Travel: Cambridge

Over the past decade, I've had the good fortune to be introduced to some truly amazing women online, all connected due to our love for handbags. A few have become lifelong friends. Despite being based in different parts of the world, we've managed to meet up. A couple of others (you know who you are) are making plans for a future rendezvous. When we first moved to the UK, J, whom I met through The Purse Forum and her family graciously opened up their home and made us feel so welcomed. They sent us home with boxes of much needed Asian groceries. In a blink of an eye, a year and a half have flown past before we got the chance to meet up face to face again.

J kindly invited us to stay over at her place in Cambridge while we were there to attend her daughter's birthday dinner. The kids had an absolute ball. In fact, Little L was in tears on the way home thinking of her friend. Hubby had a chance to practise Indonesian and I, Foochow to J's mother in law. It was a mini United Nations gathering with a motley of languages converging in one house. J and her mother in law are both amazing cooks. There was an array of mouthwatering Indonesian cuisine which hopefully will satiate hubby's craving a little as well as an incredible 3 tier birthday cake which J had baked and decorated herself.

The next day, J's mother in law, sister in law and her husband took us out for a quick tour of Cambridge and treated us to yet another wonderful meal at a local French restaurant. A big thank you to J and her entire family who have been extremely generous and gracious hosts. I was kicking myself for leaving my camera at home. Cambridge is a beautiful and genteel city. The photos taken with a rather banged up iPhone 3GS does not do it any justice. So forgive my rather grainy and pixelated photos.

Punting in Cambridge seems to be the thing to do if you're a tourist. Since I grew up in Christchurch, NZ, it's a common sight but then again, most remnants of the culture were exported from the UK.

The two girls were inseparable and did not leave each other's side for 2 days.

Some of the buildings in Cambridge are well over 700 years old. To those of us who grew up in "new" countries, it's utterly amazing to see and touch something this ancient. Note the gargoyles.

You're probably wondering what the heck this photo is doing here but I couldn't resist a shot of my favorite High St brand.

There are 31 colleges that form the prestigious Cambridge University. We weren't allowed into most of them  this week as it's exam time for the students.

My tender and tasty steak with frites, a simple but cooked to perfection meal at Cote.