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| Notre Dame, Montreal |
July
July was a whirlwind kicked off by a slightly less successful honeymoon to Breezes Curacao...which had stopped being a Breezes resort a few weeks before we arrived, but failed to truly clarify that. (See my fruitless attempt for rumination here). But hey, it’s the Caribbean and we’ve been on more ridiculous trips together, so we had a great time. And I only got sunburned once.
Of course, burn or no burn I came home to a new boss, but that is another story...
August
To continue with the run of nearly 30 weekends of booked activities, we went camping two weekends back to back, NYC, and then to a wedding. At a campground. Well actually, I should say a Maine wedding, but not the Martha Stewart variety. More the logger camp variety. After being un-invited to the rehearsal dinner and left to dogsit with my parents, we made our own fun and I got to marvel at how fat my ex-boyfriend had gotten...and how much taller my wife is than him :)
September
I turned 27 in September and in honor of this late 20’s milestone, I actually got to spend time in Canada when it wasn't far side of the moon cold. I love Montreal and we've been as a couple several times, hotwire hotel hopping our way through every neighborhood of the gorgeous old city. We spent the long weekend with the McGill froshers and their parents, explored the Mile End neighborhood and the distant side of Mont Royal, ate true Montrealler bagels, and had afternoon tea in Birk’s Cafe. Birk’s sits in the middle of a lovely baroque jewelry store often described as the “Tiffany’s of Canada”. In contrast to my times in Tiffany’s 5th Ave, Birk’s was quiet, refined, and the salespeople did not stalk you excessively. Combined with a beautiful afternoon tea spread and excellent service, it was a perfect birthday event.
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| Antwerp, Central Square |
I studied abroad in Amsterdam six years ago this January. It was a life-changing experience that brought me to myself, this career, and this lifestyle. I was unbelievably excited to return and even more so to show April every nook and cranny of a city that clings still to my heart. But I was anxious - anxious to see something I treasured as a memory as a living, breathing, changing organism. More so, I found so much of myself there, I was afraid to look again after several years of relatively settled being.
Going back was like having never been gone. I knew every street and canal, my grocery vocabulary was sufficiently impressive for my easily impressed wife, the rhythm of the city came back as if I had only been gone for the weekend. I still loved everything, beautiful and dingy.
We also spent a day in Antwerp, further insuring my belief that Belgium may be one of the nicest places on earth.
November
I am thankful for my wife, family, and friends, civil rights, the State of Massachusetts / the City of Boston, weekend brunch, BBC 4 documentaries on youtube, Top Gear, amazon prime shipping, and my electronic kettle. If you could see this thing, you'd understand.
December
Orlando, FL, Curacao, NYC, Montreal, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Minnesota: it’s been quite the trip both literally and figuratively and as I peek semi-anxiously over the edge into 2013, I do hope to have a few minutes to rest...but I guess I’ll do that when I’m older.
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| Red Light District at Rest |
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