9/14/2022
So on Wednesday morning, we arrived at the hotel between 9 and 9:30 AM.
We decided for the middle of the week because the flights are cheaper then.
So we dropped off our suitcase at the hotel. By the way, it is a modern Residence Inn hotel.
Csibi had already looked up what kind of weekly pass we wanted to buy, so we went by that since it was not available online.
The public library (which has several buildings here in town) is one of the places where they say you can buy them.
We set off on foot from the hotel, as it didn't seem too far. However, on the way there, we passed the bus stop and figured there must surely be a ticket office or something.
We walked around a little perplexed because we needed help finding such a place. Then we discovered a ticket machine where you can buy this kind of pass. It's called a CharlieCard and costs $22.50 per person for 7 days for unlimited trips. With it, you can use the subway, the local bus, and the Silver Line (also a bus, but we have yet to figure out the difference with the local bus). You can also use the ferries to Charlestown and East Boston, and some train or rail is included in the price.
After that, we had to figure out what to do next. Our first impression of this area could have been better. We saw too many homeless and weird people, so we weren't that excited yet. But I also admit that this is the first time we have been used to this kind of traffic lately.
Silver Line 4 and 5 go to the city center. Number five was arriving. We got in the front, told the driver it was our first time here, and we didn't know how it worked, and he said it was free today… We didn't find out why, but it didn't matter; we had already bought the passes… 😀 Anyway, it looks like in the movies, you touch the card on the reader, and you can get in.
The traffic seemed quite heavy all day, and there were many traffic jams, but the bus took us downtown in about 20 minutes. At the time, we thought it was good that we hadn't rented a car because it would have been challenging to get around.
We had previously marked the places we wanted to see on Google Maps. It was easy to see where the different places were. We didn't set out to do any particular program; we just plotted our course and went where our feet took us! 😄
At most, the weather can limit and affect our programs.
We arrived a week or two before the arrival of fall. The trees are just starting to turn colors (fall is supposed to be beautiful up north, and I'm a little sorry we missed it, but that's why we'll be back for a fall hike in New Hampshire).
The temperature has been, shall we say, variable. When we arrived, it was 80 F (27 C), then 68 F (20 C) and 50 F (9-10 C) in the morning, making it hard to choose and put on clothes. We've been wearing practically nothing but summer clothes since April. 😄 It's supposed to be 84 F (29 C) again on Sunday. I can't say it's easy to decide what to wear in the morning.
The first day we were going to go to the Italian district, but of course, everything happened very differently!!! 😀
Before I tell you how the day went, here are a few words about Boston.
Because aside from Ally McBeal, Boston plays a significant role in America's history!
Boston is the capital of Massachusetts and the largest city in New England. It was founded in 1630, making it one of the oldest cities in the USA. The city covers an area of only 48 sq mi (125 km²) and had a population of about 676,000 in 2020.
However, Boston and its surrounding area, known as Greater Boston, is the 11th most populous area in the US, with 4.4 million residents. This includes suburbs as well as several other major cities. Examples include Cambridge, home of Harvard University; Quincy, the birthplace of two US presidents (John Adams and John Quincy Adams) and Dunkin Donuts; and Newton and Brookline (birthplace of John F. Kennedy).
Boston was founded by English Puritan settlers on the Shawmut Peninsula. Many vital events of the American War of Independence took place here, such as the Boston Massacre, the famous Boston Tea Party, and the Battle of Bunker Hill.
After the war, it remained an important port and an educational and cultural center.
It is also home to the first public park in the United States, Boston Common (1634), the first public school, Boston Latin School (1635), and the first subway system (Tremont Street Subway, 1897).
Today, Boston is the "education capital of the world." There are numerous high schools and colleges in the city. Some of the world's most famous and prestigious universities near Boston are world leaders in higher education. Harvard, for example, is the oldest institution of higher learning in the country and was founded in 1636!
Boston is a very international city. The fact that there is a separate Chinatown and Italian district is proof of that.
The city has many nicknames. Among others, "City on a Hill" or "The Hub of the Universe" - because of its role in American history. "Athens of America" because of its cultural significance.
It also has other nicknames, such as "Cradle of Liberty" or "Walking City of America."
You will learn more about its history and other interesting facts about the sights we will visit.
We wanted to visit the Italian district on the first day but didn't make it.
We got off the number five bus at the last stop when we arrived downtown. Right there was a small place (Café26) where we had breakfast.
We shared a sandwich and a pancake and drank orange juice each. We paid almost $45.
The food was delicious, and the orange juice was freshly squeezed. The waitress was not very friendly, though.
After breakfast, we went to Boston Common park, so the Italian district was canceled for today… 😀
