Hi back again,
I am actually in France having flown into Switzerland today to start my 2 week walk around Mt Blanc.
But I am going to tell you about my 6 days back in the UK.
I froze most of the time after the heatwave we had in the Balkans.
I thought Cambridge was good but Oxford was even better!
I walked all over Cambridge, along the canal with lots of barges, along the backs of the Colleges where they were doing punting
I went to Kings College which was impressive and saw old churches of course, and the Uni's botanic garden which Charles Darwin's mentor started.
Then I had a pleasant surprise , going to the local Fitzwilliam Museum ( yes again even tho I had just been to Athens!!!)
It is full of treasures found by and given to old pupils, who are very famous/rich/influential etc.
It is world class standard with wonderful explanations etc.
Great!
Then I cross countried by bus to Oxford, a very scenic route.
I dropped my bag at the lodgings and got the bus to Blenheim Palace with 30 secs to spare. A double decker too! We went along tiny roads that I freaked about in my tiny hire car!
it was marvelous, both the building and the gardens who were designed by Capibility Brown.
the place was given to the Churchill guy after he won a war against the French in Bavaria by Queen Ann.The place name has been corrupted to Blenheim. The guy got an earldom then a dukedom as Duke of Marlborough. He only lived there ;2 yrs then died.As there were no kids it went to a distant family member- a Spencer and it is only 3 generations ago that they got permission to add Churchill back in the name.
The next day I did a tour of Oxford then saw 6 Colleges and lots of old famous buildings. Great place.
I found out there is only 1 uni there but 23 ( I think) Colleges , some more prestigious than others were students live, eat and see their tutors but they all belong to the same uni.
I got a fast train back to London, bought a Eurostar ticket to Paris , wandered thru posh areas on the way to Kensington Park and the Palace.
I then picked my bag up that I'd left a month earlier , repacked and then went to The Phantom of the Opera !!!
Fabulous! So I've been to 2 shows now in London!!
Then off early to Heathrow and Geneva.
Next blog for my Tour Mt Blanc travels.
Carol