FRIDAY EVENING.
Today was a special treat. We went down town into Newmarket in order to exchange money, buy postcards and stamps, as well as look for a box. By chance we saw the horses being walked off in a pasture so we went to investigate. The horses and riders were out in “strings” being exercised. The setting was out of a story. Beautiful lush green pastures with massive brick estate houses in the background and soft billowy clouds in the sky. Hopefully Bob got some equally beautiful pictures.
We met a girl from Holland who was visiting with her brother. She spoke great English and Bob was able to help her with her camera! We ran into her again down at the Horse Museum.
The Museum was very well done, for a small town. There is obviously a lot of money in this town. We found out later that this is so – Granddad took us out to see these magnificent homes with elaborate stables. Unfortunately many are empty because the economy is depressed.
Although our original plan was to go out to visit Granddad’s brother’s vineyard, they decided against it and chose instead to drive to Cambridge and have pizza for lunch. As I had remembered, the town was beautiful.
The old colleges are well maintained and the architecture is spectacular. Granny was getting a bit tired so Bob and I headed out on our own for an hour or so. We found beautiful gardens and the river where they take the punts out. Bob was in photograph heaven and got lots of great shots.
It was such a beautiful day. The temperature is getting rather low and the wind is a bit nippy, but instead of being cold, its just crisp. While in the gardens I managed to collect some seeds – they’ll be a mystery in my garden for next year.
It’s amazing how expensive real estate is here. Houses that I would imagine being about 20 to 40,000 pounds are about triple that. The market seems to be sort of like California. I’d still be renting if I lived here.
A very nice day but I’m a bit pooped. We are getting ready to walk into town to meet the grandparents for a drink and dinner (its 7:20 PM now).) We spent the morning in Newmarket and most of the afternoon in Cambridge. The morning was sunny with a cold autumn wind. We window shopped our way through town and on the far side found horses being taken out or exercise. As Jackie indicates in her notes it was beautiful. I shot some pictures but don’t now if any are worth while. I’m not shooting as much as normal. It’s difficult for me to shoot when I know people are waiting. Jackie is great, she’s patient but it still makes it difficult. I like to sit for hours in one spot waiting for the right light, etc.
SATURDAY MORNING
I’m a bit hung over this morning. Yesterday was a full day. We met the Alpers for drinks at a pub in Newmarket and I had a pint of Guinness. Then a bottle of Rose with dinner. Then a brandy after dinner. Ouch. Dinner was very nice. I slipped the waiter my credit card so we wouldn’t have to argue about who would pay. Mr. Alper paid for our hotel room in Newmarket so we couldn’t let him pay for dinner tonight.
Our landlady is quite something. She was part of the team that divided Germany into zones after World War II. Very intelligent. She worked as a soil analyst. She was a farmer’s daughter. Milked her first cow at four. Grew up six miles from here. The farm still exists. When her parents died the farm was divided into three parts. In 1964 she bought out her sisters and her son now runs the place. The farm produces 5000 tons of washed and processed carrots per month. Her second husband was a brewer since 1928. After retiring they bought two hotels and ran them. She runs a lovely B&B. She also is a cat lover and has a very old cat to keep her company.
Mr. Alper is quite a character. A very nice man. He was in the army during World War II and fought in North Africa. He then worked as a salesman and sales manager for a caravan company. he has traveled all over the world and showed us all of the knick-knacks he has been given in his travels. His wife is very petit. She is slightly hard of hearing which leads to interest- ing conversations. You will either ask or say something that she miss-hears. She responds according to what she thought you said and the conversation is suddenly 90 degrees off in another direction.
After dinner we drove to a British Legion club for drinks.
Newmarket is very nice. It is built around horse racing. All around the town are gallops where horses are run. I hadn’t realized it, but all thoroughbreds can trace their male lineage to one of three male progenitors. I learned that at the horse racing museum yesterday.
