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To understand Cambridge is to understand a paradox: it is a medieval market town that has fundamentally shaped the modern world. It is a place of ancient stone and cutting-edge science, of intense pressure and serene beauty.

The visual identity of Cambridge is inseparable from the University. Unlike many modern campuses which sit on the outskirts of town, the University is the town. The colleges are threaded through the streets like pearls on a string, hidden behind imposing gates that open up into tranquil, grassy courtyards. cccambird

Punting is an art form in Cambridge. It involves standing on the flat end of a wooden boat and pushing with a long pole. In the summer, the river becomes a traffic jam of tourists and students, all vying for a view of the "Backs." This stretch of river, where the colleges back onto the water, offers a unique perspective. It reveals the private gardens of the colleges, the weeping willows dipping into the water, and the famous at St John’s College—a covered bridge that looks like something out of a Venetian painting, though it was actually built to connect the college buildings without students having to brave the elements. To understand Cambridge is to understand a paradox: