Boston & Counterpart

June 23, 2011: First day with Claudia and family was great, we just stayed at home and relax, Claudia wakes up early based on the baby schedule, i made them scramble eggs and burn toast. They said “very good DiahJ” it is nice to have a complement when u cook it makes u want to cook more:) . We decided to stay in Hull n enjoyed the beach and sun.  at 11ish we all went to groceries and did some shopping for 3 days, finally I got the change to do shopping but I wasn’t as excited as before because there were so many varieties of food and I didn’t recognize it. it was hard to find things I need like rice, noodle, etc… back home I could find things I need easily. They don’t have fresh hot red chili and most of the spices are in the plastic bottle, ready to use. I like real spice I don’t mind to grind it. by the time we got home it was already 12ish and we all felt hungry.

We had salad for lunch, we went to the beach n enjoyed the sun. I was ready with my bikini, it was a beautiful day, the sky was clear blue and bright sunny day. The beach was packed already we were too late. When it’s raining the beach is empty but when it’s nice day, it becomes crowded with people, even the parking lot was full with cars.. ahh where these people come from. Shea, Claudia and Nick dared me to put my feet in the water but I refused because I knew the water must be cold. I did feel it coincidently it wasn’t cold but it was freezing… gee those kids who swam were crazy but ahhh I forgot those weren’t Indo kids but New England kids, they get used with the cold unlike me. just like baby Olivier, he was so happy when Nick put him to the water… oh Canadian baby!!! We walked along the beach.. the wind was blowing which was too much for the Olivier, we decided to go to the Bay…  Hull is surrounded by the ocean and bay, isnt that beautiful…

Shea told us the bay must be warmer than the ocean, so we went there but guess what!! It was way freezing. I felt like stepping into an ice. We went home, baby Olivier slept and I started to cook, I cooked rice. My counterpart helped me of course, by the time the food ready, the sunset was there near the bay.. it looked so close and so beautiful, we went to see the sunset… as usual, I didn’t really see but busy taking pictures. It was cold. it was so quick and disappeared within less than 10 minutes… the sky was beautiful  with all the mix colors… it was such a great time with counterpart…

Dinner time, the food didn’t turn right because I didn’t have the complete ingredients but they said it tasted good ah at least they liked it, I’m glad. Monday 20^th was me n Shea’s 2^nd anniversary and we had a great treat… first and only… huge New England Lobster, wow! Another promise has been fulfilled. Shea promised me many things about his country… Lobster (done).  Shea was too excited about it, he gave us a quick lesson how to eat it. So according to him: first we pull the legs then  the head, then crack the shell then open each side all together at the same time until tail then do this and that etc… ahhh I lost my passion coz  I was too hungry, I couldn’t take it so I just ate rice… Claudia and Nick did it very well, my lobster jumped to the floor and mess all over the plate n my cloth. I gave half of the legs to Shea, it took us more than half an hour to open the shell such a pain#in#the#ass MAN!!! So difficult to eat.. I don’t understand why people love it so much…. it isn’t only hard to eat but it’s also damn expensive… the same size we had that night might cost 500thou Rupiah or $50 in Indonesia… crazy!! Sucking n trying to get the meat from the legs make u full already… or probably the rice made me full.. so I couldn’t finish mine but I kept in the fridge. it was great night.

June 21, 2011; BOSTON… yes!!! I kept telling baby Olivier “we’r going to Boston!!!” we planned the trip based on the baby schedule, like Dawn said “don’t mess with their schedule” so baby Olivier wakes up at 5 everyday then breakfast at 8am then sleeps at 9am for less than an hour.. so we all were ready n waited the baby woke up then go. we went at 11ish to Quincy harbor to get the boat… (the boat comes every hour) it took us only 20minute to get to Boston city. My first boat ride was greattt… the blue sky and ocean makes a great picture. I took tons of pictures… I enjoyed the ride very much… when the boat was getting closer to the city i could see Boston… beautiful city with neat tall building jams together in this one area…  first thing we did was clam chowder… we went to Quincy Market, a tourist place where packed with tourists… Claudia, Nick and shea had clam but I had chick wings… the food looked delicious and so good. All in a big portion… no wonder y people here eat a lot coz the portion is big it makes them eat more than they supposed to  we Asian serves food with small portion just like Dim sum or Sushi..  

It is such a nice and beautiful city… just like everyone says, we followed the freedom trail and a group of tourist with their guide who explained the history of the city… very impressive how they keep old buildings from back then…. Wow!! I took a lot of pictures… we took the train…  oh those guys are great i mean Nick n Shea.. they carried the baby off and on the train but me n Claudia walked easily and chatted… we wanted to go to the prudential tower. We walked n tried to find it, asked some people on the street… some of them were tourist just like us so they didn’t know… after 15 minutes walked we finally found it… the city was soooo nice… the buildings are so neat and has the same colors… dark brown with trees every corner… oh beautiful city!! No wonder why so many tourist!!  I’m camera crazy and thanks God Claudia and Nicholas were there so I didn’t have to ask Shea to take my picture otherwise he will scream at me “put that camera away!!” uhhh  I told him many times everything is new and I haven’t seen it in my life and so much different from where I am from so that’s why I take tons of picturesJ.

Shea wanted to see his brother so we were looking for “Lord n Tyler” apparently it was next to tower, baby Olivier was so good, he didn’t cry. We went to a restaurant in the tower, 52th fl. The view was magnificent, we could see the Boston city, the stadium where the Bruins n baseball plays. It was nice n fancy restaurant. It was pricy but with that kinda view.. it was way worthy!!!  We stayed for less than an hour then went back home, catch up the Boat. We took the same train back and hurried up to the harbor… we should get to 5.30 pm boat so we could get home at 6pm bcoz baby Olivier’s dinner is at 6. I had enough pictures… the boat was full coz people went back home from work etc.. baby Olivier cried bcoz he was hungry, I fed him on the boat…ah it was so nice to be able to fed him… such a great memories. We got home before 7pm. Baby went to bed, I cooked Pad Thai, sweet sour chicken and boiled corn. It was great dinner we were so tired n so hungry!!!

June 23, Today was shitty day, cold and raining… we didn’t do anything but ate… nick made delicious breakfast, it was such a nice n neat presentation… I love it! I got the recipe n I will cook it again tomorrow.. eggs, with mushroom, onion, etc yum so good. lunch n dinner was the same menu left over pad thai, clam chowder, salad, noodle. Etc.. we ate left over whatever we could find from the fridge…

My counterpart, Claudia and family went back home to Canada by car…oh I really wish they could stay longer… it was so great to see her again… I haven’t seen her for almost 8 years but we kept in touch through email… I was so happy. I was so glad she doesn’t change. She is just like Claudia I knew 8 years ago, some people changes bcoz of time and job.. she is such a lovely and nice, cheerful and always happy, I really wish she brought her violin so she could play for me like an old time…  her husband nick is a great guy… he is so nice, they are both happy and nice couple.. they have a wonderful and beautiful baby… Olivier.. oh I wish he’s mine… such a cute baby. Everywhere we go people always look at him and said “oh what a cute baby”… he is such a friendly with those beautiful brown eyes, and always smile… who doesn’t like this baby!!

claudia n family left at 7, so sad…. Im glad I kissed, hug, fed and played with baby Olivier good enough coz I would be regret if I didn’t… me n counterpart Claudia & family had a great quality time together here in beach house Hull. We were happy…. Thank you to Mr. and Mrs. Shea for let them stayed and for the warm hospitality.. they r super nice and great people!!!

Until I see Claudia n Nick again..!!! so excited!!

ps: when i was 19 years old i joined youth exchange to Canada for couple month along with canadian youth, Claudia is my counterpart in that Program.