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Boston is, as we'd hoped, a really lovely city. I can say this with confidence because it charmed us both even in the persistent drizzle which faced in our first day and a half here. Taking the inevitable tourist bus we have traveled through beautiful tree lined streets of red bricked houses with stairways running from street level up to the front doors. Growing up as I did with Sesame Street as a staple diet these house frontages are how I always imagined American housing to be. In the centre of Boston is the Common, a beautiful park with children's play areas, picnic areas and a small lake, the Frog Pond, which becomes an ice rink in the winter months.
Our introduction to Boston has been both wet and cold before a sudden change to heat and sunshine for our final day. We have literally gone from jeans and multiple layers to shorts and tee shirts overnight. Bostonians say there are 4 seasons here - Almost Winter, Winter, Still Winter and Construction. Boston is indeed yet another city under construction. The Seaport area is one of the fastest growing city areas in the US and has seen the construction of
an enormous conference centre and multiple other skyscrapers in the past 10 years.
We predictably have filled our time here taking in the historic and cultural sights. We weren't able to take a tour of Fenway Park home to the Red Socks, the baseball team probably best known to us as the home of Babe Ruth, as they were hosting games during our visit. As one of the first ball parks to be built it is the smallest in the US. When they are available tours cost $20 a pop. In the official merchandising shop baseball caps were $35 each. Tee shirts were around the same. The shop was huge - a big money business indeed. Gas stations around the ground turn their forecourts over to parking on game days and charge $60 a vehicle - it is estimated that the one nearest the park makes half a million dollars a year from game day parking alone!
No visit to Boston could be complete without a trip to the Tea Party museum. On a holiday that has seen multiple visitor attractions this one ranks right up amongst the best. Included in the price of our bus tickets this
was a one hour journey back in time. We were escorted by staff in period costume who adopted the characters of key individuals involved in the Tea Party, taken through a meeting rallying us against taxation by encouraging us to cry " No taxation without representation!" and then onto a replica ship where children on the tour tossed replica tea chests into the sea. The visit continued to take us via a video to the Battle of Lexington, the official start of armed combat in the Revolutionary War. As is typical in our experience the attention to detail was impressive - a Trip Advisor review is imminent!
As I said earlier, our last day here has been one of clear blue skies and soaring temperatures. Boston doesn't enjoy the dry heat we experienced way back at the start in Vegas and felt increasingly humid as the day went on. We were able to comfortably enjoy a walking tour of The Freedom Trail and a boat tour of the harbour area but I have to say I'm relieved not to be facing a further 20 degree (F) hike in temperature expected in the next 48 hours.
In the area
just back from the harbour is Faneuil Hall, where the meetings which eventually led to the Tea Party first took place. Behind that is Quincy Market, a huge indoor corridor of independent food sellers offering everything from smoothies to the local specialty - lobster rolls. Enjoying the sunshine we bought lunch there, Bill enjoying the second clam chowder of this trip, and took it outside to sit on one of the many benches in the lovely sunshine. Outside also are multiple vendors selling tee shirts, baseball caps and other local souvenirs but with no aggressive marketing whatsoever. It's a lovely area bustling with tourists and locals alike, undoubtedly improved by the beautiful weather.
As as add on on our second morning here we walked to collect our bus from the stop outside of the Cheers bar. You can go in there and dine or have a drink but at 9.30 AM it didn't seem like such a good idea! Still, the sign is evocative of my youth, as is the theme tune which they play on the bus as you get on. Yet another somewhat guilty viewing pleasure of mine has been the now discontinued Rizolli and Isles, a cop show along the lines of Cagney and Lacey for the uninitiated! The show is set in Boston and I was rather hoping for a photo op outside of the front of the precinct, often depicted in the series. It wasn't to be though. Having googled the location I discovered it's a false frontage and not a real location at all. Gutted! Absolutely no reference to it whatsoever in our 3 days here!
Boston is also currently home to the SS Constitution, aka Old Ironsides, the oldest commissioned seaworthy vessel in the world. It's currently in dry dock in Boston for restoration work and you can climb on board and get up close and personal, a neighbouring museum informing us of its important place in defeating the British at sea in the war of 1812. In the 1920s it came close to being destroyed due to neglect but the school children of America collected pennies to raise the necessary funds to restore her. The US Navy took the restored vessel on an extensive tour of the states so that the children could see the results of their efforts. The ship has been restored on numerous occasions over the past decade. Walking on its deck I was reminded of our neighbour Eugene - a good friend and local builder. Eugene has a large broom with which he diligently cleans up at the end of each job. He likes to joke that he's had the broom for 15 years, having replaced the handle 3 times and the brush 5! Like Eugene's broom, I'm not sure how much of Old Ironsides remains original material, but it still made for an interesting visit regardless!
This has easily been our most ambitious trip to date. Since arriving in Vegas just under three weeks ago we have stayed in 6 cities in 6 different states. We have flown over Utah, Arizona, Colerado, Kansas, Kentucky, Vrginia and West Virginia and traveled through Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut and Rhode Island by rail. Not counting those states we flew over just to arrive in Vegas that's 18 states altogether. According to my Fitbit (other activity trackers are available) we have walked over 179 kilometres, approximately 106 miles in total. It has not been a restful trip by any means but what a ride it's been! Visiting DC and Nashville for a second time each did not disappoint in any way and discovering a further 4 cities has been an absolute privilege. The sights, sounds, and smells of these cities will remain with us for a long time I hope. In New York the relentless sound of traffic, sirens and car horns became the norm. The smell of cinnamon and fried onions will forever be synonymous with this holiday for me. On warm days in Nashville the smell of leather is exuded from boot shops yards before you reach them. In Nashville and parts of Boston the pedestrian crossings emit birdsong when it's safe to cross. These are all memories we will strive to preserve as we return to normality.
On our final evening in Boston, before our predicted return to Chinatown, we stepped into a bar across the street from the hotel for a final drop of Samuel Adams Boston lager. The inevitable sports screens were showing the city's baseball team, The Celtics, playing the last of 7 play-off ties against Washington DC. The winner of that game would go through to the semi finals. Who to support? We love both cities... Well, when in Boston as they say! We became hooked on the game, bar staff chatting to us as we watched. Baseball comprises 4 quarters of 15 minutes each. However, it's a sport prone to frequent interruptions, some of which are for TV advertising. This game started at 8.15. We popped back into the bar after dinner and it was still in its 3rd quarter. We watched it to the bitter end back in our room - that end coming with a victory to Boston at around 10.45! Go Celtics though - I shall be following future fixtures to the end of this season now for sure! And so now we must return home. As we sit in the departure lounge we have so many great memories to share but nonetheless are ready to come home and catch up with friends and family. In true Trotter style we are already formulating plans for adventures yet to come but will be concentrating on savouring every detail of this most recent one for now. If you have taken the time to read any part of these blogs I thank you so much. It's been a fantastic voyage and I've enjoyed sharing it with you xx
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