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Tag Archives: New England

48 hours in Boston.

Posted on January 21, 2017 by emmalouiseclarke Posted in City Breaks, East Coast, Massachussetts, New England .

Boston. One of America’s most famous cities, home to Harvard University, some of the country’s richest history and the largest city in New England, it makes sense to start a tour of the North East region here.

We arrived in early May – an unseasonably hot day, there was an air of happiness with everyone relaxed, wearing shorts and baseball caps and filling the many open public spaces. We had 2 nights in Boston and a lot of ground to cover. Here is what we got up to:

1. Baseball at Fenway Park

I realised as we walked towards Fenway Park (the oldest ball park in Major League Baseball, built in 1912 and home to the Boston Red Sox ever since) that I had never been to a live professional sporting event! I know that is almost impossible to believe, but it’s true. So to say that I was excited was an understatement. We soaked up the atmosphere in the evening sun as people, some clearly straight from work in suits and ties, milled about eating hotdogs and drinking beer. Our seats were right on the back row, which gave us a great overview of the park.

Baseball is one of America’s favourite pastimes and never before have I felt so simultaneously a part of and apart from American culture. No one seemed to be paying particular attention to the game, yet every now and then a ripple of applause would echo through the stadium, for reasons unfathomable to me. Guys walked up and down the steps with trays of drinks or hotdogs balanced on their heads. We ordered a drink, passing our money down the line and receiving our drinks and change back again. Occasionally, the game would be interrupted by local kids doing performances, tributes to soldiers and police officers, and even a live proposal of marriage at a seemingly random point. After every single pitch, music was blasted out; sometimes the famous ‘Ballpark Organ music’, other times chart hits, and some details of the batter or pitcher appeared on the big screen. The sun was low, casting long shadows of the players across the field, and as the light faded behind the now glowing Coca-Cola sign, so too did the warmth. A strong, cold wind blew through the open bleachers and we snuggled together stubbornly drinking our iced lemonade for as long as we could bear it. We gave up at around 9.30pm (the Red Sox were losing anyway, apparently). It was marvellous fun and a great experience. I recommend it.

2. A Self-guided ‘Freedom Trail’ exploration

Boston is a great city to walk around, and following the Freedom Trail is the ideal way to see many of the city’s historical sights. There’s a handy red line in the pavement to follow and it leads you into some seriously pretty neighbourhoods such as Charlestown, complete with narrow streets, old-fashioned lampposts and the most stunning display of window boxes you’re ever likely to see (I suspect a little ‘one-up-man-ship’  from the house owners, but that’s fine by me). We opted for a self-guided tour so we could do things at our own leisure, but if you so wish you can follow costumed period characters around whilst they describe the history to you – it looked liked great fun.

3. Go to a place where everybody knows your name

In need of some refreshment? A good place to stop is at the Cheers pub. There are actually 2 in Boston. One is on Beacon St (pictured above) and was used for the exterior shots in the actual TV series. The other is near Faneuil Hall and features a reproduction interior. We enjoyed a lovely lunch and much needed break here – having already walked several miles in strong sunshine – which I’m sure made the pink lemonade taste even sweeter. Sadly no one knew our name. Not a soul.

4. Relax in Boston Common

This is just one of many beautiful open public spaces in Boston. A well designed and cared for place for people to relax and socialise, play and recharge, it is thought to be the oldest public city park in the US, dating back to the 1600s. We enjoyed a lovely stroll through the Common in the sunshine. It’s only small (50 acres, compared to London’s Hyde Park at 350 acres, or New York’s Central Park at 843 acres), but it truly is a refuge from the busyness of the city. The spring flowers were all in bloom and there was colour everywhere (you can read more about springtime in New England here).

5. Check out the view from the Skywalk at the Prudential Centre

There is something special about seeing a city from a different perspective, looking down and taking a moment as those below go about their lives. From The Skywalk at the Prudential Centre you can see 360 degrees around greater Boston from 50 floors up. Whilst the view here isn’t famous like the New York skyline, it’s still very beautiful and well worth a look.

6. Visit the Old State House

The Old State House was built in 1713 and housed the early government of the Colonial communities, and was where the Declaration of Independence was read in public for the first time in Massachussets. You can see all kinds of historical artifacts from history, ranging from clothes worn by John Hancock (a prominent Patriot of the American Revolution) to tea from the Boston Tea Party (see below for more details). The building itself stands in contrast with the modern architecture that has developed around it, and when we visited, it glowed in the afternoon sunshine.

7. The Old South Meeting House

The Old South Meeting House was built in 1729 by the Puritans, and was used for public meetings as well as worship. Long story short, in 1773 the British Government introduced the Tea Act, which allowed the East India Company to ship tea to the Colonies and only allowed certain Loyalist merchants to sell it, with added tax (it is more complicated than this, of course, but this is a blog post!). Increasingly angry meetings were held in the Old South Meeting House between the Loyalists and Patriots, leading to some pretty dire events including the Boston Massacre. A meeting held on December 16th 1773 failed to reach a compromise, and resulted in the Boston Tea Party – the destruction of a shipload of tea in Boston Harbor. It was this event that sparked the American Revolution and eventually the creation of America as we know it today.

We were fortunate enough to visit at the same time as a school group who were re-enacting the events of that infamous meeting. Each child had their own role to play, with a Loyalist group (essentially those loyal to the Crown and British Parliament) and a Patriot group (those opposed to both). We quietly observed the scene play out – the children acting their little hearts out  – full of passion and clearly loving every minute of their day out of the classroom. One boy was particularly pleased with his line, “NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION”, the small voice echoing around the room as he reacted with surprise at how loudly he spoke, followed by a big grin as he returned to his seat. It seems the British were not very pleasant at all, behaving like a bully stealing the lunch money from the kids they perceived to be weaker. It was an hour or so well spent, even if negotiating the gift shop looking for a fridge magnet whilst 50 children all decided which completely unrelated-to-the-attraction bead necklace or bouncy ball they were going to buy with their $3 pocket money was more than a little frantic.

8. Take a wander around the Reflection Pool and visit the ‘Mapparium’

Another of Boston’s many open public spaces, this is actually called ‘Christian Science Plaza’ as it is the home of the ‘Church of Christ, Scientist’ Headquarters (not to be confused with Scientology – a whole different idea which Tom Cruise is famed for being a part of). The building itself is complex and beautiful, with turrets and domes surrounded by trees and a huge ‘Reflection Pool’, mirroring the buildings at its edge. There was a group of children playing in the fountains at one end of the pond, shrieking with delight as they ran and ducked through the water. You can visit the Mary Baker Eddy (founder of Christian Science in 1879) Library, which houses the ‘Mapparium’, a 2-storey stained glass map of how the world looked politically in 1935. It is beautiful, and has the ‘whispering gallery’ effect on your voice which is great fun to try out: Whisper into your chest at one end of the walkway, and your friend can hear you loud and clear on the other end. You’re not allowed to take photos, so this one is from the people at Focus Lighting who revamped the lighting system at the attraction:

Photo Credit: Ryan Fischer, Focus Lighting, www.focuslighting.com

9. Visit the Bunker Hill Monument

The Battle of Bunker Hill was the first battle of the Revolutionary War in 1775 and whilst the Brits won this one, the Colonials put up a great fight and showed what they were made of. The monument is in the Charlestown District, the oldest district of Boston. The pavements are cobbled in places, and the houses closely packed together, painted in bright pastels with American flags flying from many of them. The sound of the breeze gently moving the trees above us was the only sound we could hear until we approached the momument itself. There were many visitors, some opting to climb up the inside of the 221 ft tall obelisk, others (like us) content with sitting on the many benches, recovering our breath and gazing out at the view from the top of the hill. It forms a part of the Freedom Trail, so if you’re taking this walking tour, you’ll see the monument.

Of course there are many other things to do in Boston; these were our highlights and the things that have stuck in our minds. It would be great to hear other’s experiences too.

Leave a comment .
Tags: Boston, City Break, East Coast, Massachussets, New England, Revolutionary War, Road trip, Tea Party, US History .

There’s something about spring in New England

Posted on July 2, 2015 by emmalouiseclarke Posted in Connecticut, East Coast, Maine, Massachussetts, New England, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont .

It has always been a goal of mine to go to New England. I’ve read so much about it over the years; the lighthouses, the history, the foliage. New England in the Fall. That’s the dream right?

The problem is…flights are more expensive, hotels are more expensive, and according to all sources, the area becomes extremely busy with ‘leef-peepers’ – tourists who flock to New England for 2-3 weeks towards the end of September to the middle of October each year to watch the leaves change, adorning the landscape with fiery reds, yellows and oranges.

We opted to travel to New England in the Spring in order to save a bit of cash – always in the back of my mind was a flutter of disappointment that we couldn’t make it in the Autumn, but what a treat we had in store. Here are 5 things that make Spring an amazing time to visit New England.

1. The colours are stunning

A sentence heard often in the context of New England, but not usually relating to the Spring. However, the beauty merely takes on a different palette. Instead of the rusty colours of Autumn, we were treated to vibrant pinks and bright purples as trees covered in blossom lined every road:

Tulips decorated the parks and public spaces:

The colourful New England houses contrasted so perfectly with the pastel hues of the flowers.

And the greens were so…well, green!

The place positively hummed with new life. It was wonderful!

2. It’s quiet

Not in the kind of way that a place can make you uncomfortable – as if it’s very unpopular. Rather in a peaceful way – the winter tourists have gone home and the summer ones are yet to arrive. Any time before Memorial Day at the end of May will be ‘pre-season’. The downside? Some places close for refurbishment or cleaning. The upside? You’re guaranteed a table in good restaurants, attractions are cheaper, you may well get the best rooms as there is low occupancy, and you can enjoy the stunning countryside and beaches in peace and quiet!

3. You can see baby whales

Cape Cod, Massachussetts is a great place to go whale watching. It is such a privilege to see these incredible creatures in the wild – especially when you get to see mothers with their babies feeding in the Atlantic Ocean. Humpback Whales give birth in the middle of winter when they are in the Carribean. They migrate over to the Atlantic in the Spring with their offspring where they feed for 4 months or so, before leaving once again for the Carribean in the Autumn.

4. And cool pairs of birds preparing for parenthood

This particular bird is the Northern Cardinal – the male a brilliant red colour and the female with a bright red beak (you can just make her out behind the blind). These birds are native to North America all year around, but in the Spring will you see males and females together foraging for nesting materials, and occasionally ‘kissing’ when the males give the females the materials they have found.

5. You can experience winter and summer all in one day

The Spring in New England offers variable weather. One minute it can be baking hot, the next, cold and windy. Layers are definitely the way forward in this part of the US. We went up the Mount Washington Auto Road in New Hampshire, not quite to the summit as it was still very snowy at the top and the road was yet to be cleared.

We climbed to 4500ft, where the wind was blowing hard, the rain was spitting and it was only a few degrees above freezing. However, when we descended back down the mountain, it was 28 degrees Celcius at the base and whilst the wind was still blowing it felt like a different place. Ice cream weather for sure.

So, New England in the Springtime? Definitely. Whilst I would still love to see it in the Fall, spring is really something here. It truly is a beautiful place full of colour, life and variety. And I for one am very glad to have seen it.

 

1 Comment .
Tags: Atlantic Ccoast, Boston, East Coast, New England, Springtime .

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Recent Posts

  • America’s National Parks: An American Perk worth celebrating.
  • 48 hours in Boston.
  • New York Take 2: Lessons from the same place, at a different pace
  • 2 nights in New York: Seeing the sights when time is tight
  • There’s something about spring in New England

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  • July 2015
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