impressions: boston

minivan school buses (rather than the usual yellow school buses)

so many colleges and universities; few locals. also so many hospitals.

radiator in every room, even a mini one in the bathroom!

lack of parking, very few drive thrus

streets are rarely on a grid. so many curves and offshoots and rotaries (roundabouts) 

so many toll road, but at least they aren't expensive

both more aggressive and more courteous drivers

quick to honk when light just turned green. but also a lack of honking cause they seem to get it when you fuck up cause it's difficult to navigate here; people are happy to just drive around you

often inaccurate google maps

scooters and motorcyclists regularly run very red lights. wear very little protective gear either

cops seem particularly inept

differently colored emergency vehicles (orange striped ambulances, highlighter yellow tennis ball fire trucks)

rains pretty much every week

top down bottom up windows, but only one window screen which are damn hard to maneuver

11pm to 7am noise ordinance

lots of red brick buildings

lots of pedestrians and bicyclists

single windmills

very large black ants! weird silverfish looking guys in more of a flesh-tone than silver. also HUGE centipede/millipede guys

cherry blossoms, dogwood flowers, and so many varieties of hydrangeas

yellowish tap water / toilet water

dumb alcohol laws, even grocery stores don't always sell wine / beer. obviously liquor is more tightly regulated.

expensive produce. $7.99 a lb or peaches in august!! $1.29 for a single lime!!! 2 regular sized kiwis for $5!! (these are not the prices at every grocery store, but each of these WAS the price different stores. and these aren't like erewhon type grocers, just regular places like h-mart)

more bland (under-seasoned) food