Sunday, November 13, 2011

Brilliant Boston

The circumstances which lead to our Boston trip have previously been mentioned. Matt's iGEM team did well in the America's regional iGEM competition and was selected among 20 other teams to compete at the World iGEM Jamboree, hosted on MIT's campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

It was an early morning flight, direct from Salt Lake to Boston Logan. Our journey was made more comfortable with Cinnabons cinnamon rolls.

We arrived in Boston as it was getting dark. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on MIT's campus. There was a military ball being held on the main floor, but we decided not to don our tuxedos and join them. Instead, we went to Legal Seafood, a restaurant that began in Boston, and was recommended by all the locals. In this picture, I'm enjoying a bowl of clam chowder, while Jessica had a bowl of lobster bisque.

By the MIT sign at the Stata Center!!!

The BYU iGEM team didn't win anything at the World level, but it was a great experience just the same. There were teams from Europe, Asia, Africa and of course, the Americas. Jessica befriended a Chinese team who gave her a little whale figurine.

Sunday morning, we attended church a few blocks from MIT in a brand new church building. Half-way through the meeting, we heard that the Portuguese branch was meeting upstairs. There was no restraining Matt who immediately dragged Jessica out of the meeting and upstairs to meet some Cape Verdians.

That afternoon, we, together with the iGEM team, visited some of the local historic sites. We saw Samuel Adams' and John Hancock's graves, we saw the building where the Declaration of Independence was first read to the Massachusetts people, we visited Bunker Hill and the ship "Old Ironsides".

Matt and Ben.

Another spot recommended by the locals was Mike's Pastry shop. They specialize in Cannolis (we got ricotta flavored), Boston Cream pie, cheese cake ... I could go on, but I see your mouths watering. It was one of the high points of the trip :)

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