Its a rest day today so after breakfast we head to the local laundry to do our washing.   Gill offers to hang around for the drying cycle so I head off to have a day away from the rest of the touring party.   Its only a 10 minute walk to the train station and 5 pounds gets me a return ticket to Coventry.

After the obligatory morning coffee, its off to visit the statue of Lady Godiva . Lady Godiva, was an 11th-century Anglo-Saxon noblewoman, the wife of Leofric, Earl of Mercia.
The legend of the nude ride is first recorded in the 13th century. According to the typical version of the story, Lady Godiva took pity on the people of Coventry, who were suffering grievously under her husband's oppressive taxation. Lady Godiva appealed again and again to her husband, who obstinately refused to remit the tolls. At last, weary of her entreaties, he said he would grant her request if she would strip naked and ride through the streets of the town. Lady Godiva took him at his word and, after issuing a proclamation that all persons should stay indoors and shut their windows, she rode through the town, clothed only in her long hair.
Just one person in the town, a tailor ever afterwards known as Peeping Tom, disobeyed her proclamation in one of the most famous instances of voyeurism. In the story, Tom bores a hole in his shutters so that he might see Godiva pass, and is struck blind.
In the end, Godiva's husband keeps his word and abolishes the onerous taxes .

Next stop is the haunting ruins of Coventry Cathedral (also known as St Michael's Cathedral). St Michael's Church was largely constructed between the late 14th century and early 15th century.
It was one of the largest parish churches in England and in 1918 was elevated to cathedral status. This St Michael's Cathedral now stands ruined, bombed almost to destruction during the Coventry Blitz on 14 November 1940 by the German Luftwaffe. Only the tower, spire, the outer wall and the bronze effigy and tomb of its first bishop, Huyshe Wolcott Yeatman-Biggs, survived.
The ruins of this older cathedral remain hallowed ground and are listed at Grade I.   Following the bombing of the medieval cathedral in 1940, Provost Howard had the words "Father Forgive" inscribed on the wall behind the altar of the ruined building. The spire rises to 90 m and is the tallest structure in the city.

I then had a wander through the Coventry Transport Museum . Cars aren't generally my thing but the old vehicles, including cycles of various ages, are quite interesting and I have a few photos for the benefit of the motor-heads back at work.   A quiet ale in a sidewalk pub and then its time to head back to the train station. Thirty-five minutes until my train comes - what to do? Oh, OK, lets have another pint.   Arriving back at Leamington Spa station I notice that the Grand Union Canal runs almost alongside, so I spend a relaxing half-hour walking along and checking out some of the narrowboats moored alongside or weaving their way along the canal.

Meetiung up with the others back at the Angel, its a quick change of shirt and the Queenslanders are joined by Bob and Lorraine for a walk down to the Jugs & Jester where I have a good old English staple - fish & chips.   Oh, and did I mention another pint.   An early night beckons as we now have three games in a row before we move base to Staffordshire......and we are down to 13 players in the squad.