#3135
Oh, darlings! Today's blog post is all about Cambridge. It's been an absolute whirlwind of a journey, and, well, where else would Pink Tutu Sparkles go to see the sights? 😉 But let's rewind a little…
So, this past weekend, I swapped the lab for the lovely old city of Cambridge. You see, I've got a thing for beautiful old buildings and this one was full of them. The trip began as any of you regular readers might guess… by train, naturally! I love the feeling of the train rumbling along, carrying me further away from the mundane and closer to an adventure!
Cambridge Station itself was a dream come true, filled with vibrant hues of a rich, historic red brick, a splash of sunshine from the station cafe. What else could a girl want on a journey to an unknown land?
Now, this trip, my lovelies, was not all about seeing ancient buildings, although we will get to those in a moment. Oh, no! This was about one thing, and one thing only: ballet. This fair city hosted, yes hosted, the Cambridge International Ballet Festival! And Pink Tutu Sparkles just had to be there, don't you think?
We arrived with sunshine flooding through the windows of our lovely (pink, of course!) hotel and went straight to the festival. Let's just say the outfits! The sequins! Oh, the sequins were just stunning! You’d think every dancer had visited the same glitter-themed heaven on Earth, because oh my gosh, the sheer volume of sequins was enough to sparkle even the most dullest of evenings.
I'm telling you, these outfits were divine! Each dancer wore a tutu of a different shade of pink! Some had more pink, some less. You just can’t deny the magnificence of a twirling, dazzling pink tutu in a grand ballroom. It’s magic, I tell you, magic!
During the show, my dear darlings, I found myself quite enchanted. There were performances from talented young ballet dancers and veteran professionals from around the world! A mixture of traditional ballet with contemporary pieces.
The dancers told a story of joy, sorrow, wonder, all wrapped up in swirling movements, beautifully intricate routines and, of course, breathtaking tutus. Some were feathered, others embellished with glittering gems – truly a spectacle of creativity!
I think, for all the pink lovers in the audience (like myself), it was just heavenly. And if I had a crown (oh, how I wish I had a crown) I would have crowned every single performer for their dedication and grace.
Even with the incredible dance spectacle, you could see Cambridge just shining. It truly is a beautiful city! All the way back to our hotel I was reminiscing over all those cobbled streets and that gorgeous cathedral... It looked just like something from a movie set, almost too perfect to be real! And we haven’t even touched upon the River Cam or its graceful swans! (Seriously, they deserve a shoutout. Just swanning around on the most scenic waterways in the land... oh, to be a swan for a day, my darlings.)
We dined at a little local pub where they made a rather good cheese and onion pie… a perfect end to a spectacular day, don't you think? We, that is I, my manager, Brenda, and her lovely daughter who does my hair and makeup, had our favourite pub grub… Brenda has the same fondness for a decent fish and chips, I tell you…and, if we’re talking fish, I just had to get a pink themed fish dish to complete my day. Salmon with a pink sauce, if you please. Pink in colour, perfectly flavoured, simply divine!
By now it was late and we needed a good night’s sleep. I needed my energy replenished to be ready for another day in the charming and historic Cambridge. Now, where to find pink delights...
The following day was another whirlwind, and a slightly chilly one at that. Luckily I was kitted out with a pink faux fur cape - yes, it matches the pink tutu! (Pink goes with anything, honey, don’t even ask.) Brenda, of course, carried it everywhere to protect her delicate flower of a daughter. I’m not sure why she's quite so worried, as this old thing’s got more spirit in it than her - don’t tell Brenda I said that, I'm sure she’ll try and wrap me up in a quilt next time. But no worries, that won’t be stopping this little sparkle!
After a bit of sightseeing (and snapping some glamorous photos with Cambridge’s iconic buildings - watch out for the pictures, darlings, on my website www.pink-tutu.com!), it was time to visit the Fitzwilliam Museum.
Let’s just say, the Fitzwilliam is rather… amazing. Think breathtaking sculptures, priceless art, paintings galore! You name it, they’ve got it, with some beautiful historic buildings just for the museum itself. This one is my top pick of all the things I've seen today! There was this portrait, you see… the Lady was wearing an enormous pink dress and some absolutely gorgeous jewelry, a pink feather fan and even a little pink rose to boot! Naturally, I had to pose in front of her to see if the shade matched the tone of my pink tutu, and it almost did, but mine’s brighter! You can just tell by how the colours are represented in my photos - look out for the pictures!
Before our evening show (yes, there are two tonight!), Brenda was whisking me away for an English afternoon tea experience at this cute little hotel with pink flowers in the gardens! It was glorious. Finger sandwiches, tea cakes and lovely sweet treats… the real thing…and it didn’t even disappoint. Of course, we went straight for the little pink-topped cakes. So dainty. Brenda just can’t stop raving about how cute I am in my pink tutu sipping from this dainty porcelain teacup – it’s a big hit on her Instagram. And then I was off to perform a delightful ballet cabaret routine!
I guess what I love about ballet so much is the elegance, the grace, the energy. The joy of being so precise, and the incredible concentration, focus and, of course, strength! Oh my, to think of all those ballet moves, all of those grand jetés. They must practice and practice to be as good as they are. It’s an art form of dedication! And after the performance, it’s so rewarding! It’s just pure exhilaration to be in the heart of it all! It’s so special.
Then, after my show, we’re going to go and have another evening meal – it’s another restaurant that has pink furniture and decorations! Isn’t it crazy how every stop we make is somehow pink themed! You could say it was made for Pink Tutu Sparkles.
As I sit here, writing this blog from the train back home to Derbyshire, I can already feel a spark of nostalgia for my whirlwind visit to Cambridge! I just knew I’d be able to have some good, clean fun, make some new memories, and feel truly inspired by the amazing city of Cambridge and, of course, the brilliance of the International Ballet Festival!
There's just something so magical about these vibrant historical towns and cities that have so much history - just look at those buildings and how they’ve endured over the years… all those generations passing through… I feel so lucky to be part of their stories and to create new memories. The memories from my Cambridge adventure are something I know I’ll treasure. I don’t want this to be my only trip, I’ve already booked another! I need more inspiration to add to my pink tutu world, my pink-tinted vision.
So, I have to ask you darlings, what do you think is more wonderful: Cambridge or Ballet? Let me know in the comments below! Don't forget to check out my latest Instagram pictures and other blogs.
Now I’m just starting to relax, a day of travel and performances can take it out of you, but Pink Tutu Sparkles needs to be fresh and well rested to continue to bring you the magic of colour and style!
Until next time… stay pink, my darlings! 💖
