Four Days in the Wilderness

Having found myself stressed by big-city living over the past several months, I recently took a small vacation to get out of the city. For the first time in my life, I went backpacking. My brother came up to visit for a week, and we spent four days in Algonquin Provincial Park, walking the Western Highlands Route.

One of the most stressful aspects of going backpacking? Buying and renting equipment. Yes, if one is an experienced and frequent backpacker, one is less likely to require renting and buying equipment. However, with my brother flying in, and with me being the least experienced, we had a lot of this to do. We rented from two different places, since the first place we went was out of tents, backpacks, and sleeping pads, but luckily the second place was right across the street. We did a lot of dodging traffic and jaywalking that day.

We had everything planned, we were going to get up early and leave the next morning after picking up the rental car for the drive north, but realized that night (before our departure) that the tent we'd been given had no poles. Yes, the tent was missing poles. How that happened... shrug. However, we thankfully discovered it before we left, and therefore did have a tent to sleep in for three nights.

Got lost on our way north, in part due to bad directions (at a Shoppers, an employee suggested we take King's Way to Highway 11, which was the continuation north of Yonge St. Found out when we got there that really, Yonge St. turns into Highway ONE. Sigh).

Anyway, we did make it to the park on time, thanks to some speedy driving and Google's overestimation of the time it takes to get there. We started out that evening, hiking for just under two hours before reaching our first camp, next "door" to some very nice, helpful campers. We camped right in front of a pretty lake, Maple Leaf, it was called, and had our first freeze-dried (my first ever) dinner. Beef stroganoff. Not my favorite, but still edible. I learned the bear-bagging process that night, which involved lots of wandering around and staring at trees, and then some good (and bad) rope-throwing. My main tasks seemed to be to throw accurately when my brother got tired, and to tug on the rope once we got the food hooked onto it. We also discovered the mosquitoes that day. Which turned out to be a key theme and motivating factor throughout our hike.

Day Two involved a pretty early wake-up time, but a late start, given trouble finding moving water to zap with UV rays. After packing everything up and doing some waiting, I heard a ferocious barking across the lake, and then my brother's voice asking politely, if somewhat hesitantly, if he could use the water the dog's owners were using. They happily agreed, as far as I could tell, and I spent some more time waiting around. We hiked like we were running away from Sasquatch the next day, and without stopping for lunch, made it to our next campsite in half a day, just after lunch time. We spent that afternoon hanging around down by the next lake (Maggie, I think), and wading in it, and watching leeches and loons and frogs, and swatting at horse flies. We must have had a whole section of the lakeside camping grounds to ourselves - never heard or saw anyone. That night, we were treated to a chorus of frog song, which I like less than cricket noises. We heard the most amazing bird-calls, but couldn't identify it - one sounded almost like a scream, while another sounded like a high-pitched chuckle.

We got up rather late that morning, having figured we had time to spare, given our early arrival at this campsite. Walked another half-day's hike up and down and up and down hills, but that day we did stop for lunch. Thank goodness. We spent a relaxing hour by yet another lake, watching loons and butterflies this time, and not wading. Followed a canoe portage out of the campsite, and continued on our way. I think this is the day we started seeing moose tracks, although we never saw the moose, which was slightly disappointing (or more than slightly, if you ask my brother). Our third campsite had two levels, though we just used the first one - it was high above the lake (Ramona), so we could see over the water. Saw a loon fly back and forth, fish in the water, and more frogs (and a tadpole-frog!). Endured more mosquitoes and horse flies, and had the most trouble ever trying to find appropriate trees to use to hang the food. We ended up, after much frustration, tramping around in decaying and mossy leaves, clambering up onto and over a fallen tree, and getting the rope caught on the rough bark, before finally getting the bag high enough. We should have had a hilarious picture of my brother doing a poor imitation of a bear under the bag, but had forgotten the camera. Next morning, when we'd planned to take it, events intervened.

I woke up around 5:45 in the morning because the sky was just light, and I heard a loud, booming noise. And then it came again. And I woke my brother up, asking, Did you hear that? He stared at me, uncomprehending, before he heard it, too. I asked the obvious, Was that thunder? And he agreed. So I asked, Should we get going? And we both leaped up (or some variation on the theme) and started running around, trying to get all our stuff out of the tent and the tent rolled up and the food down and our bags packed and rain gear on... we made it about halfway through all our preparations (not including breakfast) before the sky opened. We spent the first half of that morning's hike walking in the rain, and the whole morning trudging through mud and muck. I almost preferred the first part of the morning to the second, because the mosquitoes came back (I guess that implies they left us alone, which they never did) swarmed with a vengeance. Horrid things. We had our rain gear on, so the only things they could reach were faces, necks, and hands... when we finally, finally, reached the last information sign that informed us we had about ten minutes walk to the car, we picked up the pace and practically ran to get away from them. Not that it helped.

We survived, and had fun, and those are the important things, although, in addition to looking like a pincushion or a person with a really bad rash, I busted my knee. Found out about that a day after we got back, trying to get ready to go out for what appeared to be a fun evening (I didn't get to go, because the walking thing wasn't happening). We learned a few things about backpacking, for instance: avoiding mosquito season is a really good idea. Also, I have never appreciated a shower as much as I did the evening we got back.

Caution: Rock Climbing May Cause Shortness of Breath, Dizziness

Strangely enough, the most fun I had in LA also involved the scariest moment of my life.

Hanging in a seated position from a rope no thicker than my index finger, I look down to find another foothold. Instead, I see a hole under the rock my brother's standing on while he holds tight to that rope I don't really trust. I look left to see if there are any holds (hand, foot, elbow...) and have a fantastic view of the valley, the tops of the evergreens, and the mountains in the distance where the land meets the really big sky. I look up, to see the slightly curved top of the rock and the other rock, sharp and jutting out over the one I'm on, which is where the rope I don't trust is anchored. Above that, just sky - a beautiful clear blue I'd have appreciated from a different position and location.

I've been breathing fast and short for about half the climb by now, and I've convinced myself, muttering under my breath, to go just a little bit further at least three times. I've even blinked back tears. During the first part of the ascent, I was encouraged by my brother, and a stranger. She's very sweet, and she watched me as she belayed her Italian partner. I also still had a sense of humor. We joked for a bit about me using any excuse to get back down to the bottom, like when her partner asked to be lowered, and I said, "OK!".

And then, there's nowhere to go. Up until this point, the positioning of hands and feet has required thought but still had not reached "impossible". I look up at the rest of the rock remaining above me, and see absolutely no hand- or footholds. None. Look down again, try to find a lower handhold to move my right foot up a few more inches. Still, nothing.

I've already pushed myself way beyond my comfort level. In reality, I reached "outside the comfort zone" before I even started. I make one last attempt to find something, anything, reaching up and feeling the rock with my fingertips at arm's reach, and I slip.

The rope catches me before I fall an inch, and I sit quietly and hyperventilate while the harness, and the rope, hold me level. I look up one last time, and think, "I have absolutely no desire to reach the top of this rock. Why did I think I wanted to be there? Because I really don't. Want to be there, that is".

Now I have to get down off the rock, which means sitting back into open space and walking gently down the wall while my brother gives out a little bit of slack at a time. I take a moment to collect myself, wishing I didn't have to get down, because it's even worse that getting up, but knowing there's no other way. I reach the bottom, safe and sound, and try to pull myself back together while the strangers valiantly attempt to make me feel better.

Truthfully, I'm more proud of myself than I've ever been. Pushing myself beyond the edge of what's comfortable isn't something I do very often. I know my limits, and I stop when I reach them. Shoot, I never expected to climb one rock successfully, let alone start up a second one. I know why people love it. The puzzle, the physical workout, the mental workout... So I haven't crossed rock climbing off my to-do list forever, but it's definitely in last place.

Did I mention I have a phobia of heights?

LA Times Two

Just arrived in LA a few hours ago, and have already eaten a vegan garbanzo bean sandwich (think spicy egg salad with chickpeas instead), discussed sweatshops and how to avoid them - any suggestions? - and had a most excellent Korean (vegan) vodka with pomegranate and cardamom. Cardamom has to be one of my favorite spices ever. Yum.

Now I'm tipsy, it's 2am East Coast time and people are just arriving to play a strategy board game. Oh, dear.

Uno, Due, Tre, Quattro, Cinque, Sei...

In light of this past weekend being Labor Day Weekend, and because my restlessness has not so slowly been increasing lately, I invited a couple girlfriends to go to a wine tasting in horse country yesterday.

The usual happened: saw great views of the hills, drank lots of nice wine, got tipsy, chatted... and then something unusual happened. As we were in the middle of tasting, and the table was right by a path, this couple walked by on the path. The lady was speaking, and it took me a moment to choose between Spanish and Italian, but the consonants were too hard for the former. She just about craned her neck to look at us, and after I mentioned to my friends (and within earshot of my tasting neighbor, who was standing about three inches from my elbow) that she was speaking Italian, I noticed that she was counting. Counting us. "Uno, due, tre, quattro..." I forget how many she counted before she would've had to completely turn around and walk backward as she passed us, but she never finished. We were a group of at least twenty.

In other news, I know vacation season is over, and most people (all people?) have already been on holiday, but some advice from the experts on visiting archaeological sites. I figure it goes well with the topic of my blog, which I've admittedly been ignoring lately, as being green really is all about preservation. Preservation of our planet, our lifestyle (those of us who are fortunate), and our heritage. Read it, and view it, here.

If You Play In Mud, You're Going to Get Dirty...

... So how dirty do you want to get?

Well, I've been back from Utah for a whole sad week now. And by "sad", you may infer I had an excellent time camping on the river with sand, mosquitos, scorpions, snakes and strange creatures called "sand bears". Is there a wikipedia entry for that last one yet, I wonder?"

14 people, seven canoes, and no serious injuries! Even I only had bruises and mosquito bites to contend with - I, who have apparently become accident-prone in the past two years. Not only that, there weren't any public tiffs or unpleasantness between parties. That I noticed. I can't speak for everyone, but I for one had a marvelous time.

Highlights would include the death-defying leap off a cliff into the river thirty feet below. Okay, not death-defying but certainly pee-in-your-pants frightening! Not that I did, just for clarification. As afraid of heights as I am, it took a looooot of thinking before I leapt off that cliff. I was okay standing on the edge until my cousin got to "three!" when it became clear I would actually have to move from the edge to the empty air... I will admit it was the most exciting part of the entire trip.

The other major highlight is the view from the top of the middle canyon over the river to both sides and canyons occupying all four corners of horizon. Even the scramble down was fun, requiring as it did careful thought to the placement of one's feet (avoid the pebbles, test this large rock for wobblies, put a hand out to steady a small jump down, okay we're good).

Ah yes, and that one point where most of us were treading water almost on top of each other and laughing for, well, I never knew what was going on, just heard the yelps and shrieks and giggles.

Steering a canoe = challenging and fun, but not my favorite part. Maybe when I get all the tricks down. I especially liked the part of not steering, where my brother told me to put down my paddle and let him do all the work ;). With pleasure! I replied.

The lowlights probably include trying to jump in the river from a steep bank and climb over three canoes, where the feet sink into four inches of mud and the water immediately rises up to the hips - all just to pee! And the mosquitos. Did I mention the mosquitos? My legs still itch. Never saw the scorpions, though we did run into some menacing bees, wasps and spider webs.

Oh! And I forgot the episode of the runaway canoes! last minute decision to eat lunch on an island created havoc when the rafted-together boats couldn't be untied in time, and some boats sped past while another two (I won't mention that one of them was the one I was in), still joined together bow to stern careened and jacknifed ashore with help from our Fearless Leader. Were there not two other Heroes along on the trip, we might have had a smaller table for lunch. I'll leave those stories to them, however.

Most of the trip involved lazy rafting and floating punctuated by frantic attempts to move away from either bank the "raft" had started drifting towards, excellent meals and good companionship. Some beer-drinking on the river, some evenings spent in the company of a box or two of red wine... one of which included a lengthy discussion about, oh, satelites, black holes, constellations and programming languages! I suppose I should have expected it, more than half of the group being either a computer scientist or an aerospace engineer of some kind or another.

It all ended with a hose-off shower in the back yard of the outfitters and a comfortable 6-hour drive with fantastic music ;), pizza and a too-large brunch the next day, the purchase of my first graphic novels ever, and a mortally dead phone.

Now I can say I've been to the Utah desert. And what a trip it was.

Wherein the Author Gets Back on the Proverbial Horse After A Month of Unexcused Absence

So it's been about a month since my last entry. Not that I've really done anything noteworthy in that time, but there's always something to write about, right?

In a few quick sentences, the skinny on the past month of my life:

1. I moved out of my shared apartment into my very own place. Still haven't unpacked most of the boxes, but at least I've got organized closets!!

2. I've been skipping Krav Maga lately so my triceps and quads have lost much of their muscle-tone (though there wasn't much there to begin with...). This is disappointing, especially as I'm about to spend a week virtually living in a swimsuit of one kind or another (more on that later).

3. The reason my boxes are still unpacked: for the last five weeks I've been studying and taking classes all day every Saturday to be a bartender. Last Saturday, on the Fourth of July, I passed the written test and the speed test, and am now officially a certified bartender! Next step, real bartending job.

4. I've been (sort of) getting ready for a badly-needed week's vacation in Utah. Will be canoeing and camping on a river there. Hence the aforementioned swimsuits. Backwoods-type camping, so no showers, no toilets ... it will definitely be an interesting, adventurous trip. Oh, and it's the desert, so we'll have to watch out for scorpions - YIKES. Aside from those ugly little details, I'm looking forward to a week of sun, water, and fun.

Well, that's about it! I'm sure I'll have tons of fun stories to tell when I return... check in in a week or so.

P.S. the fingers have more or less healed... more on one finger, less on the other... I'm not actively worrying about the extra swelling around the latter... well, I'm sure I can spare you the gritty details.

Future Vacation Destination: Vancouver Island

Next time I make it out to the West Coast, you can bet I'll make time for Vancouver Island. Read this article to find out why.

If, beyond the article, you have any more suggestions for places to go and things to see on Vancouver Island, what would they be? Any favorites not listed here?

Getaway to the Great Smoky Mountains

Is anyone else eager to get away for a weekend vacation? I know, I know, I just came back from L.A., and before that, Philadelphia, but this article here makes me want to get away again - more cheaply, this time.

A weekend getaway to the Great Smoky Mountains would roll several of my interests into one vacation: a bit of a road trip, wildlife, outdoors (particularly hiking) and history - I love the idea that visitors can just walk through peoples' former homes! Although it does feel a little intrusive, the article describes the remains of houses still in nearly the same condition in which they were left, 70-odd years ago. With the addition of a few more layers of dust and some decay, I'm sure.

And that's only one National Park.

The One Disadvantage to Vacation

Well, now that I think of it, there are actually at least two - when one is a sports fan whose team has gone to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The original thought I had relates to food. Having two days in between trips (any combination of business and vacation you prefer) really doesn't leave enough time for grocery shopping. Not that there's much to buy when one is away again for four days. The problem here can be summed up with one question: What do I eat?

Last month was a pretty frugal month for me, for which I pat myself on the back. Even though I didn't spend much while I was on vacation, and May is not even two weeks old, this month I appear to be reverting to my old pattern of going out to eat too frequently. Throw in a couple hockey games, a few meetings with friends, and self-defense classes and before I know it, it will be the weekend and I haven't eaten at home once in a whole week.

Which leaves me with coffee, donuts and the occasional sandwhich during the day, in an effort to save some cash.

The Capitals forced Game 7 last night!!! Which is very exciting and thrilling and anxiety-producing all at once (they MUST defeat the Penguins again tomorrow night)... and also means one more night without time to grocery shop and one more meal out.

But hey, for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, I'm definitely not going to complain. I might have mentioned this before, but I'm a little addicted. So much so in fact, that I cancelled a previous engagement for Wednesday, in order to watch... ahem. GO CAPS!!!

Los Angeles in May Part 2

My brother lives like a prince on top of a mountain. Overlooking a valley, and in the distance, downtown L.A.

Five minutes away, The Coffee Table in Pasadena serves excellent brunch as well as very good coffee. There's a famous pizzeria nearby, called Casa Bianca Pizza Pie, where I would definitely recommend the sausage and garlic and Hawaiian pizzas. From what I saw, the pizzas are not pricey, especially for an extra large shared among four. The chianti is perhaps not worth it, but they do have a corkage fee so you'd be better off bringing your own bottle anyway. Has anyone tried this recently? How did it work out? Was the restaurant friendly and open about allowing brought wine?

Back to the pizzas: They even come on whole wheat crust, for which I must admit I harbor ambivalent feelings. Or is it that I just can't decide? At any rate, the pizza was very enjoyable. Buona, you might say.

One morning we spent walking around the Fashion district in downtown L.A., the Menswear district and Santee Alley in particular, where (surprisingly) I was not the one to make any purchases. I especially wanted to hear vendors hawking their wares in different languages, but when it came down to it, I was too distracted by all the merchandise (my brother calls me "magpie") to remember I was listening for them. I was a little disappointed to find that, in the section of the alley we saw at least, much of the style was punk, but I wasn't in a purchasing mood anyway. Mostly I enjoyed people watching, and for once in my life, didn't mind the crowds.

For any of those outdoorsy-types, the hike to Switzer Falls in Angeles National Forest is both beautiful and challenging (though I haven't hiked in months and quite possibly am out of shape - read: I am out of shape). And for anyone who might start later than planned (i.e. my whole family), this is a great hike to do on a hot summer midafternoon, as much of the walk follows a forested stream. If you ever liked to hop on rocks across streams as a chiled, this could be your hike; there are plenty of stream-crossings on the trail. It also offers great views of the surrounding mountains. When we got to the waterfall, I was less impressed than I'd supposed, because it was much smaller than I'd imagined. Not to worry, though, we had fun climbing up the rocks to one side of it, where we saw another, higher, pool.

Overall, I left L.A. with a much broader, more realistic idea about Los Angeles, California. The impression we get over here on the East Coast doesn't do it justice, I've found. More than just a landing-place for celebrity, it includes beautiful natural scenery, a wide variety of outdoor activities, and a very diverse, large population.

Though I did also see the traffic, Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards... which easily fit the Eastern idea of L.A.

Los Angeles and Laughter in May

I giggled, guffawed and just plain cracked up more times in the past four days than I have in the past four months combined.

That's probably the most memorable thing about my short vacation in Los Angeles, California.

There was the beach (Hermosa) volleyball hilarity of team members getting hit in the face, hitting opposing team members on various upper body parts, people getting knocked over, falling down, tripping over each other and most especially calls of "I've got it! - nevermind" and "Not mine!".

Then there's Star Trek. I love love love this film, by the way. In part the love is due to the fact that I just about died of laughter near the beginning. I haven't laughed that hard in a movie theater, oh perhaps since I was a kid.

As for the rest of the laughter, I have to give the credit to my brother, who could be a comedian without very much effort at all.

Shootouts... and Really Bad Eggs

So lately I've been thinking through a few things, mostly involving the near future: where I'm going to live next year, how to work out the 6 months interim between the day I don't have a job anymore (at this point, obviously I'll think of something) and the time my lease runs out; what I want to study, when I want to get my graduate degree, and where I want to do that; and most immediately (and more interestingly than all the others), where am I going to go on vacation this year? And how many vacations can I fit in...

More on all of that later. For now, this article has a bit in common with the last I posted in that it's depressing and frustrating. It is relevant to the long involved sentence above in that I may change my current vacation plans as a result.

The apartment search is looking rather grim, because the city and neighborhood of my choice apparently has one of the highest median income rates in.the.country. Which leaves me on the poor end of the scale. It's slightly discouraging to realize I qualify for tax-credit communities for the first time in my life. My choices are: live with roommates, or find another town. It's going to be a tough decision.

I haven't even gotten to the point of thinking constructively about school yet, so that's going nowhere fast. Which is kind of okay for now.

Went to the Capitals vs. Flyers game last night. The fans had an Incredible time of it. The Caps played better defensively than they can, Jose Theodore was stunningly on his game tonight (YAY THEO!!) - so much so that on the way out, fans chanted "Theo Theo...", which doesn't happen often. Though the offense didn't really click, that doesn't mean the fans didn't. Boy, did we have fun. Especially warring with the Flyers fans:

(Flyers fans): Let's Go Flyers"
(Caps fans, in overlapping fashion): "Flyers SUCK"

Ah yes. We yelled, chanted and cheered till we were hoarse, and clapped till our hands tingled.
And good times were had by all.

...

Except for maybe the Flyers. Vengeance is sweet, especially served cold, over ice. Or so I hear.

NashVegas!! (a.k.a. Nashville)

Didn't really see much of the NashVegas part, actually. Only, we drove down Music Square, where some of the big recording studios are, and I got some kickin' cowboy boots."These boots were made for walkin'..." That's right. That's what they do. I love 'em.

I will admit that Nashville does not appeal to me. What little I saw of it didn't feel like a city. Lots of distinct neighborhoods, some of them very beautiful (in one of the latter, passed by Reese Witherspoon's parents' house). Downtown, we went to the Country Music Hall of Fame, which brought back my childhood and made me feel very nostalgic for my country music-listening days. Nashville has one very unique aspect, as Music City - it has music boxes on the street corners! Classical music next to the symphony hall, country music next to the Hall of Fame. I started singing when I knew the words... Maybe I shouldn't mention that.

One of the most fascinating things I saw there was the print shop my friend (I hope she's watching the debate) works at which is the second oldest... in the city? Excuse my hazy details. There, they use old hand-cranked presses with block type and images that are arranged by hand. Some beautiful posters are made in that shop. There are also two resident, though shy, cats. Unique atmosphere, there.

Mostly, though, I spent time on the farm. Not Bob Evans style, however. Not sure if that jingle popped into anyone else's head... It's located on a beautiful property, with an excellent view of the sunset from the front porch, or even the hammock. Unfortunately I forgot about mosquitos while I was there, and came back with several bites. But, the sunsets were worth it. I watered some cows, which grow like house plants when watered, apparently. Let's see, I napped, hung out in the hammock (pun intended), read a lot, and washed plenty of dishes by hand. Essentially, I relaxed. Though not the beach, the vacation passed tranquilly.

Hurrah for using up the last of one's vacation time.

Boston, Day 4: the MFA

Got up early this morning to have breakfast (coffee yummm and cereal) and headed over to visit with my other family in Topsfield. Got a tutorial from my eleven year-old cousin on how to solve a Rubik's cube - apparently she and her brother watched a video on YouTube which explained the theories and "algorithms" behind solving the puzzle. The whole thing was very impressive, and way over my head.

After a game of Bananagrams (in ways, much more fun than Scrabble) and headed into Boston to see the MFA, where I dragged my poor cousins through the sections full of ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman art and history. The Greek pottery was interesting - such fascinating subjects painted on pots, vases and amphoras. We also got to see the exhibit on Art Nouveau Jewelry, which included plenty of beautiful pieces. Made me want to go jewelry shopping! Also I've decided someday, when I have a place for it, I'm going to find a replica amphora of red figured Greek pottery, or whatever the technical term is.

That evening, we stopped by the Gelateria in North End to have traditional Italian-style ice cream (I missed it; it's much better than American ice cream, IMO)

The train ride home was long, but uneventful. It's almost good to be back.

Things Metro Could Learn from T

1. Flat rate fees (each T ride is only $2! Imagine that...)
2. Day, weekly, monthly passes. Seriously. Discounted fares for these passes. This might (gasp!) lead to more commuters using Metro.
3. Following on from #2, let's update and repair the system, so more commuters can ride without worrying about it falling apart.
4. Increase the number of neighborhoods in the DC Metro area serviced by Metro (excepting maybe Baltimore, that might be a little ridiculous).
5. Service to Dulles (with a cool color like silver). I know this has been in and out of the works for a while now, but let's get a move on!
6. More advertisements (hey, more revenue so you don't have to overcharge your customers!).
7. This has been said before, but it is possible that the escalators don't need to run constantly - motion detectors would reduce energy usage and cost to keep them running and maintained.

Boston, Day 3: Or Rather, Topsfield

Today I was supposed to travel on the commuter rail from Boston to North Beverly. No go. I get to the station, and follow signs for "tickes". I wait in line, and find out that the ticket counters are only for buses, and the actual train station is in a different building. By this time, I'm cutting it short. I get to the train station, and I stand in line again, and just before I get to the only open counter, I realize I'm traveling north, and I'm at South Station. No biggie, I thought, I'll just get to North Station and take the next train. So I call my friend for a ride, but she doesn't pick up... so I call my family, to let them know I'll probably be a little late, having run into a tiny hitch in my travel plans. However, it turned out to be easier to take the T all the way to the end instead, and get a ride from there. So I had to find a map or a Person, who could explain to me the easiest way to get from the wrong station to North Station to North Beverly... My only recommendation for the MBTA is that they consolidate North and South Stations, so careless travelers such as myself don't make the mistake of going to the wrong one and end up missing their trains. Ah well. It all worked out.

I spent part of the afternoon lounging on a boat in Marblehead, which was incredibly enjoyable and relaxing. I recommend boating for stressed people. Seriously. We went on a little tour of the harbor, which was pleasant. We also looked at and commented on all the little, big and bigger boats on the water and the mansions on the shore. Evidently there's one house with a collection of Dutch Masters. Do you think if I ask nicely he'll give me a tour?

The last and possibly greatest news, is that I had Lobster!! Yes indeed, I had the most wonderful dinner that started with the sweetest, tastiest lobster I've had in a while. Mmmmm. Pretty soon I'll be a lobster-eating expert. I already know that 3-5 inches of water is considered fine for the pot when boiling them. And although we didn't race the lobsters tonight, there's no saying that tradition won't be reinstated in the near future. I think I'll start planning my next trip to Boston... ;)

Tomorrow is unfortunately my last day in Massachusetts, but I have great plans for that, too. Stand by.

Boston, Day 2: Various

So, the beach didn't happen. The skies threatened to rain, and the forecast was grey, so we didn't go. Turns out it was a pretty nice day throughout, and we probably would have been fine. There goes my last outdoor swim before Labor Day, I guess.

The highlights for Friday include the Nichols house, which was interesting but not fascinating. An average and slightly rambling tour that took us through a house built in 1808 (hence my interest) but was really about the last inhabitant, an eccentric old woman who lived in the 20th century. Which is definitely not as interesting as early 19th century history, IMO.

We first though, had brunch at Zaftig's, in Allston or thereabouts. Very good, worth a 20 minute wait, but definitely not worth an hour and a half wait. Try the challah french toast.

We walked around the beautiful Beacon Hill, and the Boston Common. Then we walked along Newbury St, where I managed to avoid emptying my bank account on merchandise I don't need and can't afford, and can't bring home either, due to limited suitcase space. Bravo me!

Later that night we went out, to the very touristy (it's on the Freedom Trail) Bell in Hand, where I watched Michigan Uni lose to Utah :( Followed by a unique party on a rooftop. I took pictures, but owing to my camera's automatic flash capabilities, can't be assured that any of them will come out. We left in time to take the T home, and that was that.

Boston, Day 1: The Freedom Trail

Spent most of today (about 4 hours) walking the Freedom Trail, which I found difficult to navigate until after I got to the Visitors' Center and picked up a map ... and then noticed the red trail, about a foot wide, that runs down the middle of the sidewalks and through crosswalks. Doh.

The trail itself is quite interesting: I walked through or around at least three burying grounds, inside a beautiful church, where I boldy asked someone else's tour guide why some of the benches face backward (seriously, who wants to crane his or her neck around to try to look at the preacher who's talking behind one?). Turns out, the children probably sat there, presumably so the devout parents could keep a warning eye on their children who assuredly had short attention spans. I took pictures of quite a few old buildings, and walked over the cobblestone circle that marks the spot of the Boston massacre, where five Bostonians were shot ... by accident? At least, that's how the history books and tour guides tell it. Peeked over plenty of shoulders to try to see some break dancers in front of Faneuil and around the Quincy, South and North markets, Haymarket... skipped Paul Revere's house because I'd seen it before. Then, because I had some extra time on my hands, I walked across the Charles River on the Charlestown Bridge. Where I stopped about a third of the way along, and swore silently when I noticed that the middle section IS WIRE MESH. So I was walking on a bridge where I could SEE THE RIVER BELOW ME. Nobody mentioned that, so I paused a moment to gather my courage, and walked across with my eyes on the beam I made sure to keep under my feet. Then, after I witnessed the amazingness of the children's hands-on section of the USS Constitution Museum, I did it again! Still directly over the supporting beam, though, and I'm pretty sure my speed picked up as I neared the end.

Finally I got back to the North End, where I had great coffee, excellent tiramisu', and an excellent (and expensive) seafood dinner. Yumm. Said goodnight to the host in Italian - Buona sera, signore - think I got a reply in Italian, yay! Probably I could be very comfortable in Boston's very Italian North End.

I think the beach is on tomorrow's schedule - stay tuned.

A Couple of Green Thoughts From Boston

First up: Transportation. I rode the 'Green' (how appropriate) line today, no mistakes or mishaps! The 'T' is very different from the Washington, DC Metro - similar to Chicago's 'El' in my opinion, though I've only ridden each of those a couple of times. The 'T' feels more like a trolley than a subway, but that's maybe only because the 'B' line is mostly above ground. Fun to ride, but hard to balance if there's no room to sit. Plenty of times I thought I'd pitch right into another unsuspecting passenger, but thankfully that never actually happened.

Secondly: Walked about 20 minutes this morning to find a local coffee shop where I could have breakfast, and ended up at one that advertised ice cream as well - the coffee wasn't bad, but what's the deal with coffee shops immediately offering throwaway cups even after you tell them you'd like to eat in? Not only that, but this particular coffee shop offered me my scone on a plastic plate. How many of those do they run through in a month, I wonder?

A Quick Note On Vacation

I did it! I have tickets for Nashville. Travel itinerary still to be worked out, but I have a month to do that.

In other news, tomorrow I leave for Boston! Spent some time last night congratulating myself on getting tickets for a train that leaves at 11am... so I can sleep in a little bit tomorrow, if I manage to finish packing tonight. Note to self: Charge iPod.

I'll try to keep a travel diary here for the weekends I'm away, and will try to include some greenery in both the travel and the diary, to keep with the theme of the blog.

More to come from Boston!