Left Boston to return to Singapore.  The journey from Detroit and Narita is the toughest leg of the itinerary, because it is the longest (12 hours) and without personal in-flight entertainment in the economy section.  Even worse was the fact that the plane on the return trip would be packed. 

This turned out to be a blessing, however.  Probably due to the lack of space, Northwest upgraded me to business class – I’ve never been upgraded or sat in business class before – between Detroit and Narita.  Flying business is a world of difference – more leg room, softer cushions, and better tasting food that keeps on flowing – you just have to ask.  (Have to say though, that I thought the microwaved pizza that they served me for supper tasted better than the cooked dinner itself).

On the trip back I watched and fell in love with an indie movie, P.S., enough to watch it two and a half times.  It wasn’t the sex (there were no explicit sex scenes) that I found captivating; it was the tenderness of innocent, giddy, young (pseudo-adolescent ?) love between an arts undergrad (Topher Grace) and a post-30 year old school admissions coordinator Laura Linney that I found refreshing.  Maybe I just miss being young.  Will try and get my hands on Helen Schulman’s book if it’s available in Singapore.

Revisited the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) today as I did not get to finish viewing all the exhibits before it closed yesterday.  (I am also bored of this rather small city).

One of its collections featured quilts.  I found this one in particular very meaningful.  Description : "It was when Daddy died.  He stayed sick about eight months and passed on.  Mama say, ‘I’m going to take his work clothes, shape them into a quilt to remember him, and cover up under it for love’." 

The description of this Buddhist artefact, I found somewhat amusing :

"Vajrabhairava & his consort.  Vajrabhairava also known as Yamataka (conquerer of Yama, lord of death) is the wrathful form of Manjusri, bodhisattva of wisdom.  In Buddhist theology, he embodies the type of anger which destroys attachment to the ego and transform it into enlightened action.  Vajrabhairava, representing skillful means, embraces his consort, wisdom - by the union of two one can reach enlightenment (the figures are seperable and anatomically accurate) … The body of this statue is filled with offerings such as incense and Buddhist relics, placed inside through a small trap door between its legs."

On the grounds of the Massachusetts State House is a statue of General Hooker.  "Hooker" was not an unfortunate choice for a family name.  The term "hooker" was coined because of General Hooker’s predilection for prostitutes.

Today was another hot day.  I toured the Boston Commons, beginning with the cemetery where Benjamin Franklin was buried.

Adjoining the cemetery was a residential block.  I found a hawk perched at one of its lower levels.  It kept still long enough for me to take a couple of close up pictures.

After I had checked into the hotel and showered, I ran off to visit the USS Constitution and Bunker Hill Monument.  It wasn’t easy to find, especially on a blazing hot summer day – makes you ask why the Americans don’t put up better signs and print more helpful tourist maps.

By evening, I was totally exhausted.  I must have walked something like 8 km in the sweltering summer heat today – something I’ve not done since NS.

Started off this morning by jogging to the Boston Esplanade instead of the YMCA gym.  Absolutely beautiful, the riverside, and the feeling of running in air-condition – it’s not humid like Singapore, at least not in the morning – is just great.  We hardly get this in Singapore; I thank God over and over again for such experiences.

Next, packed all my stuff – I have a lot more stuff since I arrived because of all the notes issued to me – and lugged it to the Holiday Inn Boston.  It wasn’t easy – today happens to be the hottest day in Boston since I arrived, this nearly turned me into a puddle of perspiration – but it was worth the effort (see pictures of my hotel room).

Before I left for school this morning, I went to the YMCA reception to pay my rent.  The lady who was at the reception saw that I was carrying a Harvard file and with a big smile warmly congratulated me :

“Oh … you’re going to study law at Harvard.  Congratulations !”

Embarrassed at the undeserved admiration, I clarified that I was there just to do a two week course.

“That doesn’t matter, it’s still Harvard !”

What a sweetie !

On CNN today was the news that the US Supreme Court is being asked to rule on the legality of displaying the Ten Commandments in public.  (When I first read this news in Singapore, I thought it wasn’t real).  Apparently some civic-minded Americans have taken offence at a historical monument and other public displays of the Ten Commandments, as this crosses the line separating church and state (the First Amendment to the US Constitution states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof …”).

An American classmate I spoke to said that people are just trying to erase God from their memory.  They don’t want to be reminded that there are moral standards (instituted by God) that they should ideally live by.  They want to do whatever they want – live as they see fit.  I’m inclined to agree.  I think too few people today have stopped to consider the consequences to abandoning the Christian roots on which our societies are built.  When society pulls out or chips at the foundation stones on which it is built, would not the edifice one day collapse ?