Say it Frenchie, say "chowdah"

We went to Boston last week, to "pahk the cah in Hahvad Yahd". I was disappointed we didn't meet anyone with that Boston accent but we still had a lovely time. We also didn't see one Boston terrier, strangely. We caught the Greyhound bus and as it was Thanksgiving, there were many people travelling that day. It took about 4.5 hours but the view was lovely, lots of Autumn colours. Boston's a really easy city to get around. We started our holiday with a not-very-thanksgiving meal at the only restaurant open near our hotel, a seafood restaurant where the bartender refused to serve us alcohol because we only had Australian licences. We're 28! We did however enjoy a delicious bowl of New England Clam Chowder (everyone can enjoy that).

The next day we walked the Freedom Trail, which is a thin red brick line which leads through historical parts of the city. Then we had a yummy dim sum lunch in Chinatown (dim sum is the more correct word for yum cha I think...not dim sim, which is a made-up Australian thing I'm told). Then we went on a tour of the Samuel Adams brewery which gave me a better appreciation for well-made beer and included 21 ounces of free beer at the end (and not a drop more). One third of it was pumpkin flavoured beer so I passed on that sample. Everything is flavoured with pumpkin this time of year - pies, cakes, coffee, pancakes. It's just wrong.

The next day we went on a tour of Harvard University led by an undergrad student name Roland who is studying philosophy. I do wonder though if he's really some townie named Dwayne who just bought himself a cheap Harvard sweatshirt and made up all the stories and historical facts. I guess we'll never know! Unless I read Roland's thesis in a philosphy journal one day, which is not going to happen as I couldn't even understand the introductory philosophy department lecture during orientation at Melbourne Uni all those years ago.

But I digress. The day we left Boston it was 3 degrees outside. 0 degrees if you factor in wind chill, so we were happy to be on the bus and heading home. The trip home was an experience, with the cranky New York woman in front of us shouting at the jolly female bus driver to stop singing. She (the passenger) was so rude to the happy but not-quite-right bus driver, I just had to stick up for her and say loudly that I in fact enjoyed the singing. David reminded me that there's no point trying to diffuse an argument between two crazy people. And that's when I remembered where this bus was headed - back to Crazy Town. Back to the little apartment next to the uncooth, screaming woman next door and the junk hoarding insomniac upstairs. The upstairs woman told me she's lived in her apartment for 30 years. Don't ever let us stay here that long!

This was our hotel in Cambridge, right next to the famous MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). I recommend it if you ever go to Boston. Only 2 train stops into the center/centre* of Boston.

MIT's Stata Center by Frank Gehry (how arty).

Boston Common, the large park where the Freedom Trail begins (see the red line?)

Frog Pond, also in Boston Common


There are quite a few very old cemeteries in the city
Many with creepy headstones

Matt Damon's old dorm room (3rd floor). IF we are to believe Roland.

A bowl of New England clam chowder, served in a bread bowl. I know it's not pretty but believe me, it was delicious!

*still not sure if I should use American or English spelling. I think most people who read this are Australian so I should stick to the Aussie spelling. What are your thoughts? (specifically on this topic)