that I could happily have spent each day trying a different place.

Want to see a movie? There were two cinemas in town.

Want to do some shopping? There were stores in two malls, the lovely Cambridge Market which runs seven days a week, and the shops that line the winding, curvy roads around the colleges.

Want to see a show? The Cambridge Corn Exchange (yes, it's a weird name) had plenty of shows to choose from. We saw a Russian ballet production of the Nutcracker there one January.

Want to hang out in a park, have a picnic, and sit on a blanket and read for hours on end? You'll have your pick of parks, as long as you don't mind sharing them with locals who lose their shirts at the first sign of spring.

Want to get a good education?  One of the most famous universities in the world is there. You just have to choose which college within it to go to--if you get in.


Want to spend the day at a museum? The Fitzwilliam Museum has a great collection of items from tons of civilizations and eras, and is FREE.

Want to get to another part of the country? Cambridge has a major train station that'll easily get you to another city or another part of the UK. Our favorite was the express train into London.

Want to enjoy the day out on the River Cambs and get a history lesson besides?  Go punting!  But seriously, go with a company...it's comical--and often wet--when people try to pole the boats themselves.

I even took a photography class that involved walking through the city and taking different shots throughout the day, and the city is very photogenic.

So I'll stop boring you with my writing and stick some more pictures I've taken of Cambridge.  Enjoy!  I'm going to go cry and drool in equal parts over Buzzfeed's Cambridge articles.

34 Reasons You Should Never Go To Cambridge

58 Reasons Living In Cambridge Ruins You For Life

26 Delicious Things You Have To Eat In Cambridge


*note* All pictures in this post are mine.

Stop by tomorrow for D...something that took a lot of getting used to when we moved to the UK.


 xoxo Sarah