Day 9 - Boston

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Had a nice breakfast at the hotel- this one even had hot chocolate! Very impressive. So we walked the short distance from our hotel to the sub and caught a train to the city center to pick up our trolley pass which is basically a tram on wheels and is a hop on/hop off bus. So we waited for the next one and we were the only ones! So the driver put on his headset and started talking about the area.

Headed down to the wharf and went to the Boston Aquarium. We arrived at the same time as about 5 school buses of like 5 year olds so that was fun. Pretty cool place, nice and small. Lots of penguins and a huge water tank in the middle with a path spiraling up it. Saw heaps of sharks, massive eels and a turtle the same size as me! It was massive. So after fighting with the 5 year olds for some space against the glass we kept moving on.

Walked upto the Quincey Market which was empty. This was a big food court and surrounding shops. Everything was deserted. We jumped back on another trolley which again we were the only passengers. Took us round telling us of the history and visited the USS Constitution which is an old ship (dad can make a comment telling us whats its about).

The next stop we got off was a at the Massachusettes General Hospital. We visited a big old building and went in as we thought there was a medical museum. So we headed in and as per usual no one around. Walked up the steps and into this small lecture theratre. There was one guy in there and he's like- 'yep this is it- this is where it all happen'. We are like ahhhhhhhhhh yeah. Had no idea what he was on about. Then hes like you dont know! (we get that alot when we look confused or ask stupid questions which everyone thinks that everyone knows). It was the room where the first operation was which anesthetic was used.

Sooooooooooooo then we walked through the hospital out the other side and went to the Museum of Science. This was very much like our scienceworks- it was much like the aquarium with bus loads of 5 year olds running around. Went to the electricity show which was scary and very loud. I had to leave- I was too jumpy.

So we moved on and walked back to the bus and were again the only ones on the next one. He dropped us off at a subway which we could take two stops to 'Harvard'. This is the very prestigious uni (I know it from Legally Blonde!). It was massive and took over most of the town. It was nice in the snow. We were walking through past a building and heard a mssive crash. A heap of snow had fasllen off the side of the building. It fell onto a bin which I was about to use to put my rubbish in. #0s earlier and I would have been covered! We ventured into the science building and had some lunch at the cafe. We then walked into Harvard square and had a look in the shops. I even gave a dollar to a begger cause he looked like my dad! He wasn't even begging just standing there with a cup with a sign- difficult times, inbetween jobs. This is like the first time Ive ever given money to a begger. It felt good- he was so happy.

Caught the sub back to Fenway Park (home of Boston Red Sox- this was like in our backyard of the hotel). So we turned up at 3.30 and there was suppose to be tours at 4pm but the guys like- last one left at 3. So I wasnt impressed. A lady was standing behind us with 5 others who also wanted to do the tour. So we made the guy call the tour that was on and tell the guide we wanted to come in. So we went round the back and the guy met us there and took us in! Went up to the top and looked into the park. Its the oldest baseball park in the US from like 1912 or something. It was covered in snow. The other people we were with from various states in the US were in awre. So that was good.

We then walked 2 mins back to our hotel. Sat down for 5 mins and then we were off again. We caught the sub to the other end of town to start the Freedom Trail which is a 4 k walk through Boston going past historical sites. You follow it by walking along a red brick road the whole way. So it was getting dusk at this stage but the road took us through areas we hadnt been and we saw all the old buildings and sites. Went to quincey market again and got some 'chowder' which we were told to get and yes it was nice. reminded me of mums potato and leak soup. We kept walking into downtown boston and got side trakked shopping. Benn bought some new boots- like blundstones but made of rubber so gumboot like. So these are waterproof for the water and snow.

Ended up in the public gardens which was covered in snow. Walked up past the ice rink- we couldnt be bothered having a skate- already did this in central park. We walked up to Bull and Finch bar which was the one used in Cheers (Ive heard of this show but have never seen an episode). Its covered in memorabilia and we went in for dinner. It was packed. Had a hamburger and fries and were on our way. Went back through the gardens and walked back home via apple to use their internet. Back to the hotel fairly late and again late to bed with a 6am start tomorrow to the airport to Canada.

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