The weekend just gone, Erik, Hongi, Stefanie, and I went up to Boston for the weekend. Our first trip since Hongi bought her car. Things didn't exactly start off well as the car's fuel gauge is broken. Thinking we better fill up before we go any further we decide to top up. As Hongi stopped outside the petrol station before pulling in, the car died. Empty tank. So hazard lights on, Erik and I had to get out and push the car into the garage on a very busy road. As we pushed into the station, the road goes downhill - our job done. The problem was, that I think the steering wheel locked and the brakes aren't the best in the world. As Erik and I stood at the top of the hill, we watched as the car rolled towards the petrol thing and collide into the post to protect the fuel dispenser. The bumper wasn't dented but lost a bit of paint, great start.
The rest of the journey was fine with no problems. I entertained myself by trying to learn German via a German travel guide and the Google Translator App on my phone. Apparently the translations it gives are rarely accurate, and my pronunciation of words is terrible, to the point of Hongi and Stefanie bursting into fits of laughter once they figured out what it was I was trying to say.
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| Hongi At Harvard |
Once in Boston, we stayed at Taylor's residence at Bentley University. We met her briefly in Washington, yet Stefanie knows her from Germany as Taylor did an exchange year to Stef's university last year. We were made more than welcome by the girls that lived there as Erik and I made ourselves comfortable on the sofa and floor each night. With a pub crawl organised for Saturday night, we left to the shop to stock up on beverages for before and after. This is where America becomes the most annoying place on earth. Hongi and I left our passports back at the house. Shop number 1: I managed to convince the staff that between my driving license and copies of my passport and visa that they could serve me. Unfortunately because Hongi didn't have hers, no one in the group could get served. Shop number 2: I couldn't get served because I didn't have a hard copy of my passport (that if I lost, would have to pay a fortune for another and to change the details on my flight home). Shop number 3: Only I had to buy anything so went in alone. The man at the desk called out the manager who was not an American Native himself, I'm guessing at Turkish or something along those lines. After inspecting my details he began to ask questions. Do I not have my passport, (I don't want to lose it and get stuck here). Being stuck here is good isn't it? (I don't think my mum would be too happy). But you could have just photocopied your face on someone else's passport, (I have credit cards, student id's both home and here, all with my name and face on). Do you come from Blackburn, (yes). Who do you support, (Blackburn Rovers unfortunately). What happened to them, they used to be really good with Shearer, (Well it's a long story but we got taken over by people who don't know what they're doing, sacked the manager, got relegated, now the manager has left and there is talk of getting Shearer back as manager). Serve him, I'll take responsibility, I can tell that's an authentic accent.
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| Could We Look Anymore Foreign? |
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| Mary Poppins Guy |
The day after Taylor took us into Boston using the metro. I can happily report that this metro system actually works well. Especially in comparison to Washington. They were however, a lot busier. We didn't do as much sight seeing as Washington, instead we just walked around really. We stopped off in Harvard Square where the place was bustling with people performing and selling those paintings that you do with spray paint. You tend to see them a lot in Mediterranean holiday destinations. After walking around Harvard University to feel somewhat intelligent, we moved onto the park. The park was very nice although there were signs everywhere saying not to walk on the grass, which I found strange. There was a man at the entranceway that reminded me of the guy out of Marry Poppins. He must have had every instrument under the sun attached to some part of his body.
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| To Study, or Just Pose For Silly Photos? |
Now this will sounds strange, but for some reason we decided to go to the library. Not exactly somewhere you go when you're sightseeing but apparently this library is a tourist place to go. Once inside we could see why. It was mainly to do with the building as the architecture was fantastic. After having a nosey round, we went outside to the courtyard which was extremely peaceful with plenty of greenery and a fountain in the middle. Not exactly a bad place to go and study.
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| Anyone Want Their Very Own German Delivered? |
Now it didn't take long before we had to go looking at shops. We are travelling with women after all. The pleasant thing however about Boston is that the shops don't necessarily look like shops. You walk down the street and it's more like old houses that have been made into shops. I don't really know how to describe it, but Erik and I just tended to sit on the stoop of the shop and people watch. It was, however, on one of these streets that I found something I just had to climb on.
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| Naming An American Pub Crawl After A German Festival? Ok, Whatever. |
Now since I have been in America I have noticed how well thought of the British are. However, I was still very surprised when I nipped into a shop for a can of coke to find two magazines dedicated to our royal family. Now I know that Harry can get up to some funny things, but I doubt even he can get into enough trouble each month to fill pages in a magazine.
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| First Time I've Had Smaller Feet Than Someone In Ages. |
After we returned we got ready for the pub crawl, named ironically, Oktoberfest. Dressed in our silly t-shirts we got on the free shuttle from the University back into Boston centre (yep that's spelt with an 're' rather than 'er') We had a really great time mingling with the girls that live with Taylor. I also met another doorman who looked at my passport and asked if I was a Rovers fan, (he actually said Rovers not Blackburn). Well this is where I blocked the queue talking football before getting pushed along. The downpoint of the night, however was probably having to hop over piles of sick whenever you went to the toilet in the last pub. Jesus, that was some slippy spew. Now this is something that Erik and I still can't get our heads around. You're in Boston, a major city, on a Saturday night, and yet the pubs still shut at 1.30 - 2am. Apparently in Sweden you don't return until 5am at the earliest. Making our way back to the dorms, we bumped into a lad who lives in the same building as Taylor and gave me a crick in my neck. For those who don't know me, I'm 6foot4 with size 13 feet (uk). This guy was huge, with massive feet - I almost felt normal stood next to him.
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It's As Bad As The Man Utd Shop. Anything They Can Slap
A Badge On & Sell - They Will |
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| Wherever There Is A Posh School - There Will Be Rowers |
The day after, head a little hazy, Hongi, Erik, and I did some more wandering. Stef on the other hand was meeting up with a guy from Harvard she met the night previous. We had a look around the Harvard shop - three floors of books and clothing with Harvard scrawled across the front. The prices of these were stupid though. A cardigan cost $130. No thanks. We then walked along the riverside where there was a boat race, but this didn't really interest us enough to stay and watch it. We went to another section of Boston (don't ask me where) where you could buy food from any country. It smelt fantastic. After finally deciding on Japanese we sat to eat in an enormous food hall. Once eaten we walked along the streets of Boston where it seems that there is some form of street performer every ten yards. The thing is these are the ones you see in Europe with a guy and a cap. These have expensive speaker systems, microphones, sponsors, all sorts. Very strange, but they were entertaining. From a group of black lads dancing, a guy juggling with chainsaws, a guy turning his body into positions that it really shouldn't go in, and a booth similar to that in the Crystal Maze where kids went to collect leaves.
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| Sleeping Like A Bum At The Metro Station |
Unfortunately I probably didn't get the most out of this day as I was so tired, (I blame my mother for me get over tired) attempting to get any form of shut eye whenever we got on the metro. I do like Boston, it is a fantastic city and I hope to return at a later date. The only down side is that there are so many homeless people sat on the street begging. I've never seen as many in my life. Luckily, despite my best efforts on the metro platforms to sleep rough, we've been told we can stay at Taylor's any time so we may have to take advantage of that.
After completing my teacher training, I got a job in the East Riding of Yorkshire so packed up and moved into a house in Beverley. Whilst here, Eric and his girlfriend came to visit and me and my new girlfriend showed them around Beverley and York. Unfortunately we never got Eric his afternoon tea that he demanded as everywhere we looked it was more like Champagne afternoon tea and that was a bit pricey for him. We did take them to a lovely beer shop/pub that serves beer from all over the world. It is also decorated in a Viking style, so Eric felt right at home.
It's simply amazing how much has changed in 6 years
