Snow Day

Cambridge was transformed into a winter wonderland today. My amateur meteorologist reading would say it was about three to four inches of snow. I did what most any mature adult would do, grab my camera and snow boots and run out the door. Since I rarely see such large amounts of this white fluffy substance, I was overjoyed at just standing in a snow covered park as weightless flakes frosted my hair and eyelashes.

Even as a foreigner, I found that the simple joys of fresh fallen snow will unite people across any conceivable social barrier. Suddenly the stiff, all business looking gentlemen and the purpose driven student were found sauntering through the frosted streets with a half quizzical smile on their faces. Mothers with rosy cheeked children, old men walking their gleeful little dogs, young school boys rolling up massive snowmen almost became a more common sight than snow.

The night before, when we discovered freshly falling snow, several of our bravest (or stupidest) guys decided to sled off the side of Castle Hill. I tagged along to document and in case of emergency. Castle Hill is a thirteenth century monument left by the Romans during their occupation of Cambridge. Today it is simply a very tall random steep hill, and that night, it was the perfect place to sled. From the top, it looked like a thirty foot drop to the snowy lawn with a narrow gateway formed by the metal sign and a tree.

When we arrived, we realized that we weren’t alone. Tons of other students were sledding down its vertical slopes with anything from pots and pan to plastic windshields. The most peculiar sight was to see girls in skirts and tights, trying to gracefully sled (or more like tumble) down the hill.

I must confess that after watching John and Dave dive down the slopes a few times, I put down my camera, grabbed a trash bag, and went for it. After that night I was thoroughly cold and missing another button from my coat, but quite satisfied.