19 May 2008
Sunday was the day for us to implement the fMRI and MEG experiments that we designed in the workshops during the week. Not everyone had to be there, only a couple of people from each group to help sort out any last minute glitches. I was supposed to be one of the participants, and even had my MRI structurals taken, but then it was decided that it would be best if one person did all the experiments to make analysis easier. Bad news for Natalia, because she ended up either in the MEG or MR machine for pretty much the whole day!
We started at 9am, but after dabbling in a little more FreeSurfer, I decided it would be better use of my time to go sightseeing and shopping. In the end we managed to sort a lift into downtown with Mikhail, who had a car. Me, Carolina and Lauren (from Georgia) made our merry way. :)
We went straight to the Prudential and Copley malls, but I don’t think I could have afforded much more than a shoelace in most of the shops there (all Prada and Marc Jacobs), so we left Carolina to it and me and Lauren just went for a wander and a window shop. It was nice spending some time with Lauren, because I hadn’t shared much more than about five words with her since the start of the course! We walked up Boylston Street, which is mostly just more fancy stores that we could look through the windows of, while we made small talk and enjoyed the sunshine and the nice atmosphere.
While we were looking at a map, this random lady accosted us and gave a whistle-stop verbal tour of the last 100 years of Boston history and all the best places to go, so on her advice we continued walking up Boylston to the public park, where we took lots of cheesy photos of landmarks like America’s smallest suspension bridge an things.
After lapping the park we made our way back to the Prudential to meet Carolina along Newbury Street, which had more fun shops than Boylston. Managed to find an H&M and a second-hand store, but most of the stuff was either too cheesy or still too expensive! Also managed to bag Mae’s present, (NOT second-hand or H&M u cheeky buggers!), which I’m really happy with, can’t wait to give it to her!
The original plan was for lots of people on the course to meet at the Union Oyster Cafe for dinner at 7pm, so the three of us met up and made our way there, but couldn’t get hold of anyone! We ended up going Quincy Market to some more shopping, which was more my kind of place. :) I ended up buying a pretty nice shirt for $11 (which I’m wearing right now actually!). I know, I know, Mae, I don’t need another shirt, but their my weakness gosh darned it, and for that price it would be mental to have not bought it!
Then by random chance we bumped into Marijan again – that guy has the knack for turning up at the right place at the right time! The four of us decided to go have oysters anyway and the rest could turn up if they wanted. The Union Oyster place is apparently America’s oldest restaurant on one of its oldest streets and is very famous for its seafood. We had sat at the bar with a beer and rested our feet. I shared a couple of oysters from Carolina’s plate, apparently they are a real acquired taste, but I really liked them straight from the off! Bit funky in the mouth at first but really tasty (and not at all like chicken!).
Then Dave randomly turned up and about two hours later Steffen, Natalia and the rest of the gang turned up too, and there ended up being 12 of us all together! I had a seafood platter which was a fat swordfish steak, salmon, scallops, calamari and scord (which is apparently like cod, but not quite). I thought it was delicious, but a couple of the others who had the same thing thought the salmon and swordfish were a bit dry, maybe they’re just a little more discerning in their tastes than me, but I was happy! At about 11ish we all meandered back to the hotel, even though my feet were aching from all the walking I hobbled home instead of joining the taxi group, who somehow still managed to get back after us!
Hope your exams are going well Dip!
Goodnight y’all!
Mae
22 May 2008
Sounds like you had a very nice day of sightseeing and relaxing my love! It’s a good thing you weren’t stuck in the scanner all day, poor Natalia!