Cambridge

We arrived in Cambridge after a relatively short train ride, and walked to Alexis & Lou's flat to have a dinner with Josh's parents, Lou's mother, and the Gruner family from Germany, who the Kalderimis family had stayed with during their time in Germany quite a few years ago. They are such a lovely couple, and offered to host us if we make it up to Biberach during our travels through Germany. A lovely dinner and great conversation followed, and the night was spent at a Bed & Breakfast down the road, and our very sweet yet flustered host cooked us a breakfast which we enjoyed with the Gruners in the morning.

We ventured out into the streets of Cambridge while it was still sunny, and as it was open day for the colleges in the area, the cobblestone streets were swarming with people. Wandering through as tourists with cameras attached to us, we took in the gorgeous old buildings and quaint alleyways, before settling at a bar for a cider and then getting ready for the first part of the wedding at the registry office. The legal part of the proceedings, since the rest of the event was on the Sunday and at a college, this was a simple ceremony with family and friends.

After a meal at a local bar, we all rushed to the canal to make the last punting session of the day. Linking the boats together, except for one rouge boat headed by pirate Andrew, first mate Josh and captain Daniel further back down (Josh claims this was the best boat of all)... we toasted to the new couple with bubbly and strawberries, and coasted down the river with some experienced (and not so experienced) punters, before recounting the events of the week with Sophie, Marie and Simon at a corner bar on the canal.

That night the rain overtook the sun, and the outdoor ceremony scheduled for the afternoon looked as if it would be washed out. The contingency plan was a stack of white umbrellas, which proved to make a striking and picturesque setting for the pond-side affair. After a tour of Girton college where the ceremony was held, some tea and scones, and the cutting of the cake, the group retired to Felix Hotel for the rest of the evening. Josh, Sophie and I ended up at our own 'Exclusive Club' table for the dinner, as the rest of the guests on our table couldn't make it that evening. Three of us huddled to one side of huge round table, Josh and Sophie took advantage of the missing people by insisting to the waiting staff that their meals be left even though they weren't there... a few extra desserts later, a few bottles of wine later... we finished the evening with port and cheese and a number of guests from around the room visiting our 'Exclusive Club'.

The following morning, and the rain continued harder than ever. Catching a train back into London that afternoon, the weather still hadn't eased, dampening plans of a picnic in Hyde Park. This time the contingency plan resulted in a makeshift picnic on the floor of Daniel & Katherine's home, with more scones, wine, and other nibbles, before packing for the trip to France the next morning...