Boston 2024

The core of Boston is a compact city with very good public transport and a slight European feel.

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Boston 28 Sept - 3 Aug - Eileen's Memorial

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The day started early with a 3AM alarm. The snooze button got pushed but sleeping only another nine minutes only to be wrenched from sleep when the brain wanted another four hours rang masochistically punishing so I rose from bed. Breakfast, coffee, morning sabatical, laptop stowed, and I stepped out the door into my neighbor's insomnia driven kitchen light flooding onto the driveway. The drive to Boulder to pick up Reed and Carol had more cars on the highway than I expected. The RTD ticket machine wouldn't except credit or debit cards. The help of another very verbal friendly lady and cash secured three senior bus tickets to DIA.

Carol's last experience at an airport involving a long walk prompted her to arrange for a wheelchair through security to the gate. Denver airport security has been completely redone. It feels like something experienced in Europe. At 6AM no lines existed and only an identification card was required to enter. The officer did need to check out the wrist with my watch. I emerged from security simultaneously with Carol and Reed who had TSA Pre. The flight left about five minutes early after an efficient loading process by the United staff and the passengers.

Boston Logan airport feels much smaller than Denver. I ordered a Lyft and within 30 minutes we arrived at our hotel. Curiously the elevator floor indicator reported 12 when the doors opened despite our requesting floor 13. We rode it further up and tried again for floor 13 going down. The floor indicator this time reported floor 14. We laughed and rode down to ask for help at the front desk. The new keys appeared to have solved the problem. Later that evening upon returning from dinner the same elevator did the same thing. Fortunately another hotel guest observed that the physical number on the floor where the elevator doors opened said 13 even though the light display in the elevator said 14. That outcome was insightful! We exited the elevator.

We enjoyed a dinner at Legal Seafood and then devoured ice creams at Lindt Chocolate a couple of blocks away.

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We all obtained a good night's rest. Starting slowly and undecided as to how to spend the day, we walked over to the Tatte Bakery & Cafe a few blocks away for coffee and food. The place must be on social media because it was the highest concentration of people we saw this morning. The scone I had was simple and the coffee excellent. The people watching enriched the already lively place.

We strolled 100 meters and dropped down a staircase into the Boston train system or subway. We purchased 4 ride passes and the 'Charlie Card' to record them on. By now we'd decided to mosey on over to the Boston Science museum using the subway. The Boston subway is the cleanest mass trainsit system I've seen in all my travels. On this morning it was only being used lightly. It's closest facsimile would be the Budapest tram. Both systems feel built in a bygone era and have not needed expanding.

The Boston Science Museum is a child's or adult child-at-heart's hands on extravaganza. I've never seen so many exhibits to do and explore. I attended a talk on reptiles starring a desert tortoise who at 28 years old is anticipated to be working there long after I die. Reed asked that we stay longer to hear the presentation on the Van der Graaf Generator. What an electrifying experience with caged sparks flying about within the massive room creating sounds so loud one needed to cover their ears. The demonstration is a crowd pleaser!

Upon leaving science museum we took a combination of subway train and bus to the USS Constitution museum across the Charles river. The three masted frigate first launched in 1797 in response to the British, French, and Spanish plundering U.S. trade vessels. It attacked the British off of Nova Scotia as part of the war of 1812 destroying several British was ships. It remains a commissioned U.S. Navy vessel and the oldest in the world. We also visited the USS Cassin Young WWII retired destroyer on the adjacent berth.

Dinner was found at the Bon Me asian fusion quick food shop a block from our hotel. I found it a better meal at a fraction of the cost of last night's fish dinner.

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We again walked the few blocks to the Tatte Bakery a block off the Boston Commons. We sat at the group table as it was again a crowded place. We took our time because today we connect with Theone who's taking a redeye from Canada.

She chose to walk from her hostel to our hotel. A mixup in directions meant it took us over an hour to finally find each other.

We boarded the Hop-on-off bus for a tour of the city. The initial plan was to ride the complete two hour tour. Our first driver had quite the sense of humor. In fact the tour was a tad too heavy on the humor and less so on the history and sites for my taste. The driver parked us near the wharf and instructed us to board another bus as she was going on her lunch break. The second driver had the volume turned too much. I slipped in earplugs, but all the other's could do was to put their fingers in their ears. After a little over an hour of total tour, we decided to leave the bus behind and walk to the Boston Commons. By this time it was around 2ish and it seemed advisable to eat. We selected sidewalk seating for a restaurant called Fig. It was in a charming section of Boston north of the Commons in a section with building restrictions to retain the historical flavor. Theone desired greens and nobody was super hungry, so we ordered three appetizers which were stupendous rich in flavor and oil and greens.

Our entry to the Boston Commons placed right near the brass ducks. We watched the paddle boats for a time. The weather was perfect with sunny skies and a temperature in the 70's. I noticed that the sun doesn't beat down on one in Boston like it does back in Colorado. I'll attribute that to the additional 5000ft of atmosphere the light must pass through.

We were kinda twiddling our thumbs when someone suggested taking in a performance. The one we chose was The Blue Man Group. Tickets were available. i started to buy them using my phone but stubhub charged a 30% markup. So while Carol and Reed walked back to the hotel for a nap, Theone and I found the theater and bought tonight's tickets there for a large savings.

The Charles Theater is close to the hostel where Theone was staying. So I got to see the common area before walking across town to my hotel room with Reed and Carol.

Boston is an easy town to get around. The subway is quick and frequent taking us everywhere we wanted to go. A seven day Charlie Card cost $22.5 and gives unlimited rides on the subway and buses. And if you're up to walking, the longest walk is only a couple of miles.

We met Theone at her hostel and walked over to Chinatown for dinner. Theone kept insisting that we weren't in China town because all Chinatowns have stuff hanging across the streets and pillars marking the entrance. Well, we may not have been in Boston Chinatown, but we definitely were in China! Passing through the door of the restaurant we went to was like stepping of a U.S. street and being transported 12000 miles to China. Boxes and good were piled up in an area set up for dining. A massive menu atop a barrier wall was all in Chinese but fortunately with english subtitles. Only Chinese was being spoken. The lady who took our orders did have some broken English. The servings were generous, but don't go there for the taste. It looked like the same sauce is poured over the styrofoam served food regardless of what is ordered. In my case, the superheated sauce was what cooked/softened the ramen noodles. The locals were coming and going so maybe I was missing something. One patron was curled up on the booth seat sleeping uncomfortably; she looked exhausted from perhaps working multiple jobs. It was a fun cultural experience and nobody got sick.

A three block walk brought us to the Charles Theater and the performance of The Blue Man Group. It's a combination of mime, talented music, and slapstick with audience participation thrown in. The performance was very unique and entertaining.

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I'd come to realize that there of many Tatte Bakeries around Boston. I found one just a couple blocks from our hotel. This one doesn't sport the crowds of the other.

We met Theone outside the Boston Aquarium for the 9AM opening. I'm so glad we did as by 10:30 it was becoming uncomfortably packed when trying to peer in on the fishes in their tanks. It's a nice aquarium and worth the visit if other factors bring you to the city.

We had a long downtime before boarding the boat for the harbor lighthouse tour. It was nice to see the harbor and islands and hear about some of the history of the area. We all wished we'd been able to get off the boat and walk a little for a closer inspection of a lighthouse.

We visited the Boston Library. My the older section feels like something out of Europe with it's marble staircase and lions and high ceilings. So many tourists were tramping through I don't see how the patrons were able to get anything read or researched! It's a beautiful place. I'm glad we wandered in.

We had a very forgettable meal for dinner since I can't remember what it was!

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Today is Eilieen Cline's memorial service.

Joy Cline plays the chimes at the First Church of Christian Scientists from 9:30-9:45AM. We took in the large reflection pool and surrounding buildings as the chimes played. Joy said she feels like Quasimodo sitting in the steeple playing the instrument.

It was Carol's idea to have brunch after listening to Joy play. I located Thornton's Boston Breakfast & Lunch place adjacent to the plaza. It turned out to serve classic breakfasts of good quality. Our waiter was pleasantly friendly as he served us at the sidewalk seating.

Eileen's memorial service was a magnificent performance! She'd been a music teacher and professor so professional musicians participated in the service and friendly playing afterward. They played music off-the-cuff for a couple of hours. It was amazing to experience professional musicians having fun with their craft. They'd agree on a piece, grab the electronic sheet music on their tablets and play liked they'd been rehearsing for weeks (at least I'd have!).

Theone and I walked about the Back Water section of town and talked a bit more before calling it an evening.

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Today is our last day in Boston. Reed was interested in the Contemporary Art Museum on the waterfront. Entrance was free today since it was Labor Day. We returned to the North End and toured Paul Revere's house. We slipped by the Old North Church where the lanterns were hung to let Paul know whether the British were coming by land or sea.

Carol and Theone and seen a restaurant they wanted to try in the Italian section. There was a short queue despite it being only 4:30PM. Giacomo's Boston North End is a family owned Italian restaurant. It's a fantastic place to have a meal. It's cozy. The service was very good and the food superbly flavored. The venue marked a nice way to finish off the week visiting Boston.

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Carol, Reed, and I took the subway to the airport finishing the journey on the free shuttle from the Blue Line subway Airport station to the airport. On my next visit, I'd use the subway routinely. We used Lyft's a few times due to lack of familiarity and the convenience.

Theone had more people to visit. She headed south on an Amtrak train.