Cambridge couldn’t have been a better idea for a weekend getaway. It’s about an hour’s train ride from London, a place I had yet to visit, and all I needed was a pair of trainers, return tickets and a hotel reservation because, frankly, there isn’t much to do in a town overpopulated by students — albeit elites from one of the best universities in the world.
Don’t get me wrong, the buildings, the parks and the gardens are ravishing. It is a beautiful and relatively idyllic place compared to London, but set alongside Oxford, York and some other places in the UK, it lacks activities and points of interest — which, by the way, was precisely what I was looking for.
The main aim of this two-day, one-night trip was to have a change of scene, recharge, and reconnect with a bit of greenery. No prize for guessing that the trip ended with three big fat ticks for all of these. I managed to explore a few college courts, visit the local market, stroll along the River Cam, “observe” punting, enjoy a pint (or two), and eat to my heart’s content.
In fact, the University of Cambridge was formed by scholars from the University of Oxford following a disagreement with the locals.
Despite the relocation, the conflict between Town and Gown continued throughout the 13th and 14th centuries, largely due to the dissatisfaction of the townspeople, who found the students too much of a nuisance. On the other hand, the townspeople were often accused of overcharging for rents and goods. Until the King’s intervention, there had always been tension between the two.
^ A man singing and playing the guitar out of a bin. I wonder what Simon Cowell would think.
The best part of this trip was a slow dinner in a local pub, followed by a walk back to the hotel and drifting into a sound, restful sleep… only to wake up to soft beams of sunlight and a hearty brunch just a lift ride away.
I’m currently (still) in the Netherlands and will be returning to London tomorrow. Back to work again on Monday, and I shall push myself to blog more in the coming weeks.
Have a great weekend!
With love x