CAMBRIDGE - Friday Jan. 20

It was the most beautiful day in Cambridge! Aleks and I stayed at the youth hostel which was a good 20 minute walk from the town centre. We bought a little whistle-stop tour hand guide. It was exactly what we wanted, highlighting all the interesting places with a blurb about them, and put it on a easy to read map course that you just follow. I LOVE THIS TOWN! The style of the students was so casual and easy-going, completely opposite from that of the too trendy Leeds. There was a cute market in the centre, an abundance of coffee shops and a beautiful river running through the backs of the colleges among other things. The atmosphere was great! Aleks fell in love with it too and was kicking herself why she didn't apply to Cambridge.
The colleges (just like Oxford and Toronto) were completely separate in their little grounds, each with a palace-like court. I honestly had to keep reminding myself I was at a University and Kings, Queens, and courtiers did NOT wander about here in the old days. We walked behind the colleges in what is called "the Backs" where there's large green fields and a winding river running through. Teams were playing frisbee or some other kind of sport on them. It reminded me of old time University movies like "School Ties." The one Sarah really loves because Matt Damon is in it. Cambridge was exactly how I imagined it to be! LOVELY! We ended up at the museum (free!) but only had an hour so I didn't see much. It didn't learn much either, because none of the paintings had a synopsis, therefore I had no idea was I was looking at. I like reading about the painting or else it is kind of boring for me.

King's College Chapel. I forget why this is so important. We didn't go in because it cost money, but it was one of the loveliest churches in England for some reason. I think maybe because it has the most stained glass windows...as you can see in the picture, they run ceiling to floor!
Trinity College. King Henry XIII (8th) built this college to out do all the others. He definitely did that. He died before it was complete, so it's not like he lived here, but it was most palace like and drool-worthy. I loved it!
A view from "the backs". As you can see, very nice indeed! I know I use a lot of different words to describe beautiful, but I suppose that's all I take pictures of and want to remember. I really did like Cambridge, so there's not a lot of bad things to say. That, or I just can't remember them. I am writing this quite later and forget A LOT. No funny stories, no witty remarks...we just were in and out of there. No pubs or nightclubs either, so we didn't get the "whole" experience, but enough to know it was definitely worthwhile to visit.


OMG, and I thought Oxford had a lot of bikes! Mind you I wasn't there during term time, but at Cambridge we were dodging bikes every 2 minutes! I can't imagine living in Amsterdam, it's a safety hazard all those bikes whizzing by. lol.
the river with a punting boat (like gondalas in Venice). Lots and lots of them!