7th July 2012

Hello Folks!

Yesterday our friends at Virgin delivered us to Boston on time and in great nick.

After a wonderful nights sleep we launched ourselves at the breakfast counter - well at least I did Philip was far more reserved just having the waffles with a bucket of Maple Syrup, cream and strawberries. My cooked breakfast, mini waffles and blueberry pancakes looked rather reserved in comparison.

After a short taxi ride through town - which our driver described beautifully, we picked up the car - more of which at a later point.

We drove back though town enjoying the mansions on Beacon Hill, doing a few loops of Copley Sq getting back to the hotel before deciding that's not where we wanted to go and setting off across the river to Cambridge in search of MIT's museum. Despite not having a map we found it after asking only one person who gave the most straight forward set of directions ever received.

The MIT museum did not disappoint - many of the great robots of the modern age were on display amongst holograms and other displays about artificial intelligence. Very inspiring, makes you wonder what they are working on now.


After MIT we drove back to the hotel and dropped off the car and went in search of Fenway Park, the baseball ground in Boston. We found it by following people who looked like they knew where they were going. After some of the greatest ticket negotiating tactics of all time we found ourselves in the Bleachers at Fenway watching the Red Sox v the New York Yankees on Saturday afternoon having paid less than the face value ofthe tickets. Fenway Park is celebrating its 100th birthday this year which is good going by any sporting venue. Lovely ground, lovely atmosphere and what's more great mowing of grass on display.


With zero idea of what was going on on the pitch we sat back and listened to the conversation going on all around us. Folks, the the great American public has come to terms with the financial crisis and is looking forward. The conversation was about the great deals on new model cars, vacations to be taken in the Bahamas and family plans for the Thanksgiving holidays. And this was in the cheap seats.


The game sparked into life with consecutive home runs by the Yankees! Then the spits and spots of rain become a little too much and we retired for a hot dog in the bowels of the stadium. We then went for some retail therapy- a Red Sox replica jersey costs $ 175.00. I d hope that Fenway Sports, the owners of the Red Sox and Liverpool, direct the spare cash to Liverpool rather than the Red Sox who appeared to be something of a lost cause losing 6-1 in the afternoon game. 


At the time of writing the Red Sox are 5-3 to the good in the 6th in the night game. I have no idea what all this means but those are the facts.


After the ball park we returned to the hotel with the objective of going for a swim only to find the pool full of small people making a lot of noise - we went for a walk on a beautiful afternoon - the rain clouds having moved on.


Wondering around Boston we found stylish avenues populated by designer shops and street cafes, all very chic. And as if by accident, we found ourselves in Cheers! It was rather a lost cause on Philip as he is too young to drink or to know the TV series. The bar is massively over commercialized to a degree 'only in America'. That having been said it was an incredibly popular spot with a genuine bar atmosphere - great fun.


We left Cheers! and wondered back through the park, through Copley Sq back to the hotel stopping at 5Napkins Burgers for dinner.


After dinner we collapsed back at the hotel - very satisfied at our days work and half watching the ball game. The commentators are speaking but making no sense what so ever! Someone is pitch hitting for someone else - what on earth is that all about?


Tomorrow we are of to Plymouth, then Providence ending up in Essex. Philip is expressing some concern about my wishing to the entire trip without buying a map, relying entirely on free hand out maps. His concern is heightened by our destination tomorrow night not actually being on the map I intend using to get us close enough to our destination to ask someone for directions. I worked perfectly this morning I see no reason whatsoever that is shouldn't work again tomorrow. 


We'll keep you posted.