New England Ramblings

Greetings from Arlington — Arlington, Massachusetts, that is. Down the road from Lexington, where the hotel is (Battle Green Inn — OK accommodations; excellent location), and a little closer in toward Boston. Though I’m sure Arlington, MA has some fascinating historical anecdotes in its annals, I like it because it has a Panera, which means free wi-fi. The place in Lexington that was supposed to have wi-fi didn’t, and the hotel charges for local calls (“barely OK” accommodations, now that I think about it).

All this has been an overlong way to explain my lack of Internet access and the corresponding lack of attention to the blog, which will continue for a few more days.

If you’re ever in the area, the Indian restaurant in Lexington (Kushboo) is very fine indeed, and Walden Pond is certainly worth a visit. We tossed a frisbee back and forth over the site of Thoreau’s cabin; I feel certain he would have approved. More on what Thoreau would have approved and disapproved of in the modern world after I finish my reread of _Walden_, which I thought I’d get done by the time I was there, but you know how these things go.

Most picturesque moment so far: strolling around Cambridge, we were caught in a sudden thunderstorm and barely found shelter on a big stone porch adjoining what seemed like it must be an old church, but turned out to be Harvard’s Memorial Hall. I climbed up into one of those gaps between pillars and watched the rain pour down and the mist collect over a fountain at the other end of the green. My theory now is that Harvard’s academic excellence hasn’t so much to do with good students and faculty as it does with perfect _ambience_. They’ve got the whole college campus _look_ down cold.

Finally, the question that shall vex me tomorrow: Boston’s Science Museum has a Lord of the Rings exhibit with lots of props and whatsits from the movies — is it worth $19 to see it?