Punted

Everyone know what punting is? Well that best I can describe it is a person controlling a boat using a long pole. Think Venice. Cambridge is apparently famous for the flat-bottom boats and punting. This was easily the most fun I have had on the trip and (not to brag too much) found that after a few moments of "what the crap" and finding that I was not going to fall into the water, I became pretty darn good at punting considering I had never done anything of the like before. At least I did not get laughed at like a certain someone else on my boat (though he was not the worst punter on the canal by far and actually not bad at all...just not as good as me).

Cambridge itself is a pretty little town. It seemed very mellow and more university/college like with the people and students on site than Oxford did. This is not to say they are any less of a university, but I saw nobody wearing robes. I did appreciate the sign that said no phones, radios or picnics posted in a beautiful grass square on one of the campuses. This is yet another area/town that I would love to live in. They even had a shopping center named Lion's Den that could be found as any mall in nearly any city in the U.S.. So much of the town, while old, had a more comfortable feel and was full of positive activity rather than just the hustle and bustle of other towns I have been in over here. The only drawback is the lamb and mint pastey...yeah. Don't be ordering one of those should you have the opportunity. Mint peas good (aka macho peas), mint and lamb bad (I finished it but only with copious amounts of Coke).

As the day was winding down I sat in a park area under a shady tree. There I sat, watching and listening to the other CSC students as they played, danced, lazed about and had a good time. It made me sad to be leaving this all behind soon. While I have no idea if others would think of me the same way (I could just be a creeper that they are all too nice to tell "BUGGAR OFF"), I feel a bond of friendship with people I would have never met without this trip. Alas these will be unable to continue as most are graduating or otherwise moving on with their lives. The socializing every evening has been consistently the most anticipated part of the day. I will miss all of this positive social interaction.

Tomorrow will be my last post until we are back state-side. I hope to post about the UEFA Champions League Final event they are having in Hyde Park Saturday. If not, then I will be crying to myself that I somehow missed it. For now, have a good evening my friends.

On a happier note...sorta...the group stopped at the American war cemetery in Cambridge where people form WWII (and some from WWI I believe) are buried. These are vets that died in the Atlantic and fighting in Europe. I appreciate that we stopped, it was touching and meant a lot to me to see such a proud display in another country. It was very well kept and respectful, so thank you to those that maintain it.