The light blue city - 19th June

Tuesday 19th June 2018
Cambridge

First I have to go back to 10pm last night when we were just starting to get ready for bed when the world around us exploded!

A great display but poor Monty was not impressed.  It was not the quietest of moorings, but we were better placed than nb Meredith who we shared the lock with yesterday - they were a bit further along and had noisy heavy drinkers right outside their boat.  I gather one was still asleep on the grass this morning.

First job of the day - exhaust a dog

We then set off to catch the open top bus - the nearest stop is on the road above where we are moored. Having started off really sunny it clouded over, so we opted for seats upstairs right at the front of the bus.  That is covered and although any photos had to be taken through the glass it was actually a very good view.  I did the circuit again late afternoon and was sat in the open part - the front was better.  Photos were hard to get as the roads were very bumpy.  It is certainly a good way to see the city and to learn some facts and figures. 

Here are a few which I hope are correct - if not please blame the city bus tours!

The normal criteria for a place to be given city status is that they have to have a cathedral - Cambridge doesn't.  George VI awarded them city status in 1951 due to the University. 

There are 31 colleges, 26 of which have "college" in their names.

The railway station is 1.5 miles from the city centre.  It was built in 1845 and the University was opposed to it as they felt it might tempt the students to travel to the fleshpots of London.  The University had their own police (Bulldogs) and they could arrest any student found at the station.  There is only one platform (1650 foot long), so there would only be one entrance to the station. 

Today students are not allowed to keep cars within 5 miles of the city centre - a sensible rule in my book.  Just watch out for bikes, bikes and more bikes!

I did manage a few pictures that were not too bumpy

King's College Chapel

 The furthest point the bus goes to is the American Cemetery out at Maddingley.  We have visited in the past, so we stayed on for the trip back to the city.

There is an annual student race along King Street.  The rules are simple - they have to drink a pint in each pub as fast as possible.  The winner is the first one to get to the last pub without relieving himself in any way.  A lot of them are crawling by the end, hence the term pub crawl.  It is easier than it used to be as there are only five pubs now - at one time there were twelve.

Spotted towards the end of our bus trip

There was a lot more - too much to journal.  Suffice it to say it was worth doing and gave us a feel for the city.

Obviously all the University Colleges form a major part of the city, but it would not be Cambridge without bikes

and punts

 

Standing on the platform to punt is the 'Cambridge' way

This lady must be from 'the other place' as they stand inside in Oxford.  Mind you I don't blame her as I am sure she felt a lot safer!

Very many years ago we attended a wedding in Cambridge and six of us took a 'self punt trip'.  We were a lot younger and fitter then.  Had we intended taking a trip today it would have been a 'chauffeur driven' one.  The only chap in a boater would have got my custom.

It was a great day and definitely worth the trip.