East Coast, USA

One nice thing about Boston is that my bank has an ATM on every corner, and there's no 1% foreign currency charge. Another is that Bostonites have the highest per capita rate of donning sports team attire on days when there's not a game than any city I've ever visited.

Compared to when I lived in town, the Somerville/Cambridge/Boston area is crawling with bicycles. The cyclists, most of whom do not look like serious athletes, usually wear padded spandex bike shorts. And helmets. Where are my Parisian bikers in their peacoats and stilettos, with hair flowing in the breeze? Are these Bostonites all training for a race that I don't know about?

Today I'm heading to the beach in Maine to camp with some old college friends. It should be like my night in Versailles, round two, except that this time there'll be friends and tents and fires and hot dogs and beer. It's good to be back.