Boston

Before we left the greater Weld, ME area, we drove to the town of Mexico, the origin of which was never made clear to us. But the Chicken Coop was quite a treat, and we spent a few hours there, having lunch, reading, and writing post cards. The outspoken waitress, Debbie, warned me off the chowder, saying it was not as good as what she made at home. In true, "No Brag, Just Fact" style, Debbie also urged me to have the strawberry short cake for dessert. Debbie makes this herself, so how could I go wrong. We loved this place, and it was indeed, "Clean and Different."



We spent one night in Portland, Maine, on our way back to Boston. It is a cool coastal city, which we enjoyed walking around, seeing the sights. No pictures, though. Good pizza, good seafood, and a great breakfast, sitting on a deck, under a giant maple tree.


We arrived in Boston, and tried to drop the luggage at the hotel, before returning the rental car to the airport. We were thwarted at almost every turn, first getting stuck in the Big Dig tunnel, and bypassing our hotel by several miles. Then, trying to work our way back, getting blocked by construction and unmarked one-way streets. We should have known that Boston is a city that is easy to get around in, as long as you are not in a car. Once we settled into the Harborside Inn, we were able to appreciate its comfort and convenient location.


Boston was warm. Like 89 degrees that afternoon warm. So much for the cool mountains of Maine. We did not have time for much that evening; just walking through Back Bay on our way to Fenway Park for the Red Sox game against the Tigers.



Our seats were in the outfield, but were still really good. We were in the 9th row, with an angle similar to an outfield camera, able to see the pitcher, the batter, and home plate.

When I sat in the outfield bleachers at my first game at Fenway in 1989, there was a metal fence that kept the riff raff out of the rest of the stadium. Now, riff raff can't afford even a bleacher seat at Fenway. The good part of that is that the metal fence has come down, and we could see the rest of the beautiful relic that is Fenway Park. On a warm August night, the Sox won 6-5. This was after being on the Buffalo Bills' side of a four game sweep against the Yankees, so it was already about keeping pace in the Wild Card race.
It was Carrie's first trip to Fenway. She has been to games in Arlington (both stadiums), St.Louis (both stadiums), Chicago (Wrigley), and Minnesota (The sterile Dome). She is a good sport.

Catching the T (the subway) back to the hotel after the game was a breeze, and the rental car debacle from earlier in the day was but a distant memory by this time.

The next day we had planned to walk through the Boston Common, and nearby parts of the city, before catching our afternoon flight home. As we walked, the morning, yes morning, heat became oppressive, and we stopped to reconsider our plans. Hadn't we come up here to escape the heat? We sat and watched the famous Swan Boats, and considered our options.

We could either go to the Museum of Art, which we had visited the last time we were in Boston, or we could walk to the aquarium. Both options were air-conditioned, which sadly had become the primary consideration.

We opted for the aquarium, and started back in that direction. When we got to the edge of the Common, the wind shifted, clouds arose from nowhere, and the temperature dropped 5 degrees in a matter of moments. Relief, and the chance to walk the Beacon Hill area, instead of seeking refuge with the fish. (I'm sure the aquarium is very nice.) The cooler temps remained, and we were able to walk over to the North End, which I love, and had a fine Italian lunch, before walking back to the hotel to catch a ride to the airport.

We return home, poorer in the wallet, but richer for the experiences.

As our friend Dave has said, I've never regretted money that I've spent on travel.

Thanks for reading. There are more pictures, and I will post them soon in another entry. For those who just can't get enough.

Peace,

JS4