Man mistakenly books trip to Cambridge, Ontario, instead of the popular English city

May 29 2023, 4:16 pm

A UK-based journalist is giving Canadians a good laugh after mistakenly booking a weekend trip to Cambridge, Ontario, instead of its namesake and, frankly, far more understandable travel destination of Cambridge, England.

Broadcast journalist Christopher Golds thought he was booking a hotel for a short weekend getaway in the historic U.K. university town known for its educational institutions and gothic architecture. But in a hilarious misunderstanding, Golds accidentally booked himself a hotel about 5,775 kilometres away, in Cambridge, Ontario.

The mistaken booking half a world away from the intended destination was only made funnier by Golds’ moment of realization, conveniently captured in a Whatsapp conversation screenshot that has been viewed by hundreds of thousands around the globe.

One commenter poked fun at another nearby Ontario city named for a more tourist-friendly European locale, warning Golds not to make the same mistake with Windsor.

The City of Cambridge (the fake one here in Ontario) took the opportunity to get some free publicity out of the comical situation, replying to Golds in a tweet thread.

“Sorry to hear your dilemma @ChrisGolds! This is quite a situation eh? Don’t be too hard on yourself though! Could happen to anyone! For future reference there’s also a Paris, London and even Scotland Ontario!”

Others echoed this idea, showing off Ontario’s many European-named towns and cities.

Despite the obvious mixup, the team behind Cambridge, Ontario’s social media presence is hoping that they may have earned a new visitor in the future, asking, “But if it’s not too much of a bother, might we still suggest that you do come to visit us when you have a little more time?”

Cambridge’s social media team made sure to correct some misconceptions about the charming town in the most Canadian tone possible, informing Golds that “Contrary to what many think, our summers are warm eh so no need to pack a toque in that knapsack of yours!”

They also plugged our country’s favourite coffee and donut chain, and Cambridge’s on-screen presence in the smash-hit dystopian series The Handmaid’s Tale.

And, to be fair, Ontario’s Cambridge is indeed asserting itself as a tourist destination. A skyline of church spires and a river crossed by picturesque bridges add to Cambridge’s distinctly European vibe, landing it a spot on blogTO’s recent list of 5 road trip destinations in the province.

Jack LandauJack Landau

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