Time for my new teeth. I’d been over to Boston in mid-January to have a nasty tooth removed from my front end and now I was due for my follow-up and some new fakes to keep my smile complete.
Day One, Business
My red-eye experience was much better second-time round. I put it down to a two hour pre-nap, eye mask and ear plugs. Of course, I was sick with a head cold, just like last time, but preparation was the best medicine and it worked. I was still putting the logistical pieces in place as I waited for my flight to Boston, on the phone to Cindy who would be looking after Cleo for the few days that Deb wouldn’t be home. Trusted House Sitters really is the best platform for pets, owners and travelers.
It was 5:30am when I landed and I’d had fitful sleep the entire flight. Better than nothing! Last trip had been utter confusion looking for a bus I thought was a train but now, I found my way without effort, picking up my bag and waiting for the Silver Line bus to take me to South Station.
Once there, I joined the throng of workday commuters and got a lay of the land. Food was the first order of the day and after walking around the block to find only a dodgy looking diner without windows, I went for the safe option with Maccas inside the station. I enjoyed the people-watching as I waited for my train then I was off to Dorchester, a suburb not far south of the big smoke.
Danielle was off to Paris with her Mum to see Taylor Swift, then Copenhagen for an explore and I would be looking after her two cats, Rufus and Honey. Thanks Trusted House Sitters! She’d told me that she lived in “the hood” and I was glad for the warning as I stepped off the Talbot Ave platform and onto the streets. It reminded me of my little Mexico neighbourhood in Redwood City, only more apartments and dirtier sidewalks. In five minutes, I was on Kingsdale avenue ringing the doorbell to Danielle’s building. It was a cute three-story walk-up in the traditional east-coast style painted a pretty dark blue with white trim. Danielle greeted me at the door and showed me up the narrow spiral staircase to her home on the second floor. It was a gorgeous pad.
Danielle’s boyfriend Ian was home and they were just finishing up breakfast so I joined them at the kitchen island and we got to know each other. They were both lovely people and it was fun hearing their stories. As Ian went around the place installing smoke alarms, Danielle showed me around and what my duties would be – or really, the lack of duties. Both cats had automatic feeders and recirculating water, so really, I just had to keep them company.
I only stayed a couple hours, then I was off again, heading out the door just after Ian left for work. I said goodbye and thank you to Danielle and wished her a fun trip.
Here my pre-planning came in handy as I took a train back into the city, then a commuter train down to Providence, Rhode Island. While on the train, I worked on my welcome guide so that Cleo’s sitter would know the ins and outs of her needs. Off that train, I ordered an Uber to take me to Dr. Ray’s surgery. The whole point of this trip was to get the all-clear after my tooth removal/implant surgery three months ago and get some new teeth made. I walked into Dr. Ray’s office fifteen minutes before my appointment and was seen shortly after without having to endure too much of the nasty receptionists’ attitude. I had an x-ray and he did some prodding around, but I was out of there in five minutes. All good!
Another Uber now to get to Dr. Michael Gooding’s office. The name isn’t a coincidence – he’s my uncle-in-law and the reason I was all the way out in Boston for teeth work. This Uber made me realise just how lucky I’d been to experience Waymo on a regular basis and how much it made me despise Uber. This car, though modern, was messy, my driver paid no attention to me and drove erratically. I’ll take a robot drive any day, thank you!
Michael’s receptionist, June, greeted me kindly and after a bit of banter, I settled in to wait. I read my book then got up and moved around when my head started to dip. I must have been at the office for two hours and I was fighting sleep hard. When I saw a family photo on the wall, it was nice to find a face that I’m very fond of, that perked me up a bit.
Michael was happy with my progress, took my fake teeth out, did a scan of my mouth and sent that off to the lab to get my new teeth made. Fake teeth back in, now I just had two weeks to kill.
I walked the three miles to the train station, happy to be moving my body around and happy that it wasn’t 0*C as it had been the last time I did that walk. Once I was on the train, it felt like it took forever to get back to Dorchester but I managed to keep my eyes open. I’d left Danielle’s place at 10am and it was 7pm when I saw it again. Coming down the hill, I saw the balcony and knew that was the only place I wanted to be.
I had a much-needed shower, made myself a drink and sat on the balcony to watch the sun set. I said hello to the grandma in the next-door building on the same level as me. Danielle warned me that she was the matriarch of the neighbourhood and she was right. I had taken my book out with me but I didn’t need it. I just sat and watched the comings and goings of the hood and this lady was at the center of it all. Nearly every car that drove by rolled down their window to say hi or ask how she was doing.
I was in bed before the sun was fully set and I was grateful to be horizontal for the first time in nearly 24 hours.
Don’t Drive in Boston
I slept at least ten hours and I still felt tired and sick when I woke. Yesterday’s movements was a lot and my cold was biting back. The cats still wouldn’t dare look at me. I did some much-needed stretching in the front room, made myself a simple breakfast then set up my workstation. I was grateful to have something to do that didn’t require me to go anywhere.
I’d checked the weather forecast and this was supposed to be the best day of my whole visit so I wanted to get out and I needed to stock-up on groceries. I looked around for supermarkets in the area and it didn’t seem like there was anything much beyond a corner store. I decided that the twenty-minute drive to Trader Joe’s near the city would be worth it. Danielle had said I could use her car and I needed to move it across the street for street-cleaning anyway. She did also warn me that driving in Boston is not straightforward. Again, she was right. Her little Honda Fit was a dream car to drive, but the streets were narrow and my-goodness do these people know how to use their horns!
The Trader Joe’s carpark was tight and was the site of my first near-miss when an old guy in a convertible nearly backed into me and I had another close call driving back when a van merged over into my lane. I was glad I’d stocked up big because I wouldn’t be doing this again!
Safely home, I made myself a late lunch and enjoyed it on the balcony before my 4pm meeting. With that done, I had to get out and enjoy this sunshine! I had a trip planned for the next day which involved taking two buses early in the morning. It was a good chance to do some recon. As I walked out the front door, a Jamaican guy next door sang out, “Who’s that girl?” a few times, obviously directed at me. The grandma, Princess, was with him and I stopped at their front fence to chat and tell them I was the cat sitter! I asked them if the weather was always this nice and they sarcastically told me that absolutely, it was. They wished me a nice day and I them. Lovely people.
My recon was a success having found the bus stop and a safe route to walk in the morning dark and I was feeling better having moved around a bit outside. I carried on working which was late for me, but thanks to the time difference to California, people were still working so I figured I should put in an effort. With an upset tummy, I just had a light dinner, then sat out on the balcony on the phone with Vanessa until bed time which was another much-needed early night.
Hello Husband
I woke up at 3:30am after a very restless sleep. All night I’d felt like I was twelve years old and it was the day before my birthday. I couldn’t get to sleep, I couldn’t concentrate on my book and I kept waking up which is very strange for me. Two ambulances with flashing lights accompanied my alarm. By the time I got out the door, they were gone and the streets were eerily quiet.
I kept my wits about me, very aware that I was in an unfamiliar neighbourhood in the dark. I was grateful for the street lights and the bus stop being on a busy road. There was a guy at the bus stop already watching a comedy show on his phone and he was nice, asking me if I’d like to sit down. When I said no, that I’d be sitting all day, he said how lucky I was. He would be on his feet for the next eight hours. This was obviously his regular commute.
After two bus trips, I was at Terminal C of Boston airport. Everything had gone according to plan so far, but now the hard part was figuring out where my husband would exit the terminal so I could intercept him. As far as he knew, I was meeting him at the train station but I couldn’t resist a small surprise. I must have walked two miles scoping out the possibilities. The arrivals screen at security didn’t help, saying that his flight had arrived at 4:45am instead of the scheduled 5:15am. I think I said, “What is it with this guy?” out loud. Dan’s flights are always early!
When Dan messaged me to say he’d landed, a steady stream of people started coming out of a door by security and my confidence that I was in the right place was growing. When I saw those people standing at the luggage carousel for the Denver flight, I was sure. I propped myself against a wall far from the exit so I’d have plenty of time to see him. Smooth, calm and collected, that was me.
I saw him five minutes later and didn’t move a muscle. He wandered out, looking completely at ease and his eyes found mine within seconds. I broke out in a huge smile and he came over to me. He whisked me into his arms and I smiled into his hair, let the vacation begin!
I lead the way to the Silver line bus as we caught up and kept a hold of each other. By the end of the bus ride, I’d filled him in on the Cleo saga and he’d told me the latest about the BVT. He was happy to follow my lead as we changed at South Station where we had fifteen minutes to wait for our train. We dipped outside for a minute just so Dan could get a glimpse of the big city. He was already in awe of the architecture. I’d only been there two days and he made me feel like a local giving a tour.
At the apartment, he immediately loved the place. The cats made it clear he was going to have to work for their affection, just as I’d had to. Dan showered me with gifts (new dress, bike pants and BVT hat) then he was keen to get some z’s on the couch while I worked. The click-clack of my keyboard was music to his ears and he was out in no time.
When he was up, we only had time for a quick lunch before therapy. Or therapist, Michael, was happy to see us together for the first time. Even I have to admit, seeing the two of us on a little screen, we looked happy. It was a really good session, held out on the balcony. It was especially nice to hang-up and do our regular de-brief right there and then.
Despite the overcast weather, we were both keen to get outside and explore some. With 45 minutes between trains, we ended up rushing to catch one with Dan pulling some moves to shorten the ramp between the platform and tweaking his knee in the process. On the train, we discussed our mission – to find me a new watch. The beautiful Fossil watch he’d gifted me in the year we met had finally given up the ghost so it was time for something new.
Back at South Station, we played the game of discovery without looking at our phones, which would be a theme for the whole trip. Being in a big city makes you realize just how much everyone depends on these little devices, missing what might be two feet in front of them. We wandered in what we thought was a good direction and Dan saw the Macy’s in the mall first. We knew they were a seller of Fossil watches.
We found the watch section and looked through every single case, then found my new timepiece on the clearance rack. It was the only one that I’d liked, it was 40% off and Dan shouted me the $30. Winning!
Next, wanting to wander over to the water, we found Boston Commons, then a lovely garden just next to it. There were some gorgeous trees dropping colorful petals all over the place surrounding a large pond.
We took shelter under a mossy bridge when it started to rain, taking the piss out of the touristy swan boats sitting idle in the pond, laughing at why you’d pay for such an experience. It was still raining lightly when we ventured out again, looking for a snack, a hot drink and a spot to people watch.
We followed our noses and when we approached an intersection, Dan declared that we’d turn left and there would be a place waiting for us. He couldn’t have been more right! We turned the corner to find tables, chairs and bright orange umbrellas at the front of an organic café. We looked at each other in disbelief. We posted up at a window with a tea for me, coffee for him and a hummus plate. We had a blast. It was raining hard and we had a plethora of entertainment right out front from Uber eats drivers on scooters, workers waiting for their rides home and of course the loud chaos of Boston city traffic!
We must have stayed an hour and the rain had eased so we were back out into it and made it to the edge of the Charles River. It rained some more but we didn’t mind, it meant we had the world to ourselves. We noted the rowers on the water with their coaching boat and how that wasn’t our cup of tea then started to walk back towards the city center through a riverside park. As we walked, I realized that I’d been smiling the whole afternoon. We laughed at how silly I would look if I was walking alone and I was grateful to have my favorite company back.
We took a footbridge over a busy road and with the night getting dark, we were ready for dinner. Dan sought Asian food and Charles St offered up a Thai restaurant. There was a strong fish sauce smell as soon as we walked in and it brought back memories of Thailand for Dan. We cheers’d with Singhas, the food was so-so but the atmosphere was perfect with a happy waitress and the elderly boss who handled all the bills.
Back outside, it was properly cold now and we were ready to get back to our warm apartment and snuggle with some cats on the couch. We almost knew where we were going now and found our way back to Boston Commons and then on through the mall to South Station. It rained hard at one point and we were forced to take shelter on some entrance steps under a balcony where we shared a kiss, just like in the movies.
We only waited at South Station a few minutes before training home. We were tired but buoyed by a great first day together, it had felt like two.
Blue Bikes
Dan was still catching up on sleep so we had a repeat of yesterday. He got out of bed with me then settled in on the couch while I worked. It was a beautiful day outside so we had to hurry up and get out to enjoy it!
Being out in the weather yesterday, I was feeling sick again so I didn’t want to do too much. I thought that maybe we could do some light exploring and cook dinner at home. I’d bought all these groceries after all! A wander through the local parks it was then.
We walked out the door and walked towards Franklin Park, past the mobile carwashes on Talbot Avenue where a bunch of guys in vans would camp out on the roadside waiting for customers who wanted a wash and detail, right there on the street.
Once in Franklin Park, we looked at a map and realized just how big it was. We saw a Blue Bike station soon after and decided that yes, that would do! No app required, I used the kiosk to unlock two bikes and off we went. $3 for a 30 minute ride and these bikes were in good condition. As soon as we unlocked, I was taken back to my touring around France where I’d take sub-30 minute rides all over Paris, making sure to adjust the seat and have the bike ready to ride before unlocking.
Following our noses again, we rode through Franklin and then through beautiful little neighborhoods with colorful architecture similar to that in our hood. The greenery got prettier as we rode towards the Andrews Arboretum. It was spring time in Boston.
School buses were out in their droves and we saw a baseball game going on by a school so stopped to watch a couple of pitches. They take their baseball seriously, all of the players wearing beautiful crisp uniforms with white pants and purple shirts that looked great in the sunshine. The colors were just popping today!
A batter’s strike sent the baseball straight behind the fence, bounced into the nearby carpark then across the road. I was on it. I pedaled across the road, retrieved it and threw it back to one of the well-dressed players, feeling pretty proud of myself. Nailing the directions by chance, we came upon the Arboretum. This was a recommendation by Danielle and while I was happy to explore it, the clock was ticking and we had to ride through it at speed to return our bikes to a docking station. We crossed a busy intersection, docked the bikes, then walked back towards the Arboretum. Not wanting to walk along the busy street, we chanced it by going by an apartment building and though there was a fence bordering the gardens, we found a gap in it and a trail that led us into the Arboretum. Things were working out just fine!
We stopped at the mobile visitor’s center mostly because we were interested in their custom trailer, but we chatted to the volunteers who were obviously desperate to get donations. They told us that the 280 acre gardens were bordered by the lowest net-worth suburb on one side and the highest on the other side of the park.
The Lilacs were pretty and the rhododendron walk ok, but we were really just happy so see so much green and pinks and whites. It was a nice change from cactus and dirt for me and from snow and pines for Dan.
As an added bonus, Dan pointed out a left-behind water bottle sitting in the grass and it was the perfect size for my little bag so I nabbed it!
Walking across the road to enter the other side of the park, we saw the usual sign saying “no drones”, “no smoking” and I pointed at the incredulity of the rule stating “no picnicking”! We laughed about it as we walked up to the top of Peters Hill for a view of the city. There was a nice spot to sit on a piece of chiseled rock and seeing people sitting down on the ground, eating, Dan had me in fits of laughter making jokes about their illegal activities. “Is that an egg sandwich? Citizen’s arrest! You’re going down motherfucker!”
We sat enjoying the view then Dan started looking for a coffee spot. He was getting a little frustrated trying to find a place and I told him we should just head to the nearest hub and follow our feet. That we did, walking through the highest net-worth neighbourhood, and found a nice little hub of shops and restaurants. After doing the block, we saw it – a bakery touting bread, pastries and coffee. It was empty and I had no shame about making sure we got in the door before two ladies who were crossing the road heading for it. There were only three chairs at the front window and two of them were ours. We got in the door just before them and I draped my jacket over a chair and my handbag over the other. It was only after they ordered that they looked around for somewhere to sit and realized that they’d lost. NO SHAME. They sat against the wall, we perched up for our afternoon’s entertainment.
My hot chocolate was much needed and delicious, I had a scone and Dan a mini-pizza. There was just so much to watch and talk shit about, we were at the top of our game. I waved at the first person in traffic that looked over at us and it put a big smile on her face – one that lasted for as long as we could see her. It makes me feel good to make other people feel good, with a gesture as simple as a wave. There was a homeless guy putting cans in machine one-by-one. He must have had over a thousand so I can only imagine how long he was there for. Another homeless guy worked the corner getting change from people and when he was handed a bottle of coke, that was his day done. The supermarket carpark across the road was crazy and we must have seen over half a dozen ambulances and fire trucks go past in different directions, sirens blaring.
It was getting cold and I didn’t want to make my sickness any worse so it was time to head home. Dan found us a Blue Bike station nearby and we rode along the sidewalk on a busy street and were soon back in familiar territory riding through Franklin Park. At one point, I yelled out to Dan, “I’m so glad to have you back!” and I meant it.
We docked the bikes back where it all started which left us with only a short walk home. It was nearly 8pm by the time we got back but there was still a bit of light in the air.
We both enjoyed a hot drink on the couch, had a small spot of dinner and put a film on about Pikes Peak, my goodness were we amped!
Reel Rock
Dan was pulling me into his routine now, we were both up late. He made breakfast while I went to work and I got some serious stuff done. I feel like I always do my best work on a Friday when everyone else is already in weekend mode. Dan had a lot of F1 to catch up on so it was nice to have that playing in the background but he didn’t last. He was asleep again after the Miami sprint race.
It was supposed to be a rainy day but all I could see was blue out the window so I was jonesing to get out. Dan made us a beautiful lunch spread and though the sun looked warm, the wind was not and so we bundled up to enjoy our balcony time.
I put in another hour or so of work after lunch, then it really was the weekend and we were ready to explore again.
We did our usual train commute into South Station with a few missions in mind – walk the infinite corridor at MIT, visit a thrift store for a blanket and warm jacket for Dan, then hit the Reel Rock film festival held outdoors on MIT campus (hence the need for warm gear).
At South Station we were off the train and there was a shuttle bus replacing the red line that was just about to leave. We raced across the intersection and felt like champions having timed the bus perfectly when people had likely been sitting on it for a good ten minutes. We got a nice above-ground tour of the city looking up at the tall buildings. Having felt the cold wind outside, I was thinking a nice warm churro would be nice.
Off the bus, we were let off near Boston Commons at a graveyard and there seemed to be a lot of tour groups walking through it so we joined the crowd. The center piece was a tombstone for the parents of Benjamin Franklin with some nice words by him in honor of his Mummy and Daddy. The other grave markers were too hard to read and while I took a guide from a volunteer at the front entrance, that was way too much information.
We walked over to Boston Commons and Dan saw a sign for fried dough. Haha, that’s a churro! We enjoyed our sugar and cinnamon coated warm treat, sitting on the grass in the sun watching a bunch of suckers wait in line for a shuttle bus thinking they must be doing something wrong.
From there, we made our way over to MIT, skirting the park we’d walked through the other day. There was way more people out now that it was sunny and the swan boats were in session!
We walked down some beautiful streets with red brick sidewalks and colorful trees. It was fascinating, we felt like we were in some part of Europe, not northern America!
Out towards the water, we crossed the river at the Harvard bridge and braved some serious wind to get to the other side. Sailboats were out and of course, the rowing teams. As soon as we crossed into MIT’s campus, the wind was blocked by the buildings and things got much warmer.
This is where Vanessa earned her degree in engineering so I was happy to be in a place she’d spent so much time, especially in her formative years. We’d only walked a hundred meters down Mass. Ave when we came across a protest. It was pro-Palestine or pro-Israel, I’m not sure which, but standing there listening to the chants, I realized this was the entrance to the infinite corridor! The protesters were blocking the entrance and we didn’t want to get swept up in anything so we passed it by.
Needing to scope out the Reel Rock spot, we walked across campus turning whenever we saw something interesting. We dipped into a lab building to use the bathroom and were pleasantly surprised to find a pianist at work on a colorful piano in the corridor with great acoustics. Random! We also grabbed a couple of bananas stacked up just inside the entrance. Also random.
At the Kendall/MIT open space, we found a big TV screen attached to the visitor’s center and some very comfy chairs. I praised Dan for finding such a great, free event that we could go to. There was a pub right next to it, so that would be where we’d hang out while surveying the scene to make sure we got outside in time to nab some chairs.
With that mission complete, we walked down main street to the thrift store. The protestors were on the march now and we narrowly avoided them as we walked into the bright sun. We found a cool public rooftop garden along the way complete with pickleball, seating areas, fake grass and barbeques. It felt like a well-kept secret.
Onwards, we made it to MIT’s “downtown” with a bunch of restaurants and a nice vibe. We were both tired of walking at this point, so were happy to find some decent kit in the thrift store, then catch the subway back to the open space for a sit down and a beer.
Fat Johnny’s was a welcome spot to sit, look out the window and people watch both those outside and inside the pub. It became a very busy place after we sat down and you could feel the Friday vibes.
As 6pm rolled around, then 6:30pm, Dan became fidgety. There was no movement at the open space and surely since snacks were to be “served” at the 7pm event, you’d think someone would be there setting up a table and putting chairs in order or something. Oh dear…
Dan checked his event website while I googled as if I’d only just learnt about the event. The first link I clicked said that due to the cold/rainy weather forecast, this event has been moved inside. Thankfully, that inside was the next building over. Good thing we figured that out or we’d have been heading home at the lack of action.
After beers and burgers, we walked across to the MIT Welcome Center and picked seats at the front of the small auditorium. There was a good crowd of outdoorsy people and four films on show, three of which were great. The last had a political theme to it so was a bit off-topic. I’ve always loved these events and I’m so glad Dan found it. The films, centered around rock climbing, are always so inspiring and Dan whispered into my ear that he’d love to get back on the wall. It made me glad that I’d spent so much time getting back into climbing shape the past few months. The first film focused on deep-water soloing in Spain and that’s the inspiration that we left with.
There was a party at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts on the calendar, but we both knew our limits. With the subway station right outside, we had a chance of making the 10:10pm train home. Shuttle buses lined up at Boston Commons and we were straight onto one and at South Station five minutes before our train’s departure. We kept patting ourselves on the back at how much we were nailing our public transport timings. What of all those people who’d lined up for over half-an-hour for a shuttle?
I had my head on Dan’s shoulder for our fifteen minute ride home and he lead us home through the Dorchester streets, up our single flight of stairs and into the warm apartment. Hot drink, book, couch, cats. Dan was still alert so he put the race on and I fell asleep with my legs across his knees. He’d had to contain his excitement as Lando shot to his first ever victory in Miami – an excitement I’d felt only days before. Afte the chequered flag, Dan woke me gently and lead me to bed. Another great day in Bawston.
The Yellow Sox
It was a pleasure to wake and know I didn’t have to go to work. We enjoyed a very, very lazy Saturday morning. Dan made a big breakfast and while we tried to sit out on the balcony, it was just too cold so we retreated to the kitchen counter. We retired to the couch after that, me blogging and reading, Dan napping and watching the post-race show. We switched places at one point and I had a little snooze on Dan’s shoulder. It was glorious.
The day got away from us and all of a sudden, the time to catch the bus to Fenway Park had passed and we knew we’d missed the first innings of the Red Sox game Dan got us tickets for. We were kinda bummed when we realized that we’d miss the fanfare of the anthem and first pitch but we could only try and make up for it.
Dan was in charge of our transport and got us onto a bus and despite getting off to early, we got to our stop in good time. We still couldn’t figure out if we were supposed to pay. So many times, we’d start putting money into the machine by the driver and they’d just wave us on.
We walked from Ruggles station and started following other people wearing red. When the stadium lights were in view, we headed in that direction.
Fenway Park is modest in size and tucks in around its neighboring buildings pretty well. It has a nice dark green color and from the street you could see that it was packed to the rafters with baseball fans. With the game well and truly underway, there was no crowd at the entrance so we breezed through bag check, then Dan got our QR codes scanned. We were in!
We walked straight into the first grandstand we saw, acting like we knew what we were doing, and sat down for a great view down low in the outfield. In the sun too, this was a great spot! It took us a while to figure out what innings they were in (3rd out of 9) and who was who because there were grey and bright yellow shirts on the field. Isn’t this the Red Sox?
I later learned that the Sox were wearing yellow in honor of the Boston marathon that had been held in the past few weeks.
After watching a few pitches, Dan was ready for Fenway’s culinary experience so we went back out into the throng of the walkway. It was absolute chaos! Everyone had a drink or food tray in-hand and if they didn’t, they were in line to get one. No one was here to see a baseball game. I can only imagine the money made through this overpriced food and drink. The lines were all very long, unless you wanted a lobster roll for $50.
We’d moved along a fair way when I saw a security man not paying attention so up the ramp we went. Now we were sitting behind the Red Sox dugout, with a clutch view of the pitcher, batter, the whole deal. This was even where rogue baseballs were tossed into the eager hands of the crowd. We sat to enjoy, thinking we’d be up again in a minute, but we didn’t have to leave – the food and drink came to us!
These food/drink vendors were the definition of hustlers. They carried heavy tubs of beer on their heads, portable ovens, a girl even balanced a hot-bag of pizzas on her head. Though advertised as a cashless stadium, each of them held a massive wad of cash in their hand. Dan tried to pay for his dog with a card because the hustler had the small device for card payments, but the guy kept repeating the word “cash”. Tips were their game and rightly so with the amount of work they were doing.
This was entertainment at its finest. “Get your hawt dawgs ‘ere!” When I saw a hustler throwing his wares into the crowd from a tote bag, I put my hand up, naively thinking he was giving it away. When he asked for $7 for the bag of peanuts, I tossed them straight back to him with a “no thanks” and he carried on to his next customer saying “waste of my time” in his drawling Boston accent. Classic.
There was also a brilliant game of baseball going on. The people in front of us might as well have been catching up at a café, I don’t think they glanced at the field once. There were a lot of big hits, a home run for the opposing team which got a lot of booing, then the roar of the crowd was deafening when the Sox hit a home run with two on-base to take the lead in the 7th inning.
The best move we saw was from the Sox pitcher when the batter hit his throw straight back to him at breakneck speed. The pitcher not only managed to avoid a ball in the face, he placed his glove to catch it. It was pure reflexes and even he seemed impressed with himself. We were close enough to see the expression on his face! Brilliant!
At the end of the 8th innings, the beer had dried up (no alcohol sales after the bottom of the 7th innings), it was getting cold in the shade so it was time to explore. We meandered up a spiral staircase to the Samuel Adams bar thinking vaguely that we might try to find our actual seats. The bar had mostly cleared out and we made it up there just in time to see the last strike. The game was over! We’d heard the hustlers say that it was flying by and they’d been right.
We joined in the cheering then danced around up-top as everyone cleared out. Now we had Fenway Park to ourselves?
From our perch on-high, Dan explained the Green Monster to me. It was a high wall on the batter’s left that made it a challenging stadium to get a home run because any ball bouncing off the wall was still live. Within ten minutes, only a few people remained in the stadium and we were asked to leave. They knew how to clear out a ballpark.
We took our time heading out, ducking into another part of the stadium for a look but there were people waving their hands at everyone to clear out. They sure had a lot of cleaning up to do.
Outside, the crowd was dispersing but was still in full force. A huge line had formed for the entrance to the MGM Musical Hall and after trying to guess the act from the mostly-female crowd, I asked and found out it was Madison Beer. I hope she was worth it, most of the girls lining up were not wearing enough clothes for the cold conditions.
Now it was wandering time. We were both vaguely looking for dinner and needed to get away from the thousands of other people looking for the same thing. We found a shopping area that was cute in that it all used to be housing – those familiar multi-storey narrow buildings with beautiful entrances. I spotted a window seat at a Greek place that looked inviting and after walking up and down the street, our seats were still there. The first pick is always the best! Our Greek feast plate was huge and delicious. The plastic crockery meant it was just our kind of joint.
We were feeling pretty wrecked at this point and ready for home. It was my turn to do logistics so I took charge and walked us through the Avenue of the Arts back to the bus station. Thankfully we didn’t wait long there and got home quickly. The speed of the baseball game made me feel as though we’d had a massive day but I think it was just the cold getting to us.
Ferry Ride?
With yesterday considered a rest day, we were up for more adventure today. We were both up early and while Dan did some reading, I enjoyed a long stretching session at the wellness center (Danielle’s name for her front room) then had a go at the Peloton bike. Wow does it make you sweat! With the window open and the cats keeping me company, it was nice to feel well enough to get a full sweat on.
While enjoying a light breakfast on the porch under blankets, we got excited about a ferry ride and were soon off to start our day of touring. There was less wind today but it was still bloody cold so we dressed for it.
On the bus ride in, we discovered that ferries out to the isnalds in Boston Bay don’t run on the weekends until the Summer schedule goes into effect – next weekend. Oh well, we got on the subway to Haymarket which was near the ferry port anyway.
Coming up from the underground at Haymarket, we were amongst our people – other tourists. We were in the middle of a European-style outdoor mall with buskers, food and shops abounds. We made our way through the first busker’s crowd and into an old grand hall which was lined with food vendors. Perfect, we were ready for a snack and Dan was determined to taste Boston’s famous dishes.
I opted for a slice of pizza while Dan got himself a cup of clam chowder. Again, lobster rolls were the top local fare but the pricetag was just too ridiculous. When we walked upstairs to sit, we discovered that wasn’t true for a lot of people with many lobster eyes looking up at us from tables.
Back down into the bustling hall, our desert was canoli but we saved the Boston Crème pie for later.
We wandered down to the water just to see and make sure there were no ferries and we verified that quick smart. While down there, Dan noticed people at the top of a clock tower a few blocks away. Thinking a lookout would be nice, we made our way to it, discovered that it was a hotel and found out at the front desk that an online reservation was required. Of course it was booked out until next week, but now we had a mission!
We walked through Little Italy next and were impressed again by the narrow streets and beautiful architecture.
In the middle of it all was a bustling bakery with people filing in and out. We’d been walking nearly two hours since our last snack so we were prime for a bit of crème. Inside, the shelves were stacked with all sorts of niceties but we couldn’t see the famous pie. We nearly made our way out, then Dan asked the guy who looked like the head honcho and he answered in despair, “Awf coarse we have crème pie. Awf coarse!” Ha ha, we walked out with a pie.
We ate in the courtyard of a church where an amateur soprano sung his heart out with great vigor but perfect volume. We were taken aback by how he sang with so much power but limited volume. It was beautiful. The pie was delicious and I’m glad we’d found it in Little Italy.
More walking and we made our way past the North End church (didn’t want to pay the $5 entry fee) and then back to the water to walk back where we’d come from. Once there, I had the bright idea that we walk across the bridge then catch a ferry back. I was still determined to get on a boat today!
We did just that, walking away from the ice hockey stadium where tickets were upwards of $200 (play-off season) and through Charlestown wharves. We stopped for a coffee at a good lookout point where we could watch a few people at work on their boats in the marina, then found ourselves at the USS Constitution, an old sailboat from the early 1900s.
We had every intention of walking by, assuming it cost money to go onboard, but when I walked up to the sign out of interest’s sake, I found it was free and so after a security check we were on deck!
The boat was cool to look at both on deck and down below where the ceilings got lower the further down you went. Dan could only imagine the pain he’d be in with seasickness living as crew on a ship like this. Up on top, I’d have loved to get up onto the Eagle’s Nest but we had to settle with walking along the heavily varnished deck and looking out over the rails with at least twenty coats of black paint on them.
After ducking into the museum for a quick pee, we noticed a ferry approaching at the nearby wharf. Timing! We walked briskly to meet our boat and were up on the top deck quick smart. It was only a ten minute ride but we’d set out to catch a ferry and we were now on a ferry!
The views of the city were pretty good and I was happy to have brought my beanie and neck scarf.
Back to our mission of finding an observation tower, I took us to the Independence Wharf building where there was a free 14th floor observation deck. It took us a couple of laps around the building to figure out how to get in, then a security guard at the front desk opened the door for us and sent us on our way. Not surprisingly, we had the place to ourselves and it was a lovely spot! From there, we looked down into traffic, into the windows of the building next to us and out across the river. It was a nice bonus to suss out Dan’s two rooftop bar options for drinks.
When I suggested we throw a $1 note off the top to see where it landed, Dan focused hard on folding one into an airplane and though he did some solid work, we could not get it to fly off the building. We must have tried five times each, with multiple re-folds and design changes and the thing just kept boomeranging back to us. We laughed at how ridiculous it was and ended up pocketing the $1. The wind was telling us we needed the money!
We thanked our security guard on the way out, then walked the two blocks to Yotel’s Deck 12 restaurant for a round and a snack. It was a beautiful spot to watch the city scape and their portable heaters were so effective we had to turn them off. It was a great way to top off another great day of exploring.
Ready for home and a home-cooked meal, we easily identified South Station by the new high-rise being built at its heart and headed towards it. With half an hour to wait before the train, Dan was looking for a roadie and after checking the CVS in-station and a 7-Eleven near the mall, we found that alcohol could not be purchased at these establishments in the heart of the city. No matter, it gave us something to do while we waited for our transport.
As we walked through the streets of Dorchester towards home, Dan went off to the liquor store and me straight home to wait for him on the porch. With a blanket over our knees and drinks of choice in-hand, it was the perfect wind down.
We cooked up some pasta for dinner then had an early night. It was a school night after all.
Rainbow Kitten Surprise
I woke up early to start my work day and my cold had come back with a vengeance. Bugger. Dan had a decent sleep-ing having been up a lot of the night reading so it was just me, Honey and Rufus moving about the place. When Dan was up, he made me cups of lemon and ginger tea and made us both lunch when the time came for it.
I worked until about 2pm and the sun was out so we had to enjoy it despite me feeling rotten. We wandered over to the familiar Franklin Park to people watch and spectate on the golf. After getting a little bit in people’s way on the tee, we found a nice bridge to sit on after doing some turtle spotting. We could both feel the trip coming to an end and sat, talking about what our future might hold.
When a ball landed a few feet from us bouncing hard on the concrete, we got out of there quick smart. The sun had been behind the clouds the whole time we’d been out so when it emerged, we chose a different spot on the grass to soak it up. Again, we were close-ish to a tee so when a party showed up with their whack-sticks and the clouds took over again, we bailed.
I’d been wanting to get a little dressed up for a night out and the sun had made me feel better so after we got home and showered, I put on a dress and we were out the door.
The train ride should have been a dream run but South Station was a mess. Trains west to Worchester were delayed due to police activity and it was a popular commute route – there must have been 1,000 people waiting for a train. Of course then two delayed trains showed up at the same time and it was chaos. Both were labelled as Worchester trains, but that’s not what the screens said. A man in a vest was directing people to get on either train, that they went to the same place and Dan optimistically heard him say that since one was the express, it would go faster so we should do that one. Ha ha, we stood on that train for a bit, then I got off to investigate some more. I heard a lady in a vest laughing, saying that it was pointless – that everyone was going to be told to get off anyway. She was right. After the platform had cleared, everyone streamed off the trains to find a different solution. The vest-wearers were telling people to get a rideshare. Not a good sign for a public transport system to be suggesting that and it was well and good for us, but not those trying to make the trek all the way out to Worchester.
After a short wait, we were in a $20 Uber and enjoyed a typical Boston drive with horn honking and sweeping highway ramps after winding through the city. We were let out at the Rail Stop restaurant across from the Road Runner music venue. There was a huge line for the Road Runner and we had no interest, we had to have our fancy dinner first! The doors to the venue opened just as we entered the beautifully lit restaurant.
The restaurant was predictably slammed with a half-hour wait for a table but there were two single seats at the bar. They were miles apart, but I did my work, putting them together in a small space at the bar after asking our new bar neighbours. When I asked if anyone was sitting in one of the vacant seats, I loved a girl’s immediate response, she said “You are!” Thanks, but I just needed the chair.
We had a blast watching the bar tenders, watching the people around us and using my Uber fun money to enjoy a dining experience we wouldn’t normally go for. I enjoyed two cocktails – both of which were delicious, one of which was designed by the bartender serving us.
When the place had cleared out, we figured the show must be near starting so we paid up and wandered over. Happy to be fashionably late.
The venue was obviously dedicated to concerts and the sell out crowd was already in position for the fun. Seeing the slammed floor on ground level in front of the stage, we made our way upstairs for a look. We were just wandering around and the magic happened.
I happened to be holding Dan’s hand when the security guard at the entrance to the premium balcony walked away from her post. I didn’t hesitate. I squeezed Dan’s hand tight, didn’t look back and walked right in. The balcony was pretty full, but not as full as the rest of the venue. Here, we would have a great view but more importantly, our own little space to dance. We laughed at our good fortune and committed to staying exactly where we were the whole show. No water breaks, no pee breaks. The support act had already been on according to some ladies next to us so we just danced and watched the room as we waited for Rainbow Kitten Surprise.
The crowd went wild as the band members came on stage and when the front-man came out, I was surprised to see it was a man! When I’d been looking for a concert to go to in Boston, Rainbow Kitten Surprise was the only name that rang a bell. I liked a few of their songs but wasn’t a diehard fan. The few band photos I’d seen on Spotify showed a group of guys with a girl. Turns out she’s a good looking man who likes to be a woman! Thinking about the voice it made sense – it’s one of those where you can’t really tell and it didn’t matter. She looked great and he was partying harder than anyone else in the room from the first song.
We danced, we laughed, we whispered sweet nothings in each other’s ear and loved the music. It seemed like “Work Out” was written about us and we both felt it.
It’s the only show I’ve ever been to that stopped mid-song. A girl had fainted in the pit and when the lead singer pointed it out, it’s like the stage guys hit an e-stop – all the lights came on and the sound stopped. After a few minutes, security had passed water out into the crowd and the band were back to it.
When they bid us goodnight, the crowd roared and didn’t stop roaring until they came back. The noise was louder than anything we’d heard the whole evening. These people were serious fans. They gave us two more songs and while I hoped for “Sailboat”, the mood didn’t seem right. They ended with “Free Fall” and the lead doing a shoulder-stand with his/her legs up in the air out from under his/her dress. We were both smiling ear-to-ear. What a great show.
The crowd filed out quickly but as always, we lingered. We took a much needed pee-break and gratefully took a couple cups of water from the abandoned bar. The place was a mess, but unlike Fenway stadium where bottles, cans and popcorn were spread amongst stadium seats, here it was all over a flat concrete floor so they’d be able to come back tomorrow night and do it all again.
We were asked to make our way out before long and we happily walked into the cold night air. It had been warm in there! People were being stupid rolling down nearby grass hills through sprinklers and it made us grateful that our young and stupid days are behind us. We can still be stupid.
We considered joining the masses getting Ubers but we were still awake and it was a nice night so we wandered a little ways to the bus stop instead. We waited a while for our second bus and I was fading fast, but Dan got me safely home and we fell asleep in each other’s arms under the watchful eyes of Honey and Rufus.
Goodbye Husband
We woke up late with Honey perched on my side of the bed and Rufus watching on like a creep from Dan’s side table. We were getting to the end of our food stores so had a light breakfast out on the patio and put some loads of washing on before I got to work. Dan was flying out that evening, me the next morning and Danielle was getting back from her trip tonight. Time to clean the place.
It was the nicest day we’d had yet so I moved my workstation out to the balcony and typed away between loads of laundry and sticky-rolling the couch. Dan did the bulk of the cleaning work, sweeping and doing the bins and kitty litter duty, which was amazing. I got a lot of work done which was satisfying but when Dan presented me with fish and chips for lunch, that was the end of my productivity.
We put the finishing touches on the place and had all our laundry ready with an hour to spare. We used that hour to just be together. It would be at least two weeks before we’d see each other again.
One last public transport escapade together, we walked out into the sunshine to our station. I was bold wearing a light dress without even carrying a jacket. We’d had all-weather here but this was the best.
We swapped photos on the train and stayed pretty quiet on the bus trip to the airport. We were in tunnels most of the time so it was crazy loud. I walked Dan into the airport and at the security entrance we said our “see you laters” and “love you lots”. We both walked away happy. When he turned to look back, I gave him a big wave then walked out into the Summery evening.
The bus took a long time getting back to the city thanks to traffic so I had half an hour to kill before my train. I wandered into Chinatown to find my hostel where I’d be staying for a couple of nights in a bit over a week. I had to come back to get my new teeth installed!
It was an easy mission and I was happy that I’d be staying in a part of the city we hadn’t explored. I was even more stoked to grab a couple pastries from an Asian bakery for my breakfast tomorrow. Back at the station, I got myself a Boston Cream donut from Dunkin’ to one-up Dan who’d done the same thing at the airport. We’d noticed that the density of Dunkin’ Donuts locations across all of Boston was higher than the national average so decided it must have originated in Boston, which meant our trip wouldn’t be complete without a dirty Dunkin’ treat.
Back at the apartment, Danielle was home and sitting out on the balcony. I joined her as the sun set and we caught up on her trip and my and Dan’s Boston experience. She seemed impressed and I was impressed with what she’d managed to fit in during only a week in Europe. It was a lovely chat, but I could tell she was ready to get going to her boyfriend’s place. The cats were happy to have her back and looked at me with new contempt until she left, when their looks went back to simple displeasure.
I had an early start ahead of me so I ate, packed and tucked myself into bed. I already missed Dan not sleeping next to me but it was nice to get back into my book.
Goodbye Bawston
I was up at 2:45am and out the door by 3:15am. Bye kitties! Feeling like a boss of the public transport system, I walked to the nearby bus stop and caught it and the next one with ease, getting to the airport at no cost within an hour. It’s not about the money, it’s the experience. Now that I’m a Waymo girl, I’m going to do everything I can to avoid Uber and Lyft. It’s for emergencies only as far as I’m concerned.
Check-in at the airport was a breeze and I was in position for my Air Canada flight to St. John’s to watch the sun put an orange glow on the buildings against a cloudy sky. Thanks Bawston for showing me and my hubby such a good time.
May 5 – 15, 2024