Hit the Road Jack

So its been awhile, you blogees.
This last month or so saw us in Paris, London and enjoying a visit from Susanne's cousins from Denmark. It also contained an event which I shall never forget.
First the trips and visits. Paris was spectacular. We arrived late Friday night after Susanne snuck away from work early, ready for a weekend in gay paree. You see, Susanne always told me that you always need an up-to-date passport, as you never know when someone might invite you to spend a weekend in Paris. Well I invited her, and she had the aforementioned passport ready for the challenge. The bus trip to luton airport was longer than expected but we had plenty of time at the incredibly exciting Luton airport. CDG airport in Paris was a breeze, as was the Metro (subway) downtown. We checked into our little hotel recommended by our french friend Arnaud, and set out immediately to find some good french wine. After a carafe of the house best at a neighbourhood bistro, we had a sleep and up to meet Susan Nelson, in town to see daughter Kate Nelson, Kate's babies and to celebrate Sue's birthday, all on the way to Egypt. Susanne, Sue and I had a lovely walk through the streets of Paris, winding our way around the Seine, down the picturesque market street called Mouffetard, saw the Pantheon and then to the Arc de Triomphe to meet John Nelson, Kate and babies for a further walk down the Champs-Elysees. The great walks that we took that weekend were also compliments of Arnaud.
That evening we did a birthday dinner at a wonderful restauant in a old train station (La Gare) near the Eiffel Tower. The next day, off to the Louvre, for a day of amazing art, another walk and a religious visit to Shakespeare and Co. before setting off back to London and home. The up-to-date passports worked as planned. The next trip was to London with Johnny and Annette from Denmark. After spending a few days seing the sites of Cambridge with them (formal hall at Darwin, college tours, a few pubs, good food and company), we set off to London, walking aroung Fleet Street, the Thames area, the Milenium bridge and finally touring the Tower bridge at dusk. After an afternoon pint, we slowly set off to Jamie Oliver's Restauant at Canary Wharf for some wonderful food, before heading back to Cambridge.

The final trip this month was back to London with my graduate law class to see the new Supreme Court building and Gray's Inn, one of the four tutelages where barristers are trained. We enjoyed a short talk by an amazingly easy-going English Chief Justice,a Privy Council case on appeal from Bermuda about conscription, a tour and lunch. Then an afternoon at two lovely old pubs again off of Fleet Street, and home.

Okay, you finally get to hear about the event.

The first big gig for our band happened yesterday. It was amazing.

Our two sets were:

First set

Hit the road Jack

Process of name Finding - original tune

Just a life - original tune

Don't stop me now - Queen

Teenage Kicks - The Undertones

Johnny B Goode

Second set

Sunshine of your love - Cream

Blues - original

Hedonism - Skunk Analie

Black horse - KT Tunstal

Piece of my Heart - Janis Joplin

Somebody to love - Jefferson Airplane

Long way to the top - AC/DC

Encore

Sweet Home Alabama - Lynard Skynard

Highway to hell - AC/DC

Starting at Don’t Stop Me Now, the crowd was on its feet, singing along, dancing, lighters lit, having a great time. By mid second set, we had a moge pit complete with body surfing. They went crazy from Janis Joplin on down. Not surprisingly, the Joplin song and Jefferson Airplane were my ideas to play. We played well, and have now been invited to perform at two college "May balls" as they call them. We may be asked to play in 2 more.

Life here is rich, with music, lectures and ideas filling my head everyday. Wow.

Classes this term were amazing both the ones part of my program and the ones that are available for free here. The free lectures have included a series on risk, and lectures on regulating international securities, traditional knowledge in patent medicines and the story of a convicted murderer freed on new DNA evidence. My new year's resolution this year was to go to every educational offering available, and I have done just that. We also attended a film conference dealing with the issue of mourning and lamentation in film. It was organized by our neighbours Anna Elsner, who has almost completed her PhD on Proust, and Richard Armstrong, a PhD film expert with a couple books on film already published (okay he is 50 years old, not in his 20s like most PhD students here - some as young as 21!).

My regular classes are even more enjoyable now that I am getting the hang of this academic stuff. Maybe my next blog entry that will happen when I am in the middle of my term review will contain some tidbits of knowledge that have come my way.

So tomorrow is the final week of Lent Term. Classes presenting new material are now mostly completed. A few new material classes and revision classes will be held during Easter term, which starts April 18. Until then, I have a month to finish the readings for lent term, take a few weeks off to enjoy the kids' visits and do a bit of travelling, then back to the books to study for exams end of May and early June. Other upcoming visits include Susanne's mother Elly, my parents for my graduation, brother and sister-in-law Steven and Karen, friends Glen and Sue from Montreal and friends Bruce and Judy from Cleveland.

Five months of our 10 month sojourn is in the books. Hard to believe that it is now more than half completed. Notwithstanding the experiences that I am having every day, I miss you all and I look forward coming home.