Just found this - Salisbury Cathedral

Jeff Koon's puppy dripped on me (and now I can't get the stain out of my shirt)

I am sitting in the residences of the University of Onati, Spain. The University dates back to medieval times, and is believed to have been the first one on the Iberian peninsula. The University building is stunning, and the residential complex no less so. It's a beautiful space to sit and reflect. Onati is cradled between sharp hills, so wherever you walk there are views up to the peaks. There is much still of the medieval and renaissance periods around this part of the town.

Before coming here we landed in Bilbao, a city we love, engaged with the present, conscious of its past, and energised by the Guggenheim and the many other galleries - I watched as two old men stood in front of a piece of modernist sculpture and discussed it - I have no idea what they were saying, but they were really into it, gesturing at the sculpture and then at the surrounds, to each other and back to the statue.

Land's End to John o' Groats - Day 0

We made it! Not without a few tears, blisters and of course some rain, but it was glorious!

What a trip - up the length of the UK, taking in the great and the gaudy along the way. This is a popular cycle for many Britons and overseas cyclists, some see it as a challenge - the record is something like 1 day 19 hours or something ridiculous - we were more keen to do something challenging, take in some of the parts of the UK we had not seen, and to bid a fond adieu to our home for the last 8 months in style.

Day 0

From the start it was a wondrous journey - the small roads from Penzance where we left the train to Land's End to start our journey proper were magical -old forested glades, very steep but lush, full of wildflowers and the rustle of life - we arrived in Land's End and took our photos in front of the tacky signs, just before we ventured into the Land's End amusement park - here is one of the most beautiful, remote parts of the UK, and it boasts a Dr Who experience, an aquarium, a ride to the centre of the earth, and a fake helicopter ride too. 

Luckily, we were there after closing time, and had the place to ourselves apart from some teenagers getting quietly drunk and the lovely bar tender who filled our bottles, sympathising with us about the incredibly hot weather. Actually, after the amusement park, the actual promontory becomes peaceful again, free of crowds having their pictures taken with the sign pointing to home (for 5 pounds!), free of people posting letters in 'the last letter box', and it's just rolling hills, cliffs, and sea rocks, and the sun close to setting made it kind of wondrous.

Then we peddaled the few miles to our hostel, outside the little village of St Just, and discovered that most of the 3000 other people who do this each year were there too. Alright, a slight exageration, but there were 5 or 6 groups of people, also setting out, excited and resolute, and in one case already quite sunburnt (the English appear pathologically disinclined to believe that their sunshine will hurt them, and therefore to take any kind of remedial action). We sat outside and chatted, discussed the pros and cons of different routes, the minutiae of panniers, map covers, etc as the sun became a glowing carmine ball and sank into the sea.

Day 8 of lands end to john o groats

Well, here we are about to go through the lakes district, halfway there.

It's been so spectacular, we've seen parts of england and wales we never wuld have seen otherwise. Highlights - cornwall coast, exmoor, and tintern abbey. rained out yesterday, but looking a bit better today. love to everyone as the timer runs out.
S+P