Craig Online

CNY lunch at the Peking (easily best Chinese food in Cambridge in my opinion). Getting there of course was a serious pain due to ongoing roadworks in Cambridge - I often think "Shouldn't Cambridge be twinned with Beirut ?". They are doing lots of roadworks over a bridge to support a guided bus route (that name sounds like something for old people doesn't it ?). Of course it's a typical Cambridge improvement designed to make it easy for people who have elected to live out of the city to get into the city. Of course we could have trams or some form of aesthetically pleasing transport (that would befit a city like Cambridge)- but instead we have buses !- quite frankly the most awful form of transport (aside from a coach). 

I must confess I'd love to visit the homes of the people who sit on the planning department in Cambridge. If their houses are anything like new developments in the city they allow, then they really must be awful and with no taste. I imagine there to be lots of purple carpets, faux fur, faux leather, large statues outside their houses, maybe a bottle of Malibu in the (MFI) drinks cabinet. Cambridge has some really nice scenery (and the colleges are very nice to look at). However, lots of areas built in the past 20 or so years are terrible looking and look like something drawn by a (hyperactive) child with crayons

After some cursing and swearing got to the Peking. Few minutes later the usual 2 Cambridge families came in (with 2.4 children etc.). Of course the obligatory 'chopsticks as drumsticks' happened - so I had to sit and listen to two young children play a rendition (of nothing) for a few minutes. I did feel like stepping over to table and indicating to the family that their children had no musical talent. Got me thinking though: I can eat in London with children around without any disruptions, but in Cambridge it's always an issue. Well, I guess people in big cities have to behave themselves more. Few minutes later a group of 4 teenagers walked in (probably thought it would be a novelty eating Chinese on CNY). They walked out a few minutes after that as I guess Lemon Chicken wasn't on the menu. Notice I don't use Chicken Curry as a derogatory dish in Chinese Restaurants since it is actually a favourite dish of mine :(.

Thankfully parking wasn't too bad. Got to the lift to be met with the following:::

Well, if I was in charge of procurement at the 'Grand' Arcade I'd be asking for money back. Of course given it's the UK I doubt anyone who services lifts works on a Sunday (probably just on emergency in case someone gets stuck in the lift). Unbelievable. It did get me thinking though - how can you have all these disabled parking spaces, but not actually have a lift to service them ?

Had to get my jacket arms adjusted. Took it into the shop I bought it from, thinking that they were best placed to do it. Dumb ! I immediately got the question 'how much do you want it taken up  by', to which my reply was 'well can you suggest'. Of course I received a blank look - apparently they had never had a request for a jacket to be adjusted before ! Next time I wander round Cambridge I'll need to look at peoples' sleeves - they must all be too long (or maybe the breeding results in a standard length of arm for Cambridge ?). Is Cambridge a sartorial desert as well as a culinary one ? 

Drinks in Revolution later. Don't really like the place very much (Aberdeen one is really good. Cambridge one is soulless ). Was pretty surprised when I asked for a Scotch and Soda and had to tell the 'bartender' how to make it (a world first). 

Watching new year celebrations on Phoenix TV. Entertaining - bit like the royal variety performance (currently there's the Chinese Morecambe and Wise on). Much better that the normal Phoenix TV, which typically is one of the following:

Sadly Big Brother, X-Factor, Dancing with Ice, I'm a Celebrity, and other such classics haven't made it way to China yet (no sarcasm whatsoever implied).