thoughts on New England (Bostonia: houses, taxes, live)

[mvpsharky]

What do people from Cali thing about New England? just curious .

[comingbacktocali]

i am not sure millions of people have a single idea about a place they don't live.

[Snort]

It's not really new and it's not really England.

[znlwovuhrjw]

Northern New England is the only New England that matters. Magical Maine, Neat New Hampshire, and Valorous Vermont.

[blueskywalker]

From California but i lived in various parts of New England .... N.H., Vermont, MA but it's been a long time since i was last there. (kingdomkz, there are rural parts of N.E. that are not in the north but that are beautiful and "matter". Western MA ... The Berkshires for example)
I spent a lot of my childhood in the White Mountains of N.H. and have very fond memories.
Rural New England is beautiful. The land is gentler than in the west. Softer (despite the harsh winters). The people are not as open but tend to be (or seem to be) more sincere.
I was proud of Boston for rejecting the olympics. I heard someone on NPR refer to Bostonians as provincial for that but really, they're just not seduced by the b.s. of it .... yankee smart and practical. A good thing that the olympic committee took Boston off the table. Not a good place for such an event.
I'd like to N.E. go back for a visit.
Better swimming holes and lakes for swimming. I miss that the most i think.

[Fiddlehead]

Dear spouse is from that neck of the woods. From my few visits, I have found it appealing. Lovely forests, wetlands, stunning architecture, great educational institutions (Hogwarts like places), and a lively, interesting climate. Having grown up in California, the woods, water, and lovely towns and villages are a really exotic treat for me. I am sure that if I had left the West, I would have missed it, but New England, especially the northern part seems like it could have been doable. And politically, Yankees tend to run center left like me. I believe in self-reliance and common sense, and generously giving to your community, and building institutions for future generations, but do not want to hear anyone's Jesus tales. I am somewhat conservative myself, but I simply think that one's religion is a personal matter.

So, a great part of our country, full of intelligent, sensible people that I can relate to, in a lovely setting. What is not to like? It is a complement to California in many ways (lush, wooded, old, and smaller in scale). I could gladly vaporize a decade there, but I suspect we would eventually come back west to the big country.

[SHABAZZ310]

Originally Posted by mvpsharky

What do people from Cali thing about New England? just curious .

We don't really think about new England. That is until we see the Patriots cheating..

[Cream1]

I guess it's better than regular England

[blueskywalker]

Originally Posted by Fiddlehead

Dear spouse is from that neck of the woods. From my few visits, I have found it appealing. Lovely forests, wetlands, stunning architecture, great educational institutions (Hogwarts like places), and a lively, interesting climate. Having grown up in California, the woods, water, and lovely towns and villages are a really exotic treat for me. I am sure that if I had left the West, I would have missed it, but New England, especially the northern part seems like it could have been doable. And politically, Yankees tend to run center left like me. I believe in self-reliance and common sense, and generously giving to your community, and building institutions for future generations, but do not want to hear anyone's Jesus tales. I am somewhat conservative myself, but I simply think that one's religion is a personal matter.

So, a great part of our country, full of intelligent, sensible people that I can relate to, in a lovely setting. What is not to like? It is a complement to California in many ways (lush, wooded, old, and smaller in scale). I could gladly vaporize a decade there, but I suspect we would eventually come back west to the big country.

That last line of the post is key for me. I always felt a bit claustrophobic in New England and missed the openness / vastness of the west.

[wac_432]

Originally Posted by mvpsharky

What do people from Cali thing about New England? just curious .

It's a nice place to visit for a week or two in the summer. I'd never live there again.

Lived in BOS for 2 years. A miserable frozen wasteland at the end of the world. Had to drive to NYC for fun/flights to anywhere without making a zillion connections.

Go north and it's nothing but rocks and trees with swampy coast. Portland ME is basically a tiny tourist village. It snows (several feet at a go) 9 months out of the year and swelters for 2 of the remaining months. There's a really expensive "high speed" train that gets you to NYC or DC a little slower than the $15 Chinese-run buses.

People are nasty, boring, and poorly traveled. The higher education system is great, but it's mostly used by people who come in, get a degree, and leave. MA taxes are high and favor the very wealthy.

The roads are in terrible shape, and follow cow paths. Work is hard to come by. Houses are ancient, leaky, and built on "fieldstone"--which is apparently just random garbage mortared together.

The surf sucks, and the ocean is frigid most of the year.

Glad to be done with it.