freedom trails and pretzels

{August 2014}

This may sound strange, but before I ever went to D.C., I just knew deep down that I would love the East.  That gut feeling was only reinforced during my visit to Massachusetts.  

Emma and Whitney greeted me at the airport, and we were immediately dropped off in the center of the city.  After a sandwich that was too spicy for me to eat, we explored the city.  I was enamored by the parks, architecture, and historic sites.  Once we had enough of walking, we took the train back out to Emma's house and had a lovely salmon dinner on her patio with her family.  And then, sweet sweet Emma knew that I needed ice cream, so we went to a lovely place in her neighborhood where I had a pretzel cone.  Yeah.  Pretzel.  Cone.  Yum.

The next day was just as wonderful.  My morning started off with waffles made by Emma's sister (which she made for us every morning) and meeting with a professor at Harvard.  I was a tad nervous, but he was really nice and it was helpful.  I also fell in love with the HBS campus and tried really hard to not let my day-dreams get ahead of me.  After the HBS visit, we made up some sandwiches and went to Manchester by the Sea.  Whitney dunked me in the ocean.  It was really cold.  And I got mad at her.

After some good swimming, reading, and napping, we went to some place for tasty, greasy fish and chips.  And then Emma, once again, took me to a wonderful ice cream place on a cute little farm.  Chocolate truffle ice cream, mmmmmmmmm.

The next day was rainy, so we headed to the BFA.  (Whitney gave me a time limit to ensure that we didn't spend all day there.)  After...maybe just 2 hours in the museum, we got super dark hot chocolate and began walking along the Freedom Trail.  I inherited your love for rain, so I enjoyed every minute.  After hours of walking, we finished our day by eating at this Italian restaurant that is owned by the mob.  And then got cannoli from a bakery that is owned by the same mob....

Our final day was jam-packed.  In the morning we went to Concord to the site for the Shot Heard 'Round the World.  {I fell in love with Concord and want to move there and live there in a perpetual autumn.}  I met with Adam MacIntosh's sister at Harvard, where she recommended that I speak with the PhD Admissions office.  The woman I needed to speak to was busy, so we made our way over to MIT.  However, after I finished meeting with the MIT professor, I got a call back from Harvard saying that Karla was available to meet in 15 minutes.  So, I sprinted to the train, hopped on the train, and sprinted from the stop to HBS.  I think I was somewhat still presentable even though I was sweating, and it was really good to meet with her.

After that, I met up with Whitney and Emma downtown and we explored a little more before heading to a Red Sox game.  {My first-ever baseball game....oh wait, that's a lie.  I went to a Nats game.}  We got hot dogs and pretzels, but we refused to pay for the over-priced drinks, so instead we suffered in thirst through the game.  But it was still great.  And a great way to say goodbye to Boston.

the hunt for one French baguette.

So, you'd think it would pretty easy to find a baguette in Paris.  I mean, it's Paris . . . right?  A bakery on every corner, at least.

Well, go to Paris in August, on a Catholic holiday, and you'd be wrong.  Thursday morning Bethany and I set out for the day, planning on picking a fresh baguette on the way for breakfast.  But, we made it all the way to the d'Orsay without any luck . . . so we ate a few cookies and hurried into the line-less museum and rushed up to the impressionist section before it got too crowded.  

After four or so lovely hours, we decided we would fall over if we didn't have lunch soon, so we reluctantly left.  Again, searching for a baguette to no avail, we ended up getting salad at an open-air cafe (so not a shabby alternative).  We decided to give up on the baguette, and instead search for some ice cream while we wandered for the afternoon.

Turns out it was just as difficult to find ice cream as it was a baguette.  Every once in a while we'd see someone with a cone, so we thought we were close . . . but it was still a beautiful afternoon.

We finally made it to our evening destination.  We were planning on going to mass at Notre Dame, and came to find that it was the 850th anniversary of the cathedral.  So we were able to see a big event as well.

After mass, we met up with some friends (who were able to lead us to ice cream . . . . and we walked past 5 other ice cream shops along the way).  We walked along the Seine as the sun set, chatted, laughed.  I mentioned that I wanted to have a chocolate crepe before I left France . . . and so another hunt ensued.  Two hours and a few kilometers later, we realized that chocolate crepes no longer exist in France--only Nutella.  So we got waffles and sugar crepes instead and stared at the perfect view of the Eiffel Tower.  So . . . pretty much the perfect way to say goodbye to France.

We realized that it was going to be a bit more difficult to get to the airport . . . and even though we paid quite a bit to take a taxi to the airport, it was well worth it.  Maybe we shouldn't have taken a taxi though and just stayed in Paris instead.

I would have been just fine with that.

I love to go a'wandering

Please listen to the song below as you read this post and think about Bethany and me in Paris . . . 

WE ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT HERE!!!!

Basically, we have not stopped smiling all day.  Once we made it to our hotel--oh, by the way this is the view (1) from our room and (2) from the street over:

Once we checked into the hotel, we ran down to have lunch with Ann and Spence, and then explored the city for the rest of the day.  We went to the Sacre Coeur at sunset, and it was stunning how the lighting worked with the stained glass.  And then we had crepes in Montmartre for dinner, but it burned my mouth so I had to get gelatto (sp?).  Oops.  Anyway, I'd write more but we have to wake up early to head out to Monet's Garden en la manana.  Here are a few pictures from the day.  Love you.

ode to the states

It's late and I have to be up in five hours to leave for the safari, but I just had to quickly write my appreciation for home.  As much as I love it here, it is very, very different from life in the states.  Transportation, communication, public bathrooms, lack of vegetables and milk, etc.  Not that I really expected anything different, but I am continually grateful for the comforts and luxuries that we have back at home.  I cannot even complain for differences here--and honestly, the only thing that is really hard for me is the whole vegetable thing--because I have seen so many who have less . . . but it definitely helps me to appreciate what we have at home.  

Seriously, it is kind of pathetic that it's only been two weeks and we are already struggling with the discontinuities.  On Friday we found a restaurant with normal food and could barely contain our excitement.  We were literally giddy as the waiter brought this out for us. . . .

I have to recognize the fact that we live very different lives.  Just like you would find in comparing any two different countries.  It's not to say that the life we live is any better from what they have here.  (For example, who is to determine the value of a moderately-large home vs. the absence of materialism.)  There are just as many happy Ugandans as there are happy Americans--our measure of happiness is just different.  What it really comes down to is how we choose to live.

Church today magnified these feelings.  Everyone there was so happy to be at church, so happy to be doing what they could to come closer to God.  In Relief Society they were talking about what they could do for activities, especially ones that would not cost any money.  The Relief Society president said, "We could even just do aerobics!"  (She then proceeded to just up and down and wave her arms around.  Really cute.)  "Just as long as we are doing something together as sisters to come to the Lord."  They truly have a sense here of what is most important.  Their love is beautiful.  

I think I am going to be learning a lot more from the people here than what I can bring to them.  A lot more.

I left my heart...

Well, we have turned in for the night and are planning to get to bed early{ish} so that we can get going early in the morning.  (Emma and I are hoping to fit in a run before that though, we'll see how it goes.)  But here is a recap of our weekend as your requested:

Friday.  After a long night of driving, we pulled into the Bay area around 8:00 a.m.  So beautiful.  (Just a heads up, I'll probably say that many times in this post.)   After unloading, stretching, and having some breakfast, we hopped back in the car and went to Half Moon Bay.  Bethany, Maddie, and I just walked down the shore for [who knows how long] and just marveled at the grandeur/beauty/depth/magnificence.  It was the quintessential beach day--sun shining, sand, waves, light breeze, seagulls, a bit of fog...just perfect.  After the walk we returned to find Emma playing with the waves [like a little kid] and had lunch and took a nap.

After the beach, we walked around the small downtown area, got some cokes, looked through bookstores, etc. [all of my favorite things, basically.]  On our way back home we stopped by a flower nursery--which I added to my list of dream jobs--and then went home for pizza, ice cream, and movies.

Saturday.  We started off our day in Chinatown, where everyone ate lunch (minus me, because of lack of ability to communicate my allergies with enough confidence that I would survive).  After, we walked down to the Transamerica building and then along the waterfront.  (We did get stopped and dragged into some weird story-telling thing at the Scientology building, but we left after about 10 minutes.)  Once we made it to Pier 39 I got some fish and chips and we watched the sea lions.

Next stop was Ghirardelli Square.  [Thank goodness.]  Warm brownie, vanilla ice cream, dark chocolate syrup.......my absolute favorite.  Ah.  I wish I could eat that every day.  But then I would get fat.  [I think we all know what one of my wishes would be were I to find a genie's bottle.]  Afterward we went to Lombard street, wandered around, and then went back down to the Wharf for dinner at Nick's. 

     

Sunday.  After a few struggles/mishaps finding a Sacrament meeting, we went to Emma's friend's house for brunch (eggs, brie, bread, fruit, hot chocolate).  We spent the rest of the day driving around to various tourist sites and gawking [maybe not the best word choice, but w.] at the architecture.  Oh my.  I love the architecture here.  Haight-Ashbury, Alamo Square/Painted Ladies, Presidio (I think my favorite), Golden Gate, Palace of Fine Arts.  We ended our time in San Fran at the Crepe House on Nob Hill and sitting through long long lines of traffic.

So there ya go!  We will be safe tomorrow as we head back.  Our plan is to stop in Reno for lunch at In-n-Out--enough motivation to get safely through the pass.  I'm going to go write Stevie now.  Love you.