Playing Tourist in Cambridge

The number one touristy thing to do in Cambridge is going punting. We've been saving it up for when we had visitors. Now that Mom and Dad are here we could finally try it out.

Punts are flat boats, harder to tip over than a kayak or canoe, pushed along the river with a long pole. The one person who sometimes falls in is the punter, so we took a tour instead of trying it ourselves.

The tour goes along The Backs - through the backs of some of the oldest colleges of Cambridge. There's a lot of views of bridges and college grounds that you can't easily see without being a student.

Our pictures don't quite do justice to the beauty of the colleges and the river. It's a fun experience if you ever find yourself in Cambridge.

Another Cambridge tourist site I've been saving up is going to the American Cemetery. It might sound like a little of an odd thing to do on a vacation. It's so nice though. The land was a gift to America from Cambridge University after World War II. There's interesting displays, a wall memorializing unrecovered fallen soldiers, a museum about American soldiers in World War II, and of course graves for fallen soldiers. Everything is really well done and nicely presented.

I don't think you can read the marker in my picture. It says, "Here Rests in Honored Glory a Comrade in Arms Known But to God." I would definitely recommend making the time to see the American Cemetery in Cambridge.

Another day Mom, Dad and I took the train to Ely to see the cathedral, have a nice little lunch and visit Oliver Cromwell's home. If I could only remember even half of all the history I've read since I've been here, I could be the world's most boring dinner guest by the time I get home. I still might be the world's most boring dinner guest, but it probably won't be due to my detailed knowledge of British history. As interesting as these little museums can be, I'm afraid a lot of the facts are not sticking. Sad face - as my daughter would say.