Celebrations

What is more worth celebrating than a beautiful start to a day. We had a morning fog that added an extra touch to the landscape as it snaked in from the sea and between the hills.






Recently our middlest son, John, made his first Alyieh at the synagogue here in Dunedin. He has studied long and hard to reach this day and we were very proud of him. For his birthday and in celebration of this achievement we got him a kiddush cup.


Another celebration! 40 years of marriage - a good start!

John and Sara had a lot of fun putting together a basket of goodies for us. Since the 40th anniversary is the Ruby anniversary, they filled a basket with red things.

Of course I had to wind Karen up by calling this a hair brush.

Red meat - how appropriate.

Ruby rings.

Say what?

40 is red.

Bouncy toy - what fun!

Cafe Forte - and in a red package.

I love prezzies!

Graduation trip - Kings College Chapel

Kings College Chapel sounds like it should be a little place, but it rivaled Ely Cathedral in size and grandeur.

The stone work, as you can see, is impressive.

As are the stained glass windows.

But the ceiling was the most awesome part of all.

Graduation trip - Punting on the Cam

JF and Molly had boooked a Trinity College punt for us. Luckily the weather cooperated and we had a nice day for it. John was eager to try his hand at it and managed the boat like a pro.

The rest of us mostly went along for the ride.

I got my turn as well and was told I did all right. Karen doesn't look too sure, though.

Is it raining?

Graduation trip - Graduation Day

Although both Molly and JF completed their Master's degrees, JF's graduation is not until November. However, we celebrated both as we attended Molly's ceremony. It was certainly different from any graduation we'd seen before.

The happy graduate.

Graduate with Mom and Pop.

Now add the siblings who were there, John and Pete. Pete dwarf's us all.

We can't leave out Sara!

We did it! (Can't wait to get home)

I like the color of her hood.

Graduation trip - unplanned events

Cambridge had been having flooding the few weeks before our arrival, but this was the only rain we got while we were there. We passed these homes that were exploding with flowers and I couldn't resist taking a picture.

Well, maybe it did rain more than once after all. We went to The Orchard for a bite and it was too wet to sit outside. Lots of writers and poets used to gather here.

Harry Potter mania! Yes, we stood in line for a couple of hours to get some of the first books available. The big hoo-ha before the event was a big fizzle, but the size of the crowds was impressive. Each family bought a copy, so there was a bit of sharing around of the book. If you put a copy down, someone else was sure to pick it up. I was one of the last to finish (on the plane home) and Pete was one of the first (having read all night one night to beat John to the ending).

Karen dumped by an Ikia chair while trying to pick up the book from the floor. Those chairs were trecherous. The rounded front end was very slippery on the wood floors.

Karen's knees were increasingly painful, but she kept on going. Finally, however, they gave out when we were trying to get to the museum. JF and Molly set us up with this Cambridge version of a betchek. We didn't have very far to go, but the relief for Karen was immense.

Molly and JF in their favorite retreat in their flat - the bay window. I swear they are both part cat.

A very posh restaurant for a last family meal seemed to be the right thing to do.

Graduation trip - Ely Cathedral

Ely Cathedral was a wet day trip from Cambridge, but well worth the effort. Its size and checkered history through the various kings and switches between Catholic and Protestant influences was fascinating.

It didn't look that big from the outside, but inside ... it was HUGE!

It is also known for its stained glass. Not only are there windows with some of the oldest stained glass in existance, there is a gallery showing the history and development of stained glass.

Graduation trip - Cambridge

After Israel, England almost felt cool. Cambridge at last. We were nearing the purpose of our trip. Here are Pete, JF, and Molly on the main street leading from their flat into town.

Another street scene near there. Very picturesque.

Trinity College dining hall. They had to dress in robes for dinner here.

Churches and cathedrals everywhere we turned.

Peter's piece - which is what they call the parks. You probably can't see it without enlarging this picture, but there is a very long kite all across the sky.

The old and the new. Farmer's market near the centre of town.

Mostly our crew. John and Sara joined us the day after we arrived and we spent a good deal of time walking around town looking at the sights.

Graduation trip - Galilee

As a special treat, John and Sara had arranged for us to dirve up to Galilee and spend the night at a very nice Moroccan style resort. The sea of Galilee is BIG! The land around the southern end is very lush. It was quite hazy when we were there, so this photo doesn't do the area justice.

We had lunch at a large fish restaurant, then took a stroll by the lake.

When we arrived at the resort, it didn't take us long to succumb to the atmosphere and head for the spa and sauna.

The resort had a lot of wrought iron, white stucco, red tiles, and lounge chairs. I could just picture it as a setting for a Hercule Poirot movie.

Next day, we went to Safed and visited the artists quarter. Behind us are just a few of the many artists shops with paintings and carvings to sell. We restrained ourselves to only one picture.

We backtracked to Capernium. Karen wanted to visit it for her Mother. It is not a living city, but a collection of ruins with a monistary at its entrance and a shrine over what is left of the home of Peter.

These mosaics are roman and pre-date Christ.

A view of the synagogue ruins and some of the remaining foundations of the homes that made up the town.

More foundations of homes. I was amazed at how small the homes were and how narrow the streets were. Some were barely wide enough for two people.

We polished off the afternoon with a little R & R in the Sea of Galilee. The water was chilly, but the outside temperature made it feel great.