I’ve been in Cambridge for a few weeks now, and I feel like I have settled into a routine. My days these past couple of weeks have been filled with a few classes, but mostly going out and getting to know the city that is my home for the next eight months.
I keep myself busy during the days by walking around the small little streets of Cambridge. I don’t have any classes on Wednesdays, so I usually take that day to explore. I go out by myself and take my time going down whatever road I want to just to see what’s there. I love wandering around and exploring and even getting a little lost. It’s been a great way to get to know the city. I love the smaller shops and local businesses. You never really know what kind of shop you’re going to walk into, and I think that’s awesome.
Yesterday, the entire group went punting. For those of who who don’t know what that is, a punt is a wooden boat with a flat area on one end. Someone stands on that and uses a long pole to push the boat through the water. Anyway, it was another unusually gorgeous day outside with clear skies and the sun shining, and I had a blast.
The group split up into two punts, and our two tour guides had us go side by side so they could both talk about the things we were seeing at the same time. We passed St. John’s College, Trinity College, King’s College, and Magdalene College on the River Cam. Both of our guides were very knowledgeable and had a lot of interesting stories to share about the colleges and things that happen in Cambridge. It was nice to sit and relax for an hour and be outside in the sunshine and see Cambridge without having to walk anywhere.
Today I climbed the the highest spot in Cambridge. Granted, I live in Colorado, so this “high spot” was a little baby hill. But nevertheless, it still offered the best views of Cambridge. I could see the entire city, and I realized that it was much bigger than I thought it was. Because I can walk to anywhere I need to go so easily and relatively quickly, I always assumed the Cambridge was smaller than it was. I could see all the way to the King’s College Chapel.
The hill that I climbed was actually built by the Romans in the early A.D.’s. It was a point where four different roads met to cross the river Cam into the city, and, being the highest point in Cambridge, it was easy to defend. Like I’ve said before, and will probably continue to keep saying, it is fascinating to be in a place where the history extends over a thousand years.
I have really enjoyed getting to know Cambridge so far, and I am excited to do some more exploring. Tomorrow is International Student Orientation at Anglia Ruskin University, and a few of us are attending that. I’m sure there will be many more stories to tell and things to talk about when classes at Anglia start in a week and a half!
The only collegiate chapel in the world that is larger than Valpo’s Chapel of the Resurrection: King’s College Chapel
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