Un Bel Di: Botanic Garden, then Punting, Followed by Dinner at Hall

To celebrate the continued sun spell, we went to the University of Cambridge Botanic Garden. Immediately afterwards we went punting towards Grantchester, but only made it about a quarter of the way due to punting-skills issues. Exhausted from the hard work, we had dinner at Peterhouse. Pleasantly tired from a full day, I fell asleep with a smile on our face, despite the inadvertent foot injury acquired from punting (Who gets foot injuries from punting?! Wait, I do.)

Here are some images of shoots and budding plants at the Botanic Garden. Blessed with yet another sunny day (something's certainly not right...it has not rained for days here!), the offerings of the Garden were vivid and spectacular. Redolent with the green scent of abundant plant life, and the sweetness of flowers, the Garden smelled of summer. Perhaps this may be the spectre of global warming rearing its ugly head in early spring, but it was tremendous nonetheless.

Young, the leaves glow red.

With a shoot, life launches from

the fingers of trees.

~Kelvin, channeling his Sage Aspect

The day also smelled like allergies. It literally brought tears to my eyes.

If only we could look everywhere at the same time -- so much beauty to take in at every living moment. Left to Right: Nicole, Ania, Michelle.

Under the tree, they gathered.

Left to Right: Ania, Dan's kids, Andy, Olivier, Dan.

Ania couldn't stop snapping pictures, too.

Olivier's camera battery died, but he didn't seem too upset.

One of my favorites: dead, shriveled leaves. But if you looked closely...

...it is actually quite alive. This plant likens a phoenix, rising from its ashes.

A study of dead plant debris in the Garden.

Andy and Dan engaged in an interesting conversation.

Positively the hairiest flower I've seen.

Cantabrigians herding through the Garden.

Left: Alex, Dan, Michelle, Erik, Dan's baby.

You say "ladybird", I say "ladybug."

(notice the British placement of the comma and the American placement of the period)

Olivier and Andy hanging out on what we initially though was an island.

It turned out to be merely a visual illusion, and a feat of landscaping: it was a delta.

This little gosling got separated from its parents.

The magnolias blossomed in full glory.

Almost a Georgia O'Keefe.

Pansies reaching for the sun.

Very red...something-flowers.

This succulent afforded an interesting perspective.

In full blossom, this.

Plants, glorification of 

vernal resplendence.

~Kelvin, incidental haiku dabbler.

This plant looks like a pin cushion stuck with flower needles.

A closer look at the "flower needles" of the pin cushion plant.

These almost look like alien-pods.

Apparently, this is a real plant. I did not touch it to verify this fact, 

but will take the word of the Botanic Garden that it is real.

Yet another orange explosion.

This bee's colony did not collapse, phew.

Name the algorithm that maps out the curvature of this tendril.

Tremendous tropical-green-flower-claws.

A lazy cat snoozing in the tropical plants section.

Venus fly traps!

This Sun Dew "ate" really well.

That cactus looks more like snakes or a bunch of tails?

Nicole and Andy beam in the sun.

Erik in his usual torpid state.

From the Botanic Garden, we walked to Scudmore's by Peterhouse, where we hired two punts.

Nicole gives it a go, first.

Left to Right: Michelle, Andy, Olivier, Nicole.

In my punt, plenty of nervous laughter.

Left to Right: Alex, Dan, Matthew.

I think we're about to hit another punt.

Michelle gave it a go. Olivier also thought it a good idea.

Discussing the finer points of punting?

Taking a break at the bank, we had cheese and grapes. 

There was also bread and nutella, and miscellaneous baked sweets.

It's my turn to punt.

Shaky start.

Eventually, we made it back to Scudmore's. While I was navigating, we crashed into no fewer than 4 trees, nearly got knocked off the boat from the stick getting stuck in the mud, and actually fell INTO the boat (phew!) right as I was trying to dock the punt at Scudmore's. This is how I acquired a bruised foot.

This is how the professionals do it -- 4 punts at the same time.

A view from the Granta pub, where we relaxed after the intense workout from punting.

It was dinner time, and we walked back to Peterhouse, 

where we realized that we were in the presence of an incidental Fellow.

(Of course she had no idea that only Fellows get to walk on the grass!)

The remains of the day, captured in Grisborne Court, Peterhouse, Cambridge.

Too tired to bother with cooking, we dined in Hall. I had lamb with cheesey cauliflower and Peterhouse "roasted" potatoes (they are more likely to be fried). Exhausted, I fell right asleep after dinner.