Cambridge

We decided to take a day trip to Cambridge with

some of our new friends! The train is non-stop

and only took 45 minutes.

The first thing we wanted to do was punt on the River Cam.
Our adventure started at this quaint little pub of course!

To punt is to maneuver a flat bottom, wooden, gondola like

boat - in this case through the very shallow River Cam.

This is Laura and me with two jugs of Pimm's. You can't get

anymore English than punting down the River Cam with a Pimm's.

Don't ask what Pimm's is - the Brits don't even know. It is

yummy though and helps to calm you when you think the punt

may tip over!!

Here is Derek punting - mastery of the sport lies

in your ability to control a 15 ft pole, used to propel

the punt.

This is Laura's husband Brian punting with Joe and

Paige, enjoying what I think was our last day of summer!

One benefit of this popular activity is that you get a

better view of the ivy-covered walls of the colleges from

the water than from the front.

This is the back of the famous King's College, which was

founded in 1441 by King Henry VI.

And this is the front. Unfortunately, we could not

go inside King's College. It was closed for a wedding.

This is Trinity College, which was founded in 1546

by King Henry VIII. It is the largest college in either Oxford

or Cambridge.

We are standing next to the lawn. All of the colleges have

these center lawns that no one is allowed to step

to step on - and no one does - even college kids.

I don't think this would work in the U.S.

Trinity College's massive gatehouse holds "Great Tom",

a giant clock that strikes each hour with high and low notes.

One of the college's most famous alumni is Sir

Isaac Newton pictured here with Derek. Some others

include William Thackeray, Lord George Byron, Alfred

Tennyson, Thomas Macaulay, 31 Nobel prize winners,

and Prince Charles.

Finally, after a long day of information overload

and punting the gang needed an ice cream break!

Love to all, Derek and Leah