boston!

each memorial day weekend chip and i have a special tradition. we talk about going somewhere, doing something extra special only to end up sitting around for three days. but this year we went to boston with the beans. it took us awhile to finally commit to going (tradition and all. . .) but i am so, so glad we did. we fell in love with the city.

gorgeous. some of the most beautiful neighborhoods i have ever seen. brick sidewalks, overflowing flowerboxes, stately architecture and beauty. . . block after block after block. beacon hill and back bay were particulalry impressive with their gold-leaf "7 Eleven" signs and regal homes. south end, while not as posh, was also charming and lovely.

the coolest mormon church building we've seen. it is as great inside as it is out. no carpeted walls (the church is renting the space).

happy people. it almost made me uncomfortable. no creepiness involved, i'm just not used to strangers actually engaging in conversation, for several minutes.

"wicked cool." used by native bostonians in conversations mentioned above. loved it.

the size. the city is little, but full. perfect for walking.

the history. all those days sitting in elementary school and high school classes learning about the beginnings of america almost paid off. historical ignorance aside, it was great to take it all in.

old cemetaries. of the things i love, the haunting beauty of simple, faded gravestones is among the top five.

the charles river. wow. sunday evening we took a two hour stroll along the river. the sun was low, the perfect lighting for admiring the world. the sun skipped and danced on the water, sending soft golden light everywhere. a few sailboats were out, one rower and even a gondola, complete with accordian player/singer. perfect. the camera battery died before i could get a shot.

the subway. clean and user friendly.

swan boats. this is one of eve's favorite books, so the ride highly anticipated. the experience lived up to the hype (the hype we created to help out during some rough patches on the drive up) and was eve's favorite part of "botson."

sailing. if you live in boston and are between 10 and 18 years old there is a (government?) funded program that teaches you how to sail. during the summer you can go anytime during the week as often or as little as you like and learn how to sail. and it only costs $1.00 for the entire summer. $1.00! that alone makes us want to move there.

universities. amazing universities. the life and vibrance of college towns is exciting and so full of possibility, especially when the town is home to MIT and harvard.

great friends. they always make everything more fun.