Approaching Departure

It's hard to believe that our time in Boston is coming to an end. It took us a while to warm up to Boston but that's only because we were coming from Ithaca and in our minds, Ithaca is a little slice of rural hippie heaven. So really, the best kind.

In the end though, Boston has been really fun and I've enjoyed being surrounded by such intense American history. There is really no escaping it around here. Unfortunately, it's kind of confusing to be surrounded by so many Tea Party things because you always have to think twice about whether it's the Boston or the Sarah Palin kind.

Boston Summary (thus far):

1. Everything looks really colonial and thus bricky brown. It's cool but then gets kind of old.

2. The Charles River is stinky, but it makes for a scenic city.

3. Driving here is confusing and crazy. You know those pictures of New York City at the turn of last century where there aren't any dividing lines between lanes? That's what the Boston suburbs are like.

4. Food here has been great. Yay!

5. The people are really ballsy and straight-forward and pretty great.

6. There are A TON of universities here, which have been fun to discover.

7. Beaches around here are surprisingly pretty. But you have to pay for them to get on, which is weird. Didn't stop us from being frequent visitors.

8. Fenway is one of the last surviving old-school stadiums.

9. Museum of Fine Arts is truly fantastic.

10. Tom Brady is within driving distance.

Old State House - Revolution movement began here

Faneuil Hall

Ellie in our Waltham pad.

Ellie waiting for Dad to come down from his office.

Kayaking the Charles

Pre-kayaking the Charles

MIT from the river.

The Democratic Donkey

Granary Burying Ground - I think one of my favorite parts about MA have been the cemetaries.

Hanging out at Cape Anne.

More sand fun.

Brandon likes to think that people actually believe he's the Stig. I kind of hope he is because that would be really hot.

At Franklin Park Zoo. Least human-friendly zoo I have ever been to, but Ellie LOVED the goats so it was worth it.

New England Aquarium.

Plymouth Rock. Not as glamorous as it sounds. It is in fact, a rock.

Boston Harbor.

Ellie being a knight in glittery armor at the Children's Museum.

Old State House again, this time on the side where the Boston Massacre happened. My hair is in mourning.

Ellie telling Harvard what she thinks of it. Go Cornell!