We took what seemed to me an odd route to get there, but in this part of the UK the roads don't run especially straight east-west (or vice versa for that matter); this meant I ended up going a ways south towards London (almost all the way to Milton Keynes) on the M1 before turning north-east and heading towards Cambridge.
So, I got there, checked in and - because I was far enough away from town and the hotel I was at was very close to a bus stop - caught a bus. I'd intended to (as per usual) get on a walking tour, but when I got there it had already sold out out. A bit annoying, but I'm sure I could find things to do; one of the places I'd had recommended to me was the Fitzwilliam Museum, so that's where I went.
They've got quite a collection there, so I spent near to three hours looking at it all. They've got a stack of stuff from ancient Cyprus, which I don't think I'd seen any of before; they probably have some at the British Museum, but I didn't get to it. Their Egyptology section is huge and very impressive - some very old pieces there, including a mummified cat. There's Roman and Athenian as well.
Porcelain. Of all the things one finds in museums, this is the one I often avoid - I find so much of it hideous. Really, I look at some of what they have and can only think of one thing: Franklin Mint. That said, what wasn't hideous was very impressive - I tend to like my porcelain very simple and unadorned. So I was a lot happier in the Asian section, where there were Ming vases and nice pieces from the other dynasties. I do like Toby Jugs, and they had a few of those, as well as a Shakespeare figurine from 1740.
Oh, and they also had a sweetmeat dish. Which isn't for what I thought it was; that's sweetbread - totally different. Also, ick.
The armoury is superb; some of the most impressive, best condition weaponry I've seen in the UK - and I have seen quite a bit in the last three weeks. They had one flintlock pistol/axe combo with amazing mother-of-pearl inlay. Magnificent.Some wonderful Medieval stuff, miniatures and embroidery.
Upstairs in the painting section (it's roughly divided into two - paintings upstairs and objects downstairs) they've got an impressive collection, of which I noted Matisse, Constable, Hogarth, Gainsborough and William Blake. There's a portrait of George Bernard Shaw, but I can't remember who it's by. They've got a whole stack of Nicolas Poussin. There is, of course, a ton of Italian religious works - bloody Saint Sebastian again - and more Crivelli. One standout - not sure who by - was one of the Christ child, but unlike every other I'd seen, this one had the baby with a wild mane of hair. There's also Titian, Brueghel, Rubens and.some very good scenes by Canaletto.
The building itself is very impressive, so I took some pictures of that as well.
This is a Crivelli.
I can't recall why I snapped this one. I do like it, though.
Winged skeleton are always cool.
Oh yeah, they had some great old clocks as well.
This is the ceiling in the main entrance.
And I think this is the floor at another point. Note to self: label things better.
And an amazing...whatever you call this piece of furniture.
After it closed I wandered the streets some more before finding a likely pub and getting a pint of something local; turns out one of the bartenders was an Australian, in Cambridge to play cricket. So we had a bit of a chat. Afterwards I went wandering in search of food and came across a 'Yo Sushi', which appears to be the UK equivalent of Sushi Train. So, I decided I'd eat there - once I'd confirmed they had non-sushi dishes available; I don't like sushi, but I do like a lot of other Japanese food. So, I had noodle with vegetables, tempura squid and chicken curry. I really like how then Japanese do curry.
Oh, and I took some photos of buildings around the town.
This shop made me think of Christian Reynolds. Those of you who know him will undoubtedly understand why.
And that was my first foray into Cambridge.
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