After a long ride from London to Cambridge that included construction on the track, a bustitute (look it up), and a crazy uber ride, we decided we needed a little treat for moral. As it was 11:30pm and most shops were closed, we found solace in the small convenience store to stock up on some British snack food. Isaac found chips that were shaped like aliens in the flavor of pickled onion. I was skeptical at first, but they were actually incredible. The next morning, we strolled through the city for the first time. From our first impression, we loved the city. From the old buildings, small alleyways, cobbled streets, and quaint shops, the city felt like a step back in time. It is incredible how well kept it is with thousands of students attending the university and the hoards of tourists like ourselves tromping through the city. In the center of the city, the Cambridge Market Square hosts an outdoor market with food stalls and clothing and souvenir vendors. We bought friend plantains and Isaac was on cloud nine. Isaac and I were convinced that we were in the closest place to Hogwarts that we would probably experience in the real world. The city streets in central Cambridge were insanely beautiful. Of course we had to check out the Cambridge University Press Bookshop. I love dragging Isaac into bookstores, but most of the time, we end up finding a few gems. The bookstore had the cutest Cambridge mugs, yet, I resisted temptation because hauling a mug around for the rest of the trip did not seem ideal. Our cute flat in Cambridge! We were on the top floor with views of the town. Fun fact, our shower was in master bedroom. And when I say in the bedroom, it was actually in the bedroom. We thought it was hilarious and overall, the flat was way nicer than the airbnb ad let on. After long days on our feet, we loved spending the evenings working our way through the Harry Potter movies. It seemed on brand as we were in the UK and Cambridge served as inspiration for Hogwarts. The view of the street from our flat. One of them was a wine shop/brewery where we picked up some wine for our happy hours. Queue the happy hour! Wine and cheese night while watching the sunset over the city. A shot of the River Cam during a morning run. It was incredibly peaceful with some bustle from people commuting to the university on bike. We wandered into town and found an authentic gelato shop (I was told to look for gelato in circled metal covered containers). After a tough decision between flavors, we settled on strawberry and tiramisu. We enjoyed wandering around the various campuses of Cambridge University. Overall, it consists of 31 colleges that vary in size and academic subjects. Some of the colleges are only open to students or must be seen on a guided tour. We were able to walk the grounds at Trinity College, with an epic tree-lined road. The gorgeous foliage at Trinity College made us feel at home. We overlooked a punting tour while crossing one of the many bridges along the River Cam. We knew that they would have to add this to our list. A peek of St. John's College from our spot on the bridge. We were set on trying English beer so we made our way to a popular pub. We soon figured out the it is served room temperature and is very diluted. Overall, not huge fans - we'll stick to Guinness. Cows in Cambridge ft. Isaac. At first we were confused by the cattle grates near the river but soon realized that cows commonly roam the area. Their droppings left big obstacles on the paths that made for an exciting exercise while running along the river. Cats in Cambridge ft. Isaac. The Cambridge neighborhoods had charming streets and alleyways we adored. A morning by the River Cam, waiting for our punting tour! Patiently awaiting our tour and admiring how my shoes have still managed to stay so white. The long awaited punt tour! Our guide was great, throwing in jokes about the various architecture and famous students that went to the university. Also, peek one of the two heron that live on the river - meet Harry. Impressive ivy at St. John's College. After the punt tour, we went on foot to get a closer look at St. John's College. We admired (?) the genius architecture of St. John's College. This college truly felt like stepping into a Harry Potter novel. I mean, come on?? Definitely a Hogwarts moment. We were completely in awe (x1000) of St. John's College and the immaculate grounds. The Bridge of Sighs connecting the older and newer parts of the college. The guide on our punt tour had some pretty interesting things to say about the bridge. It is named after the Bridge of Sighs in Venice, even though it does not resemble it whatsoever. In addition, on multiple occasions, students have pulled a prank of dangling a car from the bottom of the bridge. Bridge of Sighs (but make it cute). The Bridge of Sighs (but make it instagram worthy). We took a day trip to Audley End House And Gardens in Saffron Walden, England. It is an early 17th-century country house, one of the finest Jacobean houses in England, with an incredible garden they still use today to make the food they serve in their cafes and sell to local businesses. On our walk up towards the estate, we were wowed by the perfect lawns and picturesque gardens. A shot of the Audley End House from behind. It is only a third of its original size! We had so much fun wandering around the grounds - with tucked away spots in the garden, gurgling fountains, huge stables, and an organic farm. After our outing, we came back to our flat in Cambridge. More views from our window - I couldn't get enough of this quaint town! The university also offers up a plethora of free museums - we took advantage of the History of Science, Zoology, Archeology and Anthropology, and Art and Antiques. Overall, we so enjoyed the town of Cambridgeshire and the university, with a great balance of city and countryside. The start of the epic journey to Amsterdam began with a ride to the Gatwick Airport, just south of London. We found out it was cheaper to fly than train to the Netherlands We reached the airport and I was so happy to spot someone with a MATCHING suitcase. Pink chrome for life! After a flight cancellation, rebooking, delay, and plane transfer, we spent about 6 hours chilling in the Gatwick airport. To entertain myself, I walked around the airport and discovered that they have ice cream vending machines. This was quite tempting, but decided it wasn't the best plane snack. After basically a hunger games experience of the plane stewards choosing people for seats on our new, smaller plane, we were off to Amsterdam.
