In our previous post about Boston, we noted our desire for a quintessentially Boston experience. The only problem with the concept of “quintessential” is the ultimate let-down when those ideals are not met. Every traveler, whether a long-term nomad or a first-timer, has a general perception of the place of their arrival.
A good example of this is Paris. Would-be visitors to the City of Light are immersed in photos and stories of romance, beautifully antiquated buildings and an Eiffel Tower that seems to–for lack of a better word–“tower” over the city, like a symbolic beacon. The let-down begins at the sight of the Eiffel Tower, It’s actually much smaller in person. Building aren’t just “old,” they’re downright cramped and a little dirty. And people are just like you and me: a person living their life, in a way we see fit, but not necessarily romantically. Psychologists have even coined this let-down as the “Paris Syndrome,” a disorder of disillusion, hallucinations and a little bit of sweat. Despite these few negative aspects, Paris is still my favorite city (I have asked the mister numerous times if we could live there…fingers crossed…).
A destination is essentially what you make of it, and Boston is just like every other city in that it should be visited with an open mind.
There is, however, one thing that sets it apart from the rest: When looking for a historically American city, a place that represents a fairly accurate general culture of America, that title may just belong exclusively to Boston.
It is a hub for American History (see the Freedom Trail), a place for sports, a place to chow down, and just as importantly, a place to wonder–and then explore.
We visited Boston precisely one week after a major snow storm. The storm blanketed Boston in what seemed like a million feet of snow. On our last day in Boston, I came to the conclusion that being “snowed” on is much more favorable than being “rained” on. After all, snow just lands on your clothes and then melts. It’s a little colder, in fact, it may even be freezing. But, it’s nothing like being caught in a rain storm without an umbrella. With rain, everything is just plain wet.
When we arrived, there were still remnants of the snow storm, including frigid cold weather and gale-force winds. Needless to say, I was unprepared. The mister, however, was very prepared with his ugly Gore-Tex shoes and long johns he bought on sale solely because it has his name stitched on it. Long johns–while a good idea for warmth–are funny.
“Y’all laughed at me,” he scoffed as I felt my toes go frostbitten. “Ya’ laughed when you saw me wearing my long johns with the back flap. Well, who’s laughing now!”
I’m still laughing, though, because the mister has a BACK. FLAP.
Boston Museum of Fine ArtsWe spent part of the day in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. The mister’s annual membership to LACMA allows us free access to multiple museums around the country, otherwise it would have cost $25 per person. The cost of the museum is well worth it, though, since there are several floors of art from ancient Egypt, Europe, Asia, America, modern art and antique jewelry. In fact, it may even be one of the top art museums in the country, and therefore a great way to spend an entire day.
Lime-cicles at the Boston MFA Pretty HDRI-like Jars at the Boston MFA. Please steal, smoke, eat, and touch the neon sign. But NOT EACH OTHER!
Knowing that eventually we would have to go back into the icy winds and frostbite my other foot, I tried my hardest to extend our museum trip. Among some of my ploys were:
“I need to read every inscription to really enjoy the museum. Like this one: ‘Manet. France’ Well that was quick…”
The ploys didn’t work and we ended up back in the snow touring outside Fenway Park.
Fenway Park: Home of the Red Sox
Boston has a fantastic metro system. The MBTA, or “the T” for short, is much more useful than ours in Los Angeles. The big joke for LA is that the metro rail takes you everywhere you don’t want to go. More importantly, no one seems to really use the LA metro system, not the agreeably-inclined anyway (true story: I was once solicited to buy a gold chain on the metro Green Line). Boston’s metro, however, seems to be used by anyone and everyone.
We utilized the T a couple of times during our visit and took it to view the Boston Public Library and Copley Square.
Old South Church at Copley Square
At this point, the cold started to finally seep in and it was a perfect time to duck into a boutique style eaterie. That place was LA Burdick, a chocolatier with deliciously awesome hot chocolate across the street from the library. In fact, the whole neighborhood around LA Burdick, known as Copley Square in Back Bay, is charmingly delicious. Shops are nestled on the first floor of old victorian brownstone buildings and give off a quaint, modern feel. And any place with shopping is alright by me.
Harvard: The first American university and where millionaires are made. John Harvard: Those shoes were made for walking…and studying.
We rounded out our day at Harvard, a university that even in the presence of it, you suddenly feel a lot smarter…Well, I don’t feel smarter, but I suffer from a rare, terrible condition called “dumbass.” Even in the pubs around Harvard, people are suited up, which makes for smart drinking.
We stopped in a local bar nearby Harvard to use the facilities. I waited patiently at the bar, while the mister…well…went. It seemed like forever for him to come back, but it was no more than five minutes, so I inquired: “Did you fall in?
“No,” he said. “The back flap got in the way.”
Where are your favorite places in Boston? Any special way you like to spend a Sunday?
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