birthday excursion
Due to the efforts and generosity of bp1101, I had a fantastic 25th birthday. We took a trip to Boston where we saw the plasticized cadavers on exhibit at the Museum of Science. The dissection and preservation of the bodies was pretty amazing. What I hadn't anticipated was the whole public health bent to the exhibit, the display of diseased lungs and livers to underscore the dangers of smoking and drinking. It was a really accessible, didactic display, which I guess you can count as a positive review. Personally, though, I've always been attracted to the creepy, uncontextualized, pointlessness of natural history museums where there's no explanation for the preserved frogs or camel hearts floating in formaldehyde. Someone long ago thought it worthwhile to save these artifacts for some inscrutably weird, undoubtedly imperialist research purpose, and that's that. But curating with some defined educational purpose? I guess that's cool too.
We also had a thoroughly terrific dinner in town at the Elephant Walk. I had trout marinated in lime juice, garlic and chilies cooked in a banana leaf and garnished with fried leeks and a green mango salad. I also drank a perfect gin martini, and had passionfruit mousse for dessert. On the topic of food, I need also mention that Kelly presented me with several Ritter Sport Knusperflakes bars (German milk chocolate with cornflakes). I'd like to say it's a six-month supply of chocolate, but that would imply a level of willpower that I won't credit myself with.
And tonight, the rest of the crowd meets up for beers!
We also had a thoroughly terrific dinner in town at the Elephant Walk. I had trout marinated in lime juice, garlic and chilies cooked in a banana leaf and garnished with fried leeks and a green mango salad. I also drank a perfect gin martini, and had passionfruit mousse for dessert. On the topic of food, I need also mention that Kelly presented me with several Ritter Sport Knusperflakes bars (German milk chocolate with cornflakes). I'd like to say it's a six-month supply of chocolate, but that would imply a level of willpower that I won't credit myself with.
And tonight, the rest of the crowd meets up for beers!