Tag Archives: Ravi Kanbur

Inverness at the Hossack institute

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We had arrived in Inverness, parked the van in the hotel carpark, and so went to check in.  Ravi was there with his American friend Roberta and they waited for us to dump our stuff in the room. We were going over to the Hossack institute for a hog roast, by way of the Nip Inn for a quick pint of beer. The pub was so chosen as a favourite of Hughie’s (Maggie’s dad).

The Hossack Institute, is near to Madras Road and India Road.  Maggie was there, and so were the rest of her family.  We were shown around the renovated building and the additional land surrounding the building.  There had been much work renovating the building.  Hog roast was served with salads, beer and wine & rounded off with cheesecake.. There was a rehearsal of bagpipe playing in the garden.  This was played by a Dutch man, a friend of Gordon Hossack, brother of Maggie who was going to have his ashes scattered on Monday

Afterwards we went back to the hotel and rested until dinner at 7.00 where we sat at a table with Ravi and Roberta.

 

9th October

After breakfast, we were ferried (by taxi) down to the end of Kessock Road where Gordon’s ashes and flowers had been placed awaiting the tide to wash them away to Holland.  Bagpipes were played and Tomatin single malt whisky was drunk from a quaich and thrown to the wind.

We walked back to the institute for lunch, by way of Carnac Point.  The afternoon was our own where we visited shops and Inverness Castle.

The evening was a Ceilidh and buffet.  Lots of photographs and videos taken of the event.  Pipe music and speeches made, the dancing started. Beer and several whiskies were drunk. True to Blasdale tradition we were one of the last to leave.

 

 

Clare College

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Rosemary and I were invited by Ravi for a meal at Clare College, Cambridge University, where Ravi is a Fellow. On the way to Ely we stopped of at the Emmaus shop which solid “preloved” furniture and goods, where we ate a quick snack lunch.  We checked into the hotel in Ely and walked around the city.  It was Ely Eel festival.  I managed to grab a couple of pints, avoided the eels and listened to a band which was playing outside the Poets House Hotel. Quick change of clothes before meeting up with Ravi to catch the train into Cambridge where we had a preprandial drink at The Eagle.  Quick walk to Clare College where we were to eat at 19.30 in the dining room.  

Today there were no senior fellows in attendance, so Ravi had to host the three MCR members who were also eating at the top table.  The three post graduates were from Germany, Holland and Sheffield.  We chatted over sherry before being summoned to dinner.  We walked through the dining room past the undergraduates and positioned ourselves at the head table.   Ravi read grace, and then we sat and were served dinner.  After dinner was complete, the waitress (college servant) brought a small gong for Ravi to sound.  He duly sounded the gong, dinner was now over and we and the undergraduates could now leave.

After dinner we retired to the SCR and drank some postprandial drinks.  After everyone left we posed for some photographs and left for Ely by taxi.  As we walked to the taxi, we saw the three post graduates  outside in the Clare College court chatting amongst themselves.   Wonder what they were talking about.

The next day we ate breakfast at Poets House Hotel with Ravi who came to join us.  We had a small wander around Ely, visiting the antique centre by the river, before picking up the car and driving back home.