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How do you define your success when visiting a new city? Is it by checking off your list all of the
sites you saw, or the number of tours you squeezed in? Perhaps the restaurants you ate in? Or the games you went to see…
I guess my measuring stick is slightly different, but of
course you already knew that. I’m a big
believer in “self-guided tours”, armed often with little more than a hotel map and
with my ultimate aim of getting lost. Strangely,
this is very easy to do – not all hotel maps are to scale let me tell you. :-) In fact, this past weekend in Boston, I chose
not even to take a hotel map but just set off from the hotel after arriving at
the hotel and dropping our bags.
We stayed down on in the waterfront section of town where they’re
a ton of new hotel developments underway, a veritable mega construction site. However, I’m predicting in the next two to
three years this area will become the epicenter for the young and hip to live in
downtown Boston. Our hotel was a newish
affair that was comfortable without being too over the top; the big plus was
that it was super quiet. The only
downside is that it was at least a 20 min walk to get to
downtown via the construction site or a 8 – 15 min taxi ride depending on traffic.
So it was an easy choice to set off on foot toward what looked
like downtown, especially after sitting on a plane for an hour or so. Zach had sourced out
lunch in the North End neighborhood which is a little east of the downtown
proper and after a disappointing false start ended up having a most agreeable
Italian meal at Dolce Vita on
Hanover street. You know its authentic
when it’s chock full of Italians sharing a glass of grappa at the bar over
lunch. A perfect yardstick if ever there
was one, don’t you think?
Indelible Tip #1: Explore
the North End This neighborhood
has an absolutely amazing array of restaurants, bakeries and bars and although
primarily Italian in nature are equal and arguably better than New York’s
little Italy. Boston is known for its world-class seafood and therefore this
neighborhood also has a host of seafood restaurants worth checking out when
you’re here.
Boston has lots to see and do, particularly if you’re a
history buff or someone who wants to explore America’s beginnings as a
nation. An easy way to explore some of
this history is to check out the Freedom Trail.
Indelible Tip
#2: Founding Fathers The FreedomTrail is a brick defined path that runs approximately 4.0 km (2.5 miles)
through Boston linking 16 significant historical sites as it meanders its way
from Boston Common all the way to the USS Constitution (the oldest commissioned
US warship) in Charleston harbor. This
trail connects such sites as Paul Revere’s house, Bunker Hill monument and the
site of the Boston massacre of 1770 in which five Bostonians were shot in a
melee with British redcoats after an angry crowd pelted the soldiers with
snowballs… Yes, snowballs!
When we travel Zach also loves to explore by himself so we split
up a couple of times and so we could each do our own thing. He had a blast
catching up with some friends from his summer school days at Georgetown
University who are now freshman (first year students) at Boston College. In fact, he was out to 2:00 am at a campus
party and thoroughly enjoyed himself.
Indelible Tips
#3: Choices...choices Boston is one
of those great cities to explore on foot, in fact over the 3.5 days I spent
walking the city I covered more than 65 km (40 miles) and pretty much saw it
all, although my feet were feeling a little tired by the end its a relatively flat city so not too much exertion required.
Boston is also home to 39 Universities and colleges from the
oldest and most prestigious universities in North America, for example Harvard was founded
in 1636 and MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), is considered by many as the best university in the world and definitely the highest
ranked globally and both within the confines of Boston. The upshot
of having this many prominent schools in a city with the population of only 646,000 people is that it significantly raises the IQ of the general population, as well as providing a young, active and diverse mix that comes with these celebrated schools...and did I say accomplished and smart!
Two of my favourite memories from the weekend was playing chess with Zach at Quincy market (yes, they have 8 chess boards set up for anyone to play)...and why does everyone ask who won??? He did of course. :-) And our slow breakfasts at the Black Rose tavern (160 State Street) - the Classic Breakfast is both filling and delicious!!! Yes I had the Irish bacon and the sausage with my eggs...hahaha. It was a great way to start the day, especially when there was no rush to get anywhere - awesome lazy day starts!
It's a shame Sami missed this trip with us but as you know she had tryouts for Team Canada U18 soccer. She will find out at the end of the September if she made the squad of 18 from the 35 players invited to participate. Fingers crossed!
All in all our visit to Boston was a fantastic way to spend a long weekend, and I would say the perfect amount of time to take it all in, without rushing too much. Plus we were blessed with absolutely gorgeous weather which certainly helps!
Enjoy Boston when you go - cos' you know you're going to - right!?
p.s. I'd love to hear your best travel experiences so feel free to share them in the comments section below.
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“Hanoi Posting” A series of fictional micro-stories by Terence Wallis
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This week's photos are more from my trip last weekend to Boston with Zach.
Enjoy!
TW
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| The North End - my type of hood! |
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| Arguably the best seafood in North America |
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| Seriously amazing bakeries in the North End |
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The USS Constitution - the oldest commissioned ship
in the US Navy |
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| Fenway Park - the mecca of baseball |
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| Checking out the Freedom Trail |
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| Grave site of the victims of the Boston Massacre - 1770 |
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| Less well know facts about Boston |
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| Quincy Market in all its grandeur in the old part of town |
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| Faneuil Hall is adjacent and likely even more famous |
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| Our chess board in Quincy Market... |
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| Massachusetts State Capitol building - stunning! |
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| Lots of these little plaques around the city - and a good reminder for most port cities |
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| Yeah, its sorta old! |
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| Hhhmmm - loved the late summer weather we had in Boston |
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Words of wisdom over the entrance to Harvard Yard
"Open the gates that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth
may enter in" |
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| Meanwhile, down on Boston harbour... |
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