30,000 bikes in one town

Today's headlines

Kings College

The pub where Crick and Watson announced they had discovered
 the 'secret of life' after they had come up with
 their proposal for the structure of DNA 

Pembroke College

The mesmerising roof in King College Chapel

Kings College Chapel windows 

Punting with my new friend from Brazil

Trinity College

Bridge of Sighs

Bikes everywhere

Today’s opening statement in the morning paper is;

“Westminster descended into a farce yesterday as internal struggles left both Tories and Labour lacking leadership in the aftermath of Brexit. In other news England had a humiliating defeat to Iceland in Euro Cup”

Its still all go with everyone talking Brexit.  On the streets, in trains, in cafes.... everywhere.

My adventure today was a wonderful trip to Cambridge, a university town with a long history. There was too much to write about so here is a few impressions:

• 30,000 students per year, they are not allowed to have cars so that means a lot of pushbikes zooming around
• more nobel laureates than any other university 60+ so far, splitting the atom, DNA, penicillin, x-rays, jet engine the list goes on and on
• the end of year ceremony is conducted in latin, except for two sentences: switch off your mobiles and don’t take photos
• the end of year exploits are legendary (see end of this article - http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/13-cambridge-things-happened/story-24837114-detail/story.html)
• Kings College Chapel is the most impressive place, 100 years to build, 5 kings and 4 master masons, all perpendicular gothic the roof is mesmerising

I must share one story about a non descript house on Free School Lane. The guide stopped here because of the Aussies in the group. When is there not Aussies in a tour group I would like to know?  This is the house where Alice lived. When she was 9, a distant cousin came to visit. 

Alice’s mother asked him when are you going to marry? 

He said, alas no-one wants to marry me. 

Alice said, I will marry you (and was promptly ignored)

10 years later he returned to say goodbye as he was leaving for Australia.

Alice’s mother asked him when are you going to marry? 

He said, alas no-one wants to marry me. 

Alice said, I will marry you (and did)

They moved to Adelaide, his name was Charles Todd a pioneer who built the telegraph between Adelaide and Darwin and named Alice Springs after his wife. Now thats a good story. 

Thanks to Rick Steves clearing up the Oxford v's Cambridge debate and pointing me towards Cambridge as best for a day trip. My recipe for a perfect day is:

• walking tour to see the main sites 
• punting on the river for a different view point
• explore the Fitzwilliam museum with the handy highlights app