Mcsmigly

So this morning I learned that my brother makes AMAZING omelets! It was the first morning he's had enough time for anything except work. We decided to finish the Freedom Trail together and then try to fit in Lexington and Walden Pond also. Across from the bus stop, was a park marked off as a historical landmark. You can find pockets of history anywhere in Boston! Before we reached the trail he showed me the Holocaust Monuments noting the names, inscriptions, quotes, and reflective architecture. And right in the middle of the monument, to my amazement, stood one of my friends, Parker, from the Shangai Study Abroad trip I took last summer. He couldn't believe it either - what were the odds! He was in Boston for a day waiting on his flight to Europe for ... read more

Finding Arnold Arboretum proved a bit more difficult than I foresaw. Supposedly, all you have to do is get off the subway at the Forest Hills station and follow the signs. I saw NO signs! However, there was construction inside the station and directly across the street which may have been blocking the signs. The crowd at the station appeared a bit more shady, resembling the typical Atlanta Marta station, but I never felt unsafe, just uneasy and cautious mainly cause I was a tourist. Basically, just leave the station on the NE? side and walk across the street along a fence heading left until you find an opening. Now do not be confused, although this entrance is filled with gravel and not much flora, it is an actual path; just follow it awhile and you'll ... read more

It was a little too breezy for a run, but walking up the esplanade proved most pleasant. However, the river is FRIGID! I did not jump in like the two girls on John Weeks bridge finishing their run, but I could still tell, ha. It does have a bit of trash but majority of the river's body appears clean. In general, Boston appears to be a great city for running, biking, and kayaking or rowing, at least in the summer. Not too many people that I've interacted with have had thick Boston accents, just with very specific words. Though along the river, we ran into a true Irish man who assumed by our freckled appearance (quite incorrectly) that we were current on UK and Ireland politics and expressed his elation of how Gordon Brown was evicted ... read more

Upon straying from the Freedom Trail, I was surprised to stumble upon a college seemingly hidden amongst Boston's several alleyways. I cannot recall the name (something like Staniford), but I wondered what it'd be like to live in dormitories only an alley away from your classes - might be a little safer I guess. I took Causeway Street headed to Boston Commons and observed pedestrians following signals just a smidge better than in Atlanta, but a few bolder ones were worse and risked theirs and others lives just strolling across busy streets. The city appears to have only a minimal amount of smog - hazy every now and then - still allowing the beautiful blue skies to provide a fantastic contrast to all the red brick building and architectured skylines. I would recommend, if you have ... read more

At first view of Boston Commons Park, it appeared average in size but I was glad to find out later that I had been deceived. The park has two sections, one has a large pond and the Boston Monument...while the other is slightly smaller and has a puddle and a "Tadpole Playground" with Kermit the Frog sitting atop its sign. You can guess which was the first one I saw, ha. I trekked over to the larger section after finding the Granary Graveyard on my second visit and discovered one of the best views of Boston facing the Western skyline of the city from atop the hill with the Boston Memorial. There were several locals walking dogs, suntanning, and few frisbee enthusiasts. The flaura, while artistically trimmed and aesthetically arranged, was not overly colorful; however the ... read more