After departing the hotel, we took a drive northeast to Cambridge. We began our tour with an unexpected, but very welcomed visit to the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, which honors the service and sacrifice of Americans who served overseas during World War II. The cemetery includes markers for 23 unknown burials, 81 markers of the Star of David for those of the Jewish faith, and 3,732 with a Latin cross for the others. The markers are not separated by rank; officers and enlisted men are buried side-by-side. The memorial building is separated into two parts; a small devotional chapel at the far end, and an impressive map 30 feet long and 18 feet high at the near end titled "The Mastery of the Atlantic - The Great Air Assault". The map covers the span of a large wall and features the principal sea and aircraft routes that brought troops to Europe from the United States.
After leaving the Cemetery, we continued on to the vibrant college town of Cambridge. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the world's third-oldest university in continuous operation, and counts among its alumni famous names such as Darwin, Newton and Hawking. We enjoyed a walk through the beginning of town for some sightseeing and free-time before heading to tour the Kings College Chapel. The Chapel is the oldest surviving building within the College site and perhaps the most iconic building in Cambridge. Work on the Chapel only started five years after King’s College was founded by Henry VI in 1441. He went to great lengths to ensure that the Chapel, which took over a century to build, would be without equal in size and beauty. The Chapel combines stained glass windows with a fan vaulted ceiling to create a building full of light and color.
As we made our way back to meet the bus, we were able to catch a wonderful view of the punting boats making their way down the River Cam before starting our 90 minute journey back to the hotel.
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