We arrived on Friday and it was 70, sunny, and beautiful! So, we took advantage and walked the Freedom Trail. The trail is 2.5 miles long and takes you around to see most of the historical sites around Boston. I think we ended up walking more than 5 miles, because I had assumed the trail was a loop, so I did not worry about where we started. It is not a loop. So, once you head out on the trail in one direction, you have to walk back to where you started to hit the other end. My advice? Start at one end of the trail and go from there. It was worth all the walking, but I wish I would have taken a book/guide with me to tell me all that I was seeing. I am sure we missed some sights because we were focused on following the red line. (I did love the red line - you did not need a map. You could just mindlessly follow the red line in front of you). Besides seeing the sites, we ate yummy Italian food for lunch and stopped by two bakeries. Kyle managed to find a dairy and gluten free whoppie pie which ended up not being so good. (I think Kyle can start his own blog reviewing dairy free foods.)
After, we headed to Harvard and had drinks in Harvard Square. We actually had trouble finding a bar (on a college campus, what!?) but later found we were just not on the right street.
Then, we headed back to the hotel to enjoy the pool and free appetizers. (I like to pack a lot of sightseeing into vacations and Kyle likes to relax, so I think we did a good job of compromising on this trip.) There may have also been a nap.
Saturday was not such a nice day. It was cold and rainy all day and we were not prepared. I have never been jealous of those wearing socks under their sandals! First, we met a friend for Breakfast at Theo's Cozy Corner. They had a really good breakfast. I had a grilled blueberry muffin... and some of Kyle's potatoes and bacon... and some of Greg's strawberries that were covered in chocolate.
Later, we walked past Fenway (does that count as "a baseball stadium I've been to?" I am guessing no since we did not actually go in for a game or tour.) Then, we were off to Newbury Street for some shopping. However, we did not last long since it was pouring at this point and we were cold and crabby. So, we managed to find an indoor mall, and the Gay Pride Parade on the way, so that took up most of our afternoon.
After another nap at the hotel (relaxing...) we headed back to the North End for dinner at G'Vanni's, which Greg recommended. The restaurant only seats 32 people at one time, so there was some (ok, A LOT) of waiting involved. We ended up sitting with another couple who were from Massachusetts and they had lots of good baby advice for us. The food was excellent and the conversation was even better. On the way home we stopped by a third bakery (open 24 hours!) and then we were out for the night.
I really liked Boston. The North End reminded me of the few cities I have visited in Europe - narrow streets, small restaurants, and so many bakeries. I found that Boston was really easy to get around in too. We used the T to get everywhere and it was amazing how fast and clean it was. Of course, Boston is a compact, smaller city, but still, I actually saw a worker cleaning finger prints and dirt off the walls. It was also pretty inexpensive. The T is $2.00 each way, no matter how far you go, and all of our meals were a lot less than we usually spend (although that could be because I did not have any alcohol). Oh, and there is no sales tax on clothes under $150!! I wish I would have taken more advantage of that good deal.
Finally, I have to say that Boston is one of friendliest places I have ever been to. I guess I was expecting to meet people that were hard who had a tough life, maybe because of the movies I have watched from the area (The Fighter, The Town, Good Will Hunting, Mystic River, The Departed - are there any happy movies filmed in Boston??), but that was not the case. People said hello on the street, drivers stopped and let pedestrians cross the street wherever, and one guy even put his foot in the T door so that Kyle and I could make the train.
It was a great introduction to Massachusetts, but I do hope to go back and explore more of the state, especially the beaches.
You can see more pictures here.
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