UMass - Mexico City Time Warp?

I've been in Amherst recruiting at UMass this week and at times I feel I'm in a Mexico City timewarp. The warmest way to get to the Campus Center where I had a table was to go through the Student Union, up and down stairs and round a twisted way of hallways. At one point the hallway goes by an open area with a mural and statue. . .

much like the winding walk I would do to transferring between the pink and blue lines I would do everyday in Mexico City. Half way through the crazy hectic tunnels you'd pass an Aztec altar they unearthed when they dug the subways out.

And the mural is reminiscent of those that cover public spaces all over Mexico City. This famous one of Diego Rivera's is in a museum, but the Mexico University campus has several that look just like UMass.

So neither are exact reflections, but pleasant suprising reminders of an ancient city and a pleasant vacation.

My Backyard

This week I drove practically the whole big rectangle of Massachusetts.  Following the coast from Boston I spent Monday on the Cape.  

Not wanting to miss a opportunity to spend some time on the beach I booked a campsite at Scusset Beach.  We were assigned the same site my friend Libby and I shared 6 years ago our summer of canvassing.  A bit errie.

The weather didn't cooperate and while we enjoyed a nice, warm hearty meal at a British-style pub in Sandwich, our attempts to start a fire took a lot of time and lighter fluid.  I managed to warm up enough marshmallows for s'mores and chugged a couple glasses of Cape Cod Beer poured from a growler. 

The next day I drove back up through Boston, across the top of the state to Greenfield, down to Northampton, back to the top Northeast corner to Williamstown, down to the southeast corner and all the way back home.  The rolling mountains and stormy lakes didn't get much exploring as I zipped by meeting to meeting, but I got a few shots out the window.

Lastly, Friday was perfect.  Finally the sun came back out and every tree, bush, flower, lawn, having had it's fill was glowing green.

I spent the day in historic Concord.  In between meetings I did lunch and a walk around Walden Pond.  

Staring at the site of Thoreau's cabin, I too decideded to live deliberately.  

I caught a bit of the Sleepy Hollow cemetery--final resting place of Thoreau, Emmmerson and Louisa May Alcott and did a quick drive by Alcott's childhood home.

 My pictures capture some of the gorgeousness of the old history lain in the green, but I'm sure if you are in any area of the country that is waking up from winter, you can fill in an even brighter green than the camera could capture in your mind's eye.  

What a whirlwind of a week! 

Mass Backyard and Abroad

This past month I've had the chance to travel a bunch over New England, mostly for work with a tad bit of fun squeezed in.   

Follow me as I travel Massachusetts this week for work, armed with a bunch of meetings with great Toxics Action Center members (have you donated yet?) to meet with and the Good Beer Guide to New England.