We returned to the US but another pretty unfamiliar location for us - Boston! Nathan had spent a couple weeks in the area for work right after college, and I joined for a weekend to walk the main downtown sites. As usual, this revisit gave us the chance to experience some real neighborhoods and see the sites at a leisurely pace.
Part 1: 9/11-17 - Roslindale
Nathan and I spent our first week in a cute little garden apartment in the Roxbury neighborhood, which was well served by public bus and train. We didn’t make much use of it the first couple days as we got over jet lag, but we did enjoy the local Main Street and nearby Harvard Arboretum.
Saturday was Nathan’s birthday and we got to spend it with an old friend who had moved to Rhode Island several years ago. We took the train to Providence to meet up with her, and explored the small city a bit for lunch. She took us out to a u-pick apple orchard and to see her house in the woods.
The next day she came into town, and we got to spend a warm and sunny day out in Boston. We walked Boston Common, the public gardens, and the Charles river esplanade. We also stopped in the Cheers bar, and ended the day at Fenway park for Pearl Jam. So Seattle!
Part 2 - 9/18-25 - Family Vacation - Brookline
My family arrived from Seattle late Tuesday night as we moved into a larger house in the suburb of Brookline. They did some exploration on their own during the week and we got to join for bits and pieces, including the Harvard campus and local parks.
All five of us got to go up to the northern border of the state to visit my cousin and her husband at their beautiful new house. We stopped by another U-pick orchard to re-up on our apple supply. The area is chock full of farm stands and local products!
On the weekend we spent a rainy day together in the city walking a bit of the Freedom Trail. We went inside the very crowded Faneuil Hall, full of souvenir shops and Quincey Market, full of food stalls. We ate at Boston Public Market, which also full of food stalls but less crowded, and with a very cheap produce market outside.
After Pinky flew home, the rest of us returned to the city Sunday to meet my mom's cousin. We didn't take any photos together, but we got a few while walking the waterfront.
Nathan was next to fly to Seattle. My parents and I started the road trip portion of our journey. We got to spend a little more time with my cousin on our way north. Next up, two more new states for me!