Miss Me?

I'm baaaaack! The trip was pretty cool, but, to be honest, I missed Boston terribly, to say nothing of all the people, and my internet connection. I think that my impression of overall blah stems more from the company than anything else.

Pound for pound, I have never met a group of people more casually racist, and with a greater sense of sick self-entitlement than Russian-American tourists. And this is from a Russian-American (well, Russian speaking Ukranian-American) tourist. If I never have to hear a comment about how Brighton is going to hell because of all the blacks moving in (God forbid the frikkin neighborhood turn less Russian!), or a refference to any Asian restaurant as Chinese, It's still be too soon. Add to that very thinly-veiled homophobic barbs, sexist assumptions, and complete disrespect of the local people, and you've got a regular smorgasboard of puke. (I fully believe that the only reason that Anti-Semitism didn't abound, as well, was because some of the group hapened to be Jewish. Otherwise, I'm sure it would have severed as a nice enrichment of their repertoire) And all of this is spoken like it's perfect common sense, without the least bit of understanding just how offensive they are being. There were actually several times where I was glad that my ear infection (which is clearing up very, very slowly) kept me from hearing half of what was said. Mehinks that my Mom and I need to drop the tour groups like a hot ton of bricks, and start travelling on our own.

But, yeah. The trip itself was fine. We got to spend two-and-a-half days at Virginia Beach, which was really nice, even if we couldn't swim, due to the strong undertow, and Mom being a chicken. We saw the Lurray Caverns, which were drop-dead astounding, and Jefferson's home at Monticello. And I wore my dress inside-out to an upscale (and overpriced) restaurant. Mind, this was before I had anything to drink. But such is life.

You all have no idea how good it is to be back!