Cambridge

Cambridge is brilliant. Full stop.

For someone who's running the risk of being called a professional tourist, I have to say that Cambridge is one of the best places I've been. Definitely the best day trip from London. So good, in fact, that I went in April for my birthday and then again in May because my great friend Alex and his great wife Lisa were visiting.

Why so good? The city is small enough to walk everywhere, but you can't possibly cover it all in a day. There are neat old timey college buildings with incredible history...


...good restaurants, impressive museums (for a small city), fun bars, cool shops...


But most of all.....punting on the river Cam.


For those who haven't heard of punting, it's just the English version of a gondola. But you get to drive! So it's all the romance of Venice, at 1/4 the price, and with a million times the fun. I struggle to think of a tourist activity where you get to take full control, see the best parts of the city (the backs of Cambridge University), get a workout, eat strawberries, drink champagne, AND run the risk of injury (or just the embarassment of falling in murky water). Fantastic.


Outside punting, we toured Queen's College (founded in 1448 and home to the famous Mathematical Bridge), visited the Fitzwilliam Museum (free!), popped into the classic Anchor pub, and stayed at the De Vere University Arms Hotel (NOT recommended). But the best is to just walk around and find cool places that the university students and staff have put together.




So just got back from a wedding in France. This weekend I'm up at the Edinburgh festival, then in Sep my bro Chris comes to visit and we go to Ireland for Shade's wedding and then to Prague (for fun!). And I think my parents are coming to visit in October. Can't wait!

Cheers!
Dan