Visited the 2 university towns recently. 

They are both gorgeous, but have to say I like Cambridge much more than Oxford.  It is more tranquil yet lively, small yet grand.  Especially fell in love with Trinity College and St. John's at Cambridge.  It was almost like walking through a medieval elegantly decorated courthouse where you can feel history in every stone.

 

I just find Oxford less attractive, as each college looks similar.  That is of course, excluding the Radcliffe Tower and Oxford's St. Mary which you can climb up whirling staircase (only 1 so you really have to squeeze in when people are coming down and you up) with no hand rails but series of rope, but offer an amazing 360 degree view of the whole of Oxford when you reach the top and All Souls' College which looks as grand as Trinity from above.  (College names can get confusing as both universities can have same College names, eg, both St.Mary or Queens at Oxford and Cambridge.... shows the 'Tradition' of british ppl, eh?)

 

Both universities have long lists of famous ppl.  My favourite (and aim of visit) was Oxford's Merton College where J.R.R. Tolkien taught and wrote the Lord of the Rings (got to see the garden described as hobbits' hole) and Cambridge's Trinity College where Newton sat under his infamous apple tree.  In Oxford, also home to author of Alice in Wonderland, walked along to see the tree where the rabbit hole where that little Time constrained rabbit (aren't we all) jumps out too.  In Cambridge, the gardens and tree are picture perfect for autumn.  Lining trees, slightly bending, creating a covering for walkways.  Leaves turning a bit orange and red here and there.  A British colleague told me that Trinity College produces more Nobel Prize winners than France and is the second biggest land owner in the UK.  WoW! It's definitely some thing to be proud of, seriously, not least if the colleague was a Cambridge alumni.

 

Well, personal verdict is that I like Trinity.  (College not the girl in the Matrix) Khun Anand Punyarachoon is an alumni of Trinity.  Good luck to my cousin to get in!!!  and good punting!

Been spoiling myself again with various sweets and cakes, including Paul's creamy strawberry cake which topped with almond/green sugar glazing adds a sugary crunch to the sponge cake and Marks&Spencer's whipped cream layered in crisp millefille-like puff.  I usually find fresh blueberries quite sour, but when eating in combination with cream and strawberry, they are just sharp and fragrant.  Excuse is that i'll be leaving London soon to go back to Bangkok, so have to savour all the goodies at hand! (YOu could argue that's just an excuse..... well, they REally ARE just that!!! )

 

And to end with Pierre Marcolini's chocolates which are so rich you could only eat 2 or max 3 pieces a day.  Got them from Brussels when the Belgian are famed for their chocolatier and Marcolini is supposedly the best.  They are truely gorgeous things.  Never had a better chocolate.  Marcolini has branches in London, Tokyo, Malmo and NY too and sell at 2, 3, 3, and 5 times as expensive as Brussels (which was already expensive.... at EUR 60 per kg!!!)  Worth every penny though.

 

Bon appetite!