Last week, I had the great privilege of visiting Boston and surrounding area. It was a trip full of a lot of first experiences and jumping out of my comfort zone. I flew, saw the ocean, and rode subways for the first time and did a host of other things. I know that's all a little shocking, but it's true.
When I first flew in and went into the city, it was a bit of a culture shock. Where I live, I'm very unaccustomed to city life, and here I was in a different country, a big city and trying to take in all the things around me. It was a little overwhelming. There's vendors on many streets selling food, drinks, produce, pastries, souvenirs and it's almost like walking through a fair or farmer's market in some areas.
The first day I was able to make a far too short visit to the Museum of Fine Arts. Beautiful! You don't need a lot of knowledge or interest in art to enjoy a place like that. A little appreciation for beauty and talent will do. I came the day after the Chihuly exhibit ended, which was unfortunate, but they still had a few of his pieces on display. That evening I went to a singles event at a Boston church and heard a professor from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary speak. I wish I could have wrapped that whole talk up and taken it home with me. I got to end the night by walking a long way through the city after dark in a torrential downpour.
I saw a lot of things in Boston, but the problem was there was so much to take in, I don't remember it all. I did see a number of historical sites, the Freedom Trail, the City Hall, the Boston Library, a Steinway store and expensive fashion taste on Newbury Street. I also climbed Beacon Hill and enjoyed stepping out of the busy city scene and relaxing in the Boston Common and Public Garden. I feel like I saw a lot, but it was only a tiny portion of the city
For the remaining days of my stay I visited smaller towns in the area, which have some of the coolest shops, art galleries, taffy factories, restaurants, bakeries and more. These are the kinds of towns I often saw in pictures, but rarely saw for myself. I was going to bring back postcards, but couldn't find any that did the places justice.
Last but not least, I got to spend a couple afternoons at the ocean. The cold, clear water, sun and sand were so refreshing. I enjoyed boogie boarding, as long as my head stayed above the water. Salt water tastes nasty. I don't know how anybody could find that taste pleasant. I saw a lot of jellyfish eggs on one beach, which was pretty neat.
I even enjoyed the simple pleasure of sitting at the airport with coffee, a giant cookie and a book waiting for my flight home. Home to heat and humidity I didn't miss at all. But I loved coming home as well.
There's a random, brief snapshot of my vacation. Envy me yet?
I'm happy for you. Is that the same as envy?
ReplyDeleteNope. Totally different. ;)
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