Having snatched a phot of the Colonial Drug sign, complete with Minuteman, I then grabbed this shot of the street signage. The location is Cambridge MA, close to Harvard University, and I was awestruck by even the small details of American life.

This was the occasion of my fourth visit to the United States, on an itinerary that embraced Washington DC, Chicago and Boston - my first experience of the great American cities and historic New England. I was loving all the new discoveries in a very fulfilling time of my life.

Fast forward +30 years, I am now a permanent US resident, and many of the facets of American life that excited me back then are routine. Snow emergencies pose no problem however - hurricanes are our local issue.

April 1988
Rollei 35 camera
Kodachrome 50 film.

Tags:   drug store book shop book store dry cleaning harvard Cambridge Ma street signs

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The trolleybus is a rare beast in the United States, operations these days being limited to just five cities. Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority is one retaining faith in this form of transportation, albeit on a very small scale. Its routes are on the Cambridge side of the Massachusetts River, passing Harvard University, whose campus can be seen in this classic scene featuring a Flyer E800. These enjoyed a long life with MBTA, being delivered in 1976 and lasting until 2004-06.

April 1988
Rollei 35
Kodachrome 50 film.

Tags:   Massachusetts bay transit authority mbta trolley coach trolleybus Cambridge Ma harvard

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A snatched view of MBTA Commuter Rail FP-10 class diesel #1111 before I board for my first ride on an American train. Salem MA was my destination. The train operated in push-pull mode, the coaching stock comprising depowered Budd RDC units that MBTA had inherited when taking over the Boston area commuter lines.

April 1988
Rollei 35 camera
Kodachrome 50 film.

Tags:   budd rdc Massachusetts bay transit authority Boston north emd f-type diesel emd fp-10 commuter train mbta

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Salem MA has some stunning architecture from the earliest days of the Republic. This house in almost textbook Federal style dates from c.1820. I became a devotee of American domestic architectural styles from this visit onwards.

April 1988
Rollei 35 camera
Kodachrome 50 film.

Tags:   us domestic architecture mansion massachusetts federal style New England Salem

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In sparkling New England springtime light.

April 1988
Rollei 35 camera
Kodachrome 50 film.

Tags:   new england Massachusetts Salem common Salem ma

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