A Few Overcast Days in Cambridge and Boston

I spent a few days in the Boston area in mid-November. The weather was consistently overcast, which gave the city a quiet, gray mood. Arriving, the first thing I saw was the calm harbor, with boats docked for the season. Later that evening, the lights of the Zakim bridge cut through the dusk.

The trip was centered around Cambridge. From across the Charles River, the Boston skyline was a constant presence, with the sun occasionally breaking through the clouds in the afternoon. I spent some time at an event space near One Broadway, a simple room with wooden tables and string lights.

The evenings were short and dark. One night I found a place with live music and watched the drummer play under intense red lights. Another night, I was struck by the interior of a building with massive, illuminated decorations hanging like inverted trees from the high, brick-lined ceiling. Mostly, I just remember walking around after dark, looking at the city's windows lit up against the night sky.