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.

Graduation trip - Out & about Jerusalem

For our next few nights in Jerusalem, we moved into a youth hostel that John and Sara had gotten for us. Her family was having a bit of a reunion, so her Mom's house was overflowing with people. The rooms were nice and private, but I felt like I was back at the dormitory at Phillips University.

Our room was on the top floor and in a wing away from most of the kids. The view from the balcony outside our room was impressive, as you can see. Most of the kids were between 16 and 20 and were there for the Birthright program. They come from all over the world to visit Israel and learn about their homeland and history. It was sort of like summer camp with many of them carrying musical instruments. The only difference was that some of them were also carrying rifles.

Here we are waiting outside the hostel for John and Sara to pick us up for dinner at her Mom's.

We were fortunate to be invited to participate in the family celebration of Shabbat. Everyone had fun and the little girls competed with each other to see who could be the cutest, while the adults competed with their cameras. Sara's mother, Simcha, is a very gracious woman and together with her family were lovely hosts.



We took some time the next morning to do some retail therapy in Old Jerusalem with John and Sara. This being Saturday, only the Moslem shops were open, but there were still plenty of places to shop.

On our way out of Jerusalem to visit the Dead Sea, we passed several places where Bedouins were living. They are nomads, so their homes are temporary, but apparently, they may stay in the same place for years. More like squatters, really.

Notice the caves up the side of the hill. The place was full of them. This was Qumran, where they found the Dead Sea scrolls.

The Dead Sea was pretty desolate, except for this resort-like area that was a swimming beach. It was HOT. We were far enough below sea level that even the whitest person would not get sunburned. The water felt oily and several people were covered in mud, which is supposed to be good for you.

We skipped the mud treatment and settled for just getting our feet wet.

Luckily, there was a local oasis near there where we stopped for something cool on our way back to Jerusalem, where the climate was much more pleasant