So today is Bank Holiday Monday, Whitsun holiday to be precise, and of course the rain has been coming down in stair rods. The big event of today here in Oxford is the Lord Mayors Parade, the first event in the year of the new mayor, actually its a Mayoress this year. For the full realistic feeling of the parade, you need to empty a few buckets of water over your head whilst standing in front of a wind machine.

In the past I have taken part in the parade, the Ice Hockey club had a float for 2 years, a good excuse to dress up and drink beer, one year the theme was childrens stories so we went as Babes In The Wood, you really dont want to see those pics of me in a nappy! This year there were no floats, just a few tree huggers on foot and some people banging drums. The weather was terrible, pouring rain and a driving wind, but hey, this is where us Brits excell. Never mind that they were getting soaked, and never mind that noone seemed to give a shit that the parade was hsppening, they still marched on in their make up and costumes to Hinksey Park where a quagmire of mud awaitied them.

It was a lot different from the Santa Cruz Carnaval, with its lavish costumes, and through the night music and dancing. I did feel quite proud to be British, who else would subject themselves to this soaking parade, and all for the sake of charity.

So what does a boy do on a day like this, stay at home with my parents watching The Railway Children or The Great Escape? I don’t think so. There is a teeming city of pubs and  its my mission to explore them and check out the real ale on offer. Yesterday I went on a crawl with a few mates, we discussed the works of Shakespeare, the political system in Russia and the meaning of life in general, over a few cold lemonades and a fruit scone or 2, well something like that. Onward ever onward.Â