Exploring surroundings and observations

I have only been here a little over a week, but I have already done some exploring around the area. Last Thursday drove to South Hadley to get some work done at a coffee shop I found online that got good reviews, called Thirsty Mind. South Hadley is home to Mount Holyoke College, an all women’s school, which has a beautiful historic campus. Downtown South Hadley is very quaint with a small town square with gazebo and surrounding shops and restaurants. There was also a small farmers’ market going on in the town square green space! Thirsty Mind had a laidback, college feel, which has brought me back to it today in spite of the 25-minute drive.

Friday I went to a Stanley Park, which is near campus. This park is extraordinary! There is a pond where you can feed ducks, open green space for sports, a garden that holds weddings, and trails in the woods. I walked around and explored the park, then read on a bench in the garden.

On Saturday I ventured to Northampton, which was 35 minutes away. Rob and Carol Sawyer, my grandparents’ friends who live in the area, warned me that the city is like a smaller version of downtown Madison because of all the “interesting” people. They were right on. Northampton definitely has attracted a homeless and hippie crowd, which I have not yet seen in other cities. Carol recommended I visit a café called Hay Market. Located on Main St. with the other shops and restaurants, you can order coffee drinks upstairs and food downstairs. This was another great place to get work done, but the atmosphere of the city and café was a little more hippie for my taste. Something unique about Northampton is that you can jaywalk! At a major intersection, when it is the pedestrians’ turn, a whistle sounds and people can walk diagonally across the intersection.

I am always in search of local coffee shops wherever I go and once I moved here I did an internet search to find some, but I didn’t have much luck finding any nearby. There are none in Westfield, but a few in Springfield; however, they didn’t have any reviews or websites. Coffee shops are where I like to crank out all my homework, so it would be great if I can find one closer to campus!

To end this post, I have made a list of observations I have made in my first week:

1. On the Massachusetts Turnpike, known as “The Pike,” people drive really fast. I am used to driving in the left lane because I like to go fast – usually 7-10mph over the speed limit. The posted speed limit is 65mph, but I have noticed people in the left lane go 75-85mph.  One of the first times I drove on The Pike, to keep up with traffic in the left lane I had to go 85mph! I was not comfortable going that fast so I got out of that lane.

2. Almost wherever you are you either have a beautiful view of the mountains or of the valley. Trees cover the landscape, so I can’t wait until this fall when everywhere I look will be incredible. I hope I don’t drive off the rode admiring the view!

3. Drivers are extremely good about stopping for pedestrians.

4. People say “wicked” a lot. I knew I would be hearing this, but it just sounds new and strange to me. Here are some instances I have heard it being used in sentences like “those boots are wicked sweet” or “that was wicked funny.”