The Avera Palimpsest: Trav'lin' Light--Part Three: The Massachusetts Pictorial Supplement

After hustling in NYC, it was time for some respite. Sarah, a prominent figure in my travels, once again re-entered the picture. I trekked on the Chinatown bus to Boston to meet up with her. She's doing a film program there. We (snore) spent a day working our butts off on our respective academic efforts, but in the next evening we went to one of her friend's houses where there was a lively Thanksgiving feast along with a charades-like game. It was topped off with dessert, a Danish dream cake--there were a lot of Danish people there--and a name-that-tune competition.

We went to a liquor store to pick up some stuff to make mulled wine for Sarah's roommate Rico who was cooking for us. While browsing we saw the cutest beer bottle labels ever. Don't know if the brew inside was any good though:

Owls!!!!!!

Then, the real fun began. Jones and I rose early in the morning and took the bus to Hyannis. I had my SF, CA playlist blaring in my ears making me all homesick for the coastal wonder of beloved California. It was the first time I felt home's memories tugging at my heartstrings.

But, in way, home is where your heart is. Indeed, some of my heart was left in Cape Town. I have been so lucky to have people in my life who have traversed the world to cross paths in many places. A communion of geographic memories is holy. It is so special to be able to share multiples places/times in common with people, and I know how rare that is. Already to have journeyed and been with Sarah in Cape Town, London, and Boston was overwhelmingly grand. Jennie and Mpho, who were also friends in Cape Town were waiting for us at the Hyannis bus station. They both reside in Cape Town, and since they had gotten married weren't able to visit the U.S. They tied the knot in Soweto (Mpho's hometown). Jennie's family is from Cape Cod, and finally they were making the trek stateside as legalized partners. Jubilant times to be reunited!

After driving to Jennie's aunt's house, we met her family, sat and had some rooibos (how South African!) and cookies. Then we set off for the Cape beaches and Jennie treated us to a tour of her childhood haunts. Seeing the ocean again, after such a long absence, inahling that salt-kissed air, my love of the coast was reawakened.

Whoa, there's a Cape Town here too!

Jennie and Mpho: Awwwwww

Who's that Inuit grinning on the beach?

Just us gals

A tangle of seaweed

After our tour of the Cape we retuned to the Hutchinson homestead for a lavish Thanksgiving feast. The second of the week! Jennie's uncle stopped by and shared his considerable horseshoe crabshell collection with us. I brought a couple back to NYC for Simone's ever-growing wunderkammer.

Jennie's dad donning a horseshoe crab hat

Eeek! Get it off!

Attack of the killer horseshoe crabs!

As the evening wound down, the Cape to Cape crew piled in a car and headed back Bostonward. Back at Sarah's abode we sat down and looked at Jennie and Mpho's wedding pictures. I wasn't able to attend as I had to leave South Africa days before. It was marvelous to see the photos from the ceremony and celebration. The joy and ebullience was transmitted through those images. Still exhausted from jetlag (They had only arrived in the U.S. a day before) J & M crashed and Sarah and I respectively hit the sack too. The next day we all went to Boston's chinatown for some dim sum. We met up with Rico and his son Morris (Mr. Mo for short). After a stroll through Boston Common Sarah led us to the Imperial Garden, and old theater refurbished and repurposed to serve up some delectable Chinese delights. The interior was entirely preserved. We ascended a staircase and were a bit bewildered to find a majestic decor inside. After a little walk around downtown Boston, we capped off the day sipping piping hot chocolate in Cambridge. Bidding adieu to J & M, Sarah and I turned in to watch "Madagascar". And the next day I said farewell and headed back to the Big Apple.