Words of Inadequacy: Christmas

Wednesday, January 25, 2006

Christmas - a month late

This entry is kinda late, but I just wanted to get it on the blog somehow.

I mean, it was the last dash at fun and freedom before flying home after SEP. =)

~~~~~

After a restless 10-hr overnight bus ride from Irvine to Oakland, it was really good to spot the familiar face of Xiaotian coming by to pick me up at the bus station at 8am in the morning. 4 hours later, we were all at the San Francisco International Airport picking Jeffrey up.

No dramatic airport welcome scenes, just a firm handshake and genuine welcome for a dear friend into the sunny state of California.

And the first thing Jeffrey-the-man-with-steel-liver did was to buy us a keg of beer you see on the right.
German beer.
For the night.

~~~~~

24 hours later, the 3 of us were on the plane bounded for Boston.

Jeffrey probably still jet-lagged, and me, still suffering from lack of sleep on the bus ride, gladly rested on the flight. Fortunately, we arrived in Boston early enough to catch the last few trains to our hotel. It was cold, and my ears and nose almost freezed off.

We picked Michael up at the train station in Boston, and there we are! 4 travellers finally together, flying into the same place from all over the globe.

22 Dec 2005

The next day, we met Teo Heng (who's studying in Harvard now) for lunch, at Harvard of course. A good chance to tour the presitigous school, beautiful with its ice-capped yard and withered trees. The early fall of snow (snowstorm in fact) before we arrived meant we had a gorgeous view of the school in white.

5 of us in front of the Statue of 3 Lies
(L to R) Teo Heng, Xiaotian, Michael, Jeffrey and me posing in front of the "Statue of 3 Lies"

So as you entered the famed Harvard Yard, you'll definitely see the statue of John Harvard, which is also otherwise known as the "Statue of 3 Lies". And his left boot is especially shiny, because it is said that if you rub his left boot, you will have the chance to study here.. erm, thats why Michael and Jeffrey are sticking out their left leg.

Anyway, the statue wrote:

"John Harvard,
Founder Harvard University 1638"

and amazingly, therein lies 3 lies already.

1. The carved man is not John Harvard, who left no visual representations of himself, but rather an unnamed person who sat for a sculptor in the 1800’s, two centuries after Mr. Harvard died.

2. John Harvard did not found a college at all. Rather, when he died in 1638, he left a small amount of money in his will to be used for the training of young men for Christian ministry.

3. The college (not called Harvard initially), was founded by the General Court of Massachusetts in 1636, not 1638 and not by Harvard.

We left Teo Heng to pack for his Washington trip and went on a very leisurely stroll around Boston. We visited MIT as well, which is more boring structurely.

The fun came in the night though, when we surprised Xiaotian with a birthday cake from Cold Stone Creamery (ice-cream cake!).

Birethday surprise
Imagine Xiaotian's shocked look as he emerges from his shower to a lit cake.
Priceless.

23 Dec 2005

Boston was more probably toured today though, as we walked on the Freedom Trail, which is probably the only tourist attraction in Boston. It is a idiot-proof path around Boston to show all the landmarks from the revolution. Plus if you have 4 very nua travellers, so it was a very leisure trip.

I like Boston, oh Old England. It's serene and pretty in white. No hustle and bustle. Lots of white Americans who actually have slightly British accent. It's nice to walk around the old city.

Michael took us to a Dim Sum breakfast before we start touring

Us Strolling through Boston Common

Michael at the Boston Common,
The starting place for the Freedom Trail

Jeffrey on the Freedom Trail

Jeffrey was a victim of the Revolution

Me at Quincy Market
moment frozen in time

Xiaotian at Bunker Hill
Xiaotian emerging from 294 steps at Bunker Hill.
"Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes."

Dinner with Boston Lobster!

Since we're in the US, we thought it'll b good to renact a scene of back alley bashing.

Guess who's the victim.
Michael! Who else. =)

~~~~~

24 Dec 2005

New York New York!

New York is a fantastic city as well, so vibrant and full of life! The energy of the city springs at you every corner you turn in Manhattan.

Me and Xiaotian at Times Square

This world isn't too big after all.

Bummed into Aloysius (RI 1998) at the BIG Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center.

Couldn't miss the photo opportunity with him all the way from Atlanta.

Plus tons of Singaporeans from Michigan University on this X'mas Eve!

25 Dec 2005

Christmas Day is awfully quiet. And what better than to stroll around Manhattan and the famed Central Park =)

Xiaotian pensive by lake in Central Park

Nothing like Christmas Jazz on saxophone in the middle of Cental Park to give that almost-lonesome Christmas morning feeling.

Almost defining of Central Park.