A River Runs Through It

You don't have to be smart to enter Cambridge. Just bring along your wallet.

Cambridge students are real lucky. The River Cam runs right through all the college grounds. When you go punting and sail down the river and under the bridges, it's really lovely. Punting is a popular part-time job for many students - you get to work out and earn some pocket money.

I don't mind such a picturesque part-time job. :)

I like the crunch of gravel under my feet. You could retrace the steps that C.S. Lewis took as he walked to his rooms at Magdalene College, or stand in the middle of the large courtyard at Christ College, where in Chariots of Fire, the Jew challenged the Christian to race around it as the clock strikes 12. Or walk over to King's College - the largest, richest college, which also boasts of a opulent chapel that was built by King Henry VIII.

Canterbury, while boasting of UNESCO sites such as Canterbury Cathedral and the remains of the wall, seemed to pale in comparison. You have to use a lot of imagination to visualise how a pile of rocks used to be a magnificent castle. But there are still some nice relics left - a tumbled down castle and the fort walls.

Over at the Corner Cafe in a quiet side street, I stumbled onto the nicest bangers and mash that I've ever eaten. It's really good - the mash was creamy and the sausages, nicely spiced. Run by a father and son team, the eatery sees many locals popping in for a quick bite.