Thank you to Bob, Karen, Andy, Beth, and all who made yesterday's lunch in Cambridge so much fun. Arn and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It went by too quickly, of course. There were so many sparkling conversations started that we would have loved to continue, and so many people with whom we didn't have nearly enough time to chat that we were very disappointed not to be able to attend the Similans dinner as well. Next year we will definitely plan to do so. (With so much in our society and economy in flux and disarray, please tell me that there will be a Fodor's Boston Gathering in 2009!)

Thank you for the many thoughtful gestures and little gifts that made the occasion special. The cookies were admittedly devoured before nightfall. (Note the self-incriminating use of passive voice.) We'll sample the Fodor's guidebook provided by Katie sometime soon, probably along with Hawaiian treats and Necco wafers. The Borders gift certificate will be applied to our next travel book purchase. I wonder who to thank for the pretty fans...We particularly enjoyed all the delectable stories.

So, "Next year in Cambridge," to borrow a phrase. More of you posters and readers should consider joining us. And who knows? Maybe Dogster will renegotiate his relationship with the USA and come do a reading?...(Just a hint)

You all look pretty nice. Looks like it was fun.

thanks for the pictures Bob! Looks like we missed a fun time again.

Hope to be there one day when our schedules match up. I don't think it will be in 2009 as we will be chasing the fall colors in Hokkaido around this time next year.

Aloha!

Thank you to Bob, Karen, Andy and Beth for hosting a such a fantastic event. I thoroughly enjoyed my first GTG, and can't wait till next year.

I met such wonderful people, only wish there was more time to chat. I can't wait to buy another travel book with bookchicks gift, and now I have a new favorite Thai restaurant as well.

The travel stories were great. It's nice to know that others mistakenly sit in the luggage car, or flag down a working camel for a ride, because that is something I would inadvertently do.

Happy travels!!

Kristin

Looks like a great time! Love the dogster tribute. Thanks for posting the photos so quickly! I wish I could have been there! Congrats to the organizers--it sounds like a real success. And thanks for the nice tidings on this thread.

Lcuy--- I think you've got a good idea there actually regarding the book.

Just curious--- does anyone know what number Boston GTG this was?

Katie-this was Boston GTG number 5. The first one was organized by Seafox from the Europe forum and then Bob and I stuck our noses in and its been downhill ever since.

We expect you to attend the 2009 GTG. No excuses will be tolerated. There may be a penalty assessment.

Oy! Strong words! I hear you--- =)

I spent Saturday with my sister celebrating her birthday but I definitely thought about the festivities.

I might have missed it higher up in the thread but was the question posed to everyone---regarding the personal stories, etc?

We too need to throw out a big "thank you" to Bob and Andy, and Karen and Beth. They made us all feel very welcome in Boston. The stories were a hoot. The idea of a video, or youtube taping, is a good one. And, sorry as it is to admit - both Bob and Andy could not be nicer. Who would have guessed?

Putting names to faces is well worth the trip, as is making new friends.

Our drive back home included a mandatory pit stop at Frank Pepe's pizzeria in New Haven. Clam pizza for all. Combined with Similan's Thai spring rolls and some Boston clam chowder, we are stuffed as can be. It was a great weekend. Thanks.

more photos, thanks to Nikki!!
this was a mini after the GTG with my close friends on fodors

http://tinyurl.com/4cyb54

dogster I hope you look better than that dog in Andy's speedo...:)

Karen and Bob had a huge cake frosted with the French flag for my birthday. I am so grateful because I've never in my life had a birthday party and this sure made up for that!

thanks from our corner for all the praise....we really need it....just joking!!

this year was by far the best we have had or have participated in, although pasadena, HI and hartford are right on its heals...the highlight of this GTG was the wide participation, almost 40 people..

carol's fans from thailand, the cookies karen made with the recipe we received in thailand for boston's own cookie, the spoons carol purchased for me in thailand, the goodies from Fodors (thanks again katie), the yum yums from hawaii which lcuy brought, the fodors greeting from katie, the gift cards for borders books which kathy supplied, oh yes dogster's presence,the fact that andy took extra pills for the weekend, the travails people undertook to make the trip out to needham for friday nite, the extra help in the kitchen that claire provided at our house, the two birthdays we celebrated with theme cakes (mimi's 75th with a huge french flag cake and andy's 56th (or was it 6th) with a panda in a red speedo), the joint participation of both europe board and asia board people, the wonderful interesting stories that each person presented as part of their individual introductions of themselves, the participation of folks from outside new england: IL, NY, HI make it special, and lastly both the new folks (of whom there were several this year: shellyk, tenombre and family, kristin [absolut ??], highflyer, cindy, plafield) and the old folks---too many to mention; who support our efforts to share travel info and friendships---for all of this we are grateful to you all...

of course the help we recieve in our planning: from our housekeeper, the staff at skipjacks, the le meridien folks, the similan team, and katie at fodors corporate make all of this possible...

on to 2009!!!!

B&K

Mimi!!! If I'd known you've never had a birthday party, I would have hired a clown and done balloon animals!

Well, at least we all got to be part of your 75th birthday. Still not sure if you're really that old...you sure don't look it.

Katie..Thank you for the Fodor's bags. I actually have used mine (from last year) quite a bit- in India, Singapore, Vietnam, NYC, and Boston. So far, no one has come up and said, "I'm a Fodorite too!", but I'm hopeful.

The doorman at the Hotel Commonwealth did tell me it was a great Halloween bag though.

lcuy---that's just a boston pick up line...

great pics nikki and mimi....thanks for sharing and for inviting K and myself for the wine, cheese, etc...mimi is unique and so is her charming house tucked away not far from the le meridien in cambridge....it was all so cambridge/french sitting out is her sun splashed courtyard enjoying the wine, the green of the garden and fodors friendships.... the asia board eats phad thai and spring rolls, while the europe board has 3 varieties of wine, 3 types of pate, fruit, fine cheeses and delicious breads-----ahhhhhhh, the best of all worlds.....

mimi presented me with a new yorker magazine on the cover of which is a great cartoon of SP looking out from alaska to russia....i really like it and had missed this copy....
even a conservative guy can occasionally be appreciated in cambridge....maybe there is hope for that city, but i doubt it....its toooooo far gone....

I so wish I couldn have been able to crash again this year and stay and meet more of you than my apple delivery this time.

Stoooopid work! Stoopid bills! Stooopid 401K - ooops that's gone! Fun while it lasted!

What a wonderful gang of misfit toyz you all are and what a gift to share in your joy!

There's always the dream of next year! Hope you'll still have me if circumstance allows.

Cheers to the good times indeed. What a treat even to be looking at the candy store from the outside!!!

g

Any of you guys used to be hippies?

We were "newbies" at the GTG and infiltrators from the Europe board to boot, but even so, we had a great time.

Thanks Bob, Karen, Andy, and Beth for all the time and effort you obviously put in to make the gathering so successful. It was interesting to put some faces to names as well as to hear everyone's travel vignettes.

The dinner at Similans was great fun, fantastic food and lots of laughs. And just getting to see the pics of Andy in his speedo was worth the price of admission. Chances are pretty high we'll be back next year (assuming the snipy Europe board posters are still welcomed!)

mango, I was a beatnik :)

lol, really?

was?????

and a druid !