Posts Tagged Cambridge
A good start
For once I was home the whole month of January (apart from a quick visit to London). It’s been nice, but the weather was so-so for my taste – very, very cold. Once again I confirmed that I’m not made for Nordic winters.
Being home it’s been quite interesting to follow the changes in the river running past the house. One evening it was just amazing to listen to the crackling ice. I wish I could record it for you all. I haven’t heard anything like it.
February is off to a very good start. Work is busy and interesting. Held a lecture at an event organized by the Embassy of Canada in Oslo on Wednesday and two days later I was at Cambridge University, holding a lecture at Judge Business School. The event in Cambridge was very rewarding. The passion, the interest, the curiosity, the participation, in general the vibe in and surrounding the different colleges is very inspiring and if I win the lottery something I would love to get better acquainted with. £50K is not something I just have laying around… :)
After a nice dinner with friends on Saturday night I enjoyed Oslo from its best winter side, cross-country skiing in Nordmarka with my dad and brother. On days like these I forget all about what I wrote earlier. It’s one of the best places to be. Sparkling white snow, bright sun a clear blue sky.
No pictures this time around, but I’ll make up for it in my next blogpost. In five days I travel again – going back to the more “natural” life of being here and there.
Travel log – Boston
Before I write about my trip to Boston, visiting my brother I have to share a picture from a football game in Oslo. A food friend of mine gave me a membership to Klanen, the supporter group of Vålerenga, the only team in Oslo for my birthday.
It was supposed to rain, but we’ve been lucky. Sun, sun, sun and warm, Indian summer in New England.
Even tough it’s my third visit to Boston we’ve walked around and re-visited most of the places a tourist should see. Back Bay, South End, North End, Charlestown, Beacon Hill, Harvard Square, Quincy Market (sad tourist trap near downtown), and of course Fenway Park, in addition to my brother’s old and new neighborhood Brookline (with famous golf course, the Country Club) and Brighton.
With over fifty universities and colleges and half a million students make Boston/Cambridge are the largest student town(s) in the US. It’s amazing to drive down Commonwealth Avenue and see Boston University stretch for miles and miles from the suburbs into town.
Back Bay is one of the nicest areas in Boston and Newbury Street the place to go if you want to do some serious shopping. Stores and cafes lined side-by-side, (interrupted by an almost scary amount of nail and skincare salons) makes it a good place to hangout.
Along Tremont Street in South Bay you’ll find many good restaurants and parallel on Columbus we found a great Italian place, Giacomo, fantastic food with very loud atmosphere.
North End is the Italian district. Again, many good restaurants and at Mikes Pastry in Hanover Street I had the fattest eclair I ever tasted. I could feel my veins clog up.
Charlestown, with Bunkerhill is the oldest part of Boston. Founded in 1628 it’s probably one of the oldest town of the new world. The famed Freedom Trail starts here and takes you on an interesting tour through the history of Boston and the birth of this nation.
Walking up from Charles Street you’ll find Beacon Hill. A very nice neighborhood with beautiful architecture and more than one town house I’d like to spend more time in. It reminds me of Pacific Heights in San Francisco, but with narrower streets and more trees.
Down the hill again and back across Charles Street you walk into Beacon Street and the home of “Cheers”. If you liked the old TV series you should stop outside. Look at the facade but do not walk in. It will ruin the illusion.
Across Charles River you’ll find Cambridge, the home of MIT, Harvard, and more importantly Calumet Photo where I bought my new camera. Harvard, the oldest university in the nation is worth a visit. A beautiful campus, with smart or rich people, a crazy cool lens in the science building (you’ll find it next to the world first computer, IBM Mark II – it’s huge). You should also try to sneak into the student-dining hall. Keyword: Hogwarts.
I’ll end this travel log with Fenway Park. An old stadium, it opened only five days after Titanic sank. I wanted to see the Sox at play, but had to forget about getting a ticket. The tents in queue outside the ticket office told me that much.
Oh, I can’t end this without mentioning the Duck Tours. I’ve wanted to take the tour, simply because of the really cool amphibian trucks they use, but we didn’t get the chance to quack at some people this time either. I guess three times is not a charmer for the Nickelsen brothers.
