Boston in June

I left early Friday morning, the 12th, and drove to BWI and flew to see Lisa and Chris in Boston. I haven't often had the opportunity to travel alone, but I prefer it to the larger group traveling I've done. This is so much less complicated, and there's less cushioning--the insulation of a group can dull the experience of travel. I took the T into the city, that is, the Boston public transportation system, specifically the subway, I think. I had no trouble finding their office building near the Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus. I took the elevator up 12 floors, carrying my backpack, dressed in a purple sweatshirt, sneakers and jeans with holes. As I tried in vain to fix my hair in the reflective walls, the guy in the elevator asked if I was going to an interview. "Dressed like this?! I would hope not!" I replied. Lisa and Chris said that that is normal attire for the people in their building, and the interviewers in the vicinity don't look more favorably on less comfortable, dressier interview outfits, so it's just as well to dress casually. Culture.

I spent the morning finding breakfast around Northeastern University, and the afternoon in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Most of the artwork in my art history textbook from last fall was taken from the BMFA, so I had a certain familiarity with the works. It was like seeing old friends, whose names I mostly didn't remember...

After four hours in the museum, I had seen most of what there was to see, and I was tired. So I searched for a nice bench to nap on in the warm sunlight. I found a beautiful rose garden instead. Dozens of rose bushes in full bloom. Dozens. The rain had just ceased an hour ago, and the sun shone bright on the wet petals, filling the air with perfume that is not for sale.

I slept on a bench later, near Lisa's office building, in the midst of a Filipino cultural celebration. Great music. I explored the MIT bookstore then met up with Lisa for coffee. We waited for Chris then headed all together to Wellesley, two train rides outside the city. We ate Thai Friday night, and I enjoyed Thai iced tea (!).

Saturday, I added another state to my "visited" list: we drove to Connecticut for their haircuts and a visit to Chris' parents. It just so happens that Connecticut is absolutely beautiful, like Massachusetts, although my acquaintance is still limited to what I could see from the highways, between sunny naps and intriguing conversation. The rest of the weekend was peppered with watching Firefly episodes (I admit it! I'm a fan. A big fan. There.) and eating Chris' gourmet cooking. Their church was beautiful and pristine, built in that square meetinghouse fashion that I will always associate with New England. The parishioners were kind, and the service was short.

On a walk, we talked about the Twilight series, which I have not read yet, and Chris finally vocalized what I have suspected for some time: the books are compelling, but not particularly well written; Edward Cullen has every quality of an emotionally abusive boyfriend; Stephanie Meyer might do well to examine her ideals in relationships, as she seems to write unaware of Edward's frightening qualities, vampire-status notwithstanding.

It was so good to talk to Lisa face-to-face.