This Side of Lost

Writing from Antonia's computer in South Yarmouth (Cape Cod), Massachusetts now. Have had an exhausting but exciting three days...

We ended up getting awesome burgers instead of ribs and wings on Monday night. If you're ever in Cambridge/Somerville and hankerin' for a burger, head up to O'Sullivan's. They have, like, 25 different kinds.

Tuesday saw us visiting another crazy good eating joint (burritos at Anna's Taquierito or something like that), racing around Harvard seeing libraries and other cool buildings, and then heading out to Boston's Back Bay area and seeing the Boston Public Library. I've never seen a public library quite like this. It is an honest-to-goodness research institution. The rare books room was magnificent to behold. There were murals on the third floor that have the somewhat dubious honor of being the first pieces of visual art that have evoked in me a emotional reaction that previously have been limited to music and dance. Cool.

Tuesday night we met up with Sarah Nagell and went to the Union Oyster House, another historic landmark and a fantastic seafood restaurant. Samantha and I had lobster for the first time. A challenge to eat, to say the least, but well worth it.

Yesterday we bugged out of Boston (after checking out the Emerson College campus on behalf of my sister) and headed out to the Cape, where Samantha's friend Antonia lives. Here, we've been taking it easier -- we mostly just chilled out last night and had an unremarkable dinner at a local place. We're going to go out sightseeing after I finish up here.

Such is life on the road. I am struck by a number of things as we travel...

• There are lots of little things that distinguish areas of the country from one another (names of grocery stores and gas stations, types of terrain, styles of road signs). You get used to them very quickly and begin to wonder why this is so different from where you live.
• Friends are friends, no matter where they are, how you met them, or how long it's been since you've seen them. I am loathe to lose touch with people, and I'm being reminded why.
• Samantha remains a great travelling companion. She fears that I'll tire of her -- she worries in vain. :)

Off to see the coast. Peace for now.