Day Trippin to Cambridge

By Abby Wessman

After spending 11 days in London, I decided it was time to get out for the day and visit new ground in England. Oxford and Cambridge are both a quick and easy trip from the London Underground station and I’ve heard from both locals and tourists that you can do one or the other to get the gist of the towns. I chose Cambridge, leaving from Kings Cross tube station and arriving to the Cambridge station around noon. The train ride was very relaxing and I was able to take in some of the countryside and farmland from the window view. Once in Cambridge, I was lucky to find that every major site is within walking distance and very well marked. With only a few hours to spare, the tourist center staff suggested the best sites to see were The Kings College Chapel and the Fitwilliam Museum. The museum, like most museums in England, was free and open to the public. Within the museum at this time there was an exhibition from the Han royal treasures of China titled The Search for Immortality: Tomb reassures of Han China. This was part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad programming and very cool to see treasures such as jade costumes and other ancient treasures buried with the Han dynasty.

The chapel was a quick walk thru the university grounds that then lead out to the Rivers and Backs area of the city, where ‘punting’ was being offered on the river. For those who don’t know, punting is a form of travel along the river where the drive pushes a canoe using a long wooden stick. It’s very similar to a gondola ride in Italy and looked very relaxing for the riders! I was also able to squeeze in a quick bite from Christine’s Café, a walk to Clare College, Trinity College, the outdoor market and the major shopping center.

Posted by olympian on August 8, 2012 | Filed under: Olympics.