Boston

After not seeing Lindsay for around 8 years it was great to catch up with her in her super cute apartment (not flat!) in Boston.

The night i arrived there was an important ice hockey match, Boston vs Montreal which we watched in a local sports bar. Here i learnt that in America when girls go to bars they all drink beer. As in pints of it. Having never had a pint in my life i ordered the recommended drink and gulped it down. Wow, I hate beer. Lindsay's friends, who are brilliant by the way, kindly bought me two more pints, one of which i had to refuse. I am not cut out for this kind of drinking! However when they later turned up with tequila shots (and by shots i mean small plastic cups of Tequila) i was all in! They could not believe that girls don't drink beer in England, likewise i couldn't believe they don't drink spirits! The atmosphere of the bar was awesome, the actual game was being played just across the street and we may as well have been in the stadium it was that exciting. As we wandered through the bar Lindsay spotted some people playing 'Flipcup' a drinking game where you have to down some beer (oh god, more beer) and then flip your empty cup upside down to start the next person in your team off. Lindsay explained that I was English and had never played flip cup before and we were quickly part of the teams. Needless to say i pretty much suck at Flipcup. Ice hockey is a great game with fist fights and aggression all part of the match, it made an entertaining change to the, frankly pathetic, world of football (don't hate me England!). Boston won the game and we left in high spirits.

The next day Lindsay and I headed off to Falmouth, in Cape Cod, to the beach. Despite it being freezing and windy it was a lovely day and we had lunch at a cute seaside restaurant and some amazing ice cream. That day i learnt how much i'm dreading driving in America. So i'm told cars do indeed have indicators, just no one uses them! There were even signs at the side of the road which read "Changing Lanes? Use Ya Blinkas!"...no i'm not making that up.

The next few days i explored Boston; i walked around Harvard and wished i'd been clever and rich enough to study at such a gorgeous university. I walked around the many parks which were stunningly beautiful. I ate ice cream at one of docks after going on a harbour walk. I went on the much-anticipated duck tour, which lived up to my expectations and was a great way to see Boston quickly, both on and off the water! My conclusions of this city is that it is the prettiest i've been to so far, the architecture differs greatly from that of New York and it reminded me a bit of Edinburgh, although much flatter!

On our way out for ice cream at around 10pm one night i opened the front door to find a man with a torch digging through the flat's [apartment's] bins. I turned back and shut the door and shouted to Lindsay about the guy with the torch. Now, in America a torch means a flaming stick and is usually associated with pitch forks and the raping and pillaging of small towns. Little did i know. Melissa eventually figured out that i meant a flashlight and we weren't going to be set on fire. Apparently it's pretty common for the homeless to go through peoples' bins as they can get money for recycling cans and bottles. All was well.

Boston was great fun and i'm happy i got to experience a little of the college lifestyle. Lindsay's and her flatmates (apartment mates?!) are lovely, lovely people and i had a brilliant time. To Chicago i go! I've got to say i'm really REALLY looking forward to the 22 hour train journey. Like a lot.

P.S there's a type of sushi with fried sweet potato in which is to die for! ;) There you go Melissa, although i cannot remember what it's called!!