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Boston and back again - a Commuters tale ;)
My trip to Boston started under a bad star. My flight was canceled due to heavy fog in Boston and I was asked to return the next morning for a 5.45am flight to New York, where I could change to a plane to Boston. To conquer my frustration I went to a nearby cinema and watched Ice Age 3 in 3d, the movie was very entertaining and as is common in modern movies did not overuse 3d effects, afterward I felt much better :).
My plane leaving so early on Friday, I had to take a cab to the Airport. As a small compensation for that, I got a first class seat for the leg from New York to Boston and so I could sample the perks of first class, first in and out of the plane, enough space and very attentive flight attendants. However, this doesn't validate the price difference for me.
Saturday marked the American Independence Day, which in Boston is celebrated near Charles River with a free concert at night and fireworks. However, for most Bostonians the celebrations started much earlier and when we arrived on the riverside around 4pm we were surprised to find the place completely packed with lots of people having picnics and family gatherings. With some luck we managed to grab a place on a small jetty and we didn't budge from there till after the fireworks. The fireworks were very impressive and we had a good view, unfortunately we were a bit too far away and missed the music.
On Sunday we went to the Middlesex Fells Reservation near Boston for a leisurely hike. The Cascade Falls Trail took us to a nice waterfall and on to the Rock Circuit Trail, which true to its name was extremely rocky, but also rewarded us with a nice panorama view of Boston.
As usual I took the 7am plane on Monday back to Pittsburgh which left and arrived on time. And now it will take a week to battle the lost sleep ;).
More pictures can be found in my Boston gallery.Labels: boston, city trip, pictures, usa
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Whale Watching
Saturday last week marked a special expedition. While in Boston I went on a Whale Watching excursion from the Boston Aquarium. We were lucky with the weather, after it had been raining for three days straight, it turned out to be a very nice day out.
On our trip we saw Mostaza, a humpback whale born in 2000. He stayed with us for a long time, repeatedly resurfacing close to the boat after his dives, once he even nicely presented his fluke.It was a very cool thing to see such a big animal close up and we were all very happy with the outcome of the trip :)Labels: animals, boston, pictures, usa
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Culture in Boston
During my latest trip to Boston, I spotted a sign advertising "Jerry Springer - The Opera". This seemed such a strange concept and at the same time a personification of American culture, that I just had to see it!
Jerry Springer - The Opera The stage resembles the setup of the Jerry Springer show and some of the viewers even have their seats on the edge of the stage!
The first half follows the more or less regular script of a Jerry Springer show, with a briefing of the audience followed by the introduction of ridiculous guests, except for the fact that everyone was singing. The first half a blast with the highlight being the "My Jerry Springer Moment" song which features the memorable line "Drip me in Chocolate and throw me to the Lesbians". The first half ends with Jerry being shot at by an enraged former participant.
In the second half Jerry is visited by the devil and required to host a show in hell to resolve the age old conflict between heaven and hell. And that's where the show goes overboard, I was laughing so hard I had trouble staying in my seat :).
If Jerry Springer - The Opera gets a run close to you, don't hesitate and go see it (unless you are easily offended by strong language that is).
In the theater we spotted an advert for another Musical "Pirates! (Or, Gilbert and Sullivan Plunder'd)". Intrigued we went to see it the next day.
Pirates! Pirates! plays in the heyday of piratery in the Caribbean Seas. It tells the story of Frederik, an apprenticed Pirate who tries to find a pure maiden to beat the Pirate curse. This show was also great fun, with lots of silly songs and sword fighting. Best remembered is the line "We don't have to solve the problem, we only have to appear to be doing something. That's Government!"
Pirates! was also an enjoyable night out and I can highly recommend it to anyone interested to see a different humorous take on Pirates compared to Pirates of the Caribbean.Labels: boston, culture, musical, opera, usa
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Squirrels in Boston
Last weekend in Boston I encountered the cutest Squirrel ever:
In the Public Garden, a park in the center of Boston, stood a tree which was infested by Squirrels, I counted at least 5 of them, and they were kind enough to pose for my camera ;). More pictures as usual on picasa.Labels: animals, boston, city trip, pictures, usa
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Butterfly Garden @ Boston Science Museum
Springbreak for me happens in Boston, where I try to relax a bit and take in some of the sights. Today I went to the Science Museum, which currently hosts an interesting exhibit about Mythological Creatures such as Dragons, Unicorns, Mermaids and so forth. They also have a Butterfly Garden which boasts an amazing number of butterflies and was well worth a visit. You can find some pictures in my photo album:
Labels: boston, city trip, pictures, usa
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