29.09.06
Washington and Boston
Hi Everyone!!
I am back in NYC for… Well until early tomorrow morning when my adventures out East are done and it’s back to Vancouver and Calgary for just over two weeks (with two nights in Seattle too) before 10 in Hawaii and then my return to Australia.
Anyway the last little bit i have been to Washington and Boston. Two very interesting cities in two different ways. Washington obviously has it’s tourism built around being the National Capital and it full of important buildings, Museums and Gallerys. Boston almost feels like the birthplace of America, important in the Independance Movement in the Late 1700’s and the history of the city dates back to the 1600’s. I enjoyed them both, and I would have to say that Boston has been my favourite city that i have visited on the Eastern side. Marginally infront of Montreal.
Washington
Washington was a nice city, it felt a little like a bigger version of Canberra. That being, it is obvious that the city runs because of the Government and that the tourists there are interested in seeing the Museums, memorials and Government related aspects. Like Canberra too everything is a lot cleaner than other cities, well especially compared to NYC where i had just come from. There is lots to see and do in Washington and my feet hurt from walking around all day. I easily found myself passing 5 hours in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, and even I was surprised that I spent 2 and a half hours in the National Portrait Gallery, and i only left because i was meeting others at the Hostel to go to an NHL (Hockey) pre-season game. I also took in while i was in Washington: The US Capitol, Washington Monument, Arlington National Cemetary, The National Archives, The Lincoln Memorial, Numerous War Memorials, The Post Office Museum and as well as the Hockey a Baseball game between Washington and Atlanta to name a few.
The White House
The US Capitol Building
The Lincoln Memorial
Arlington National Cemetery
The US Marines Memorial (Iwo Jima)
Boston
A lot of the time in Boston was spent soaking up the history and in doing so learning more about America. Boston is full of it, history that is, pubs too. Although i didn’t go to many, you would have been had pressed to not to find one. I did go to “Cheers” and was just slightly disappointed that they didn’t know my name. We also went on the Sam Adams Brewery Tour. Sam Adams is a bit like Coopers back in Australia. Fighting against the big mass produced beers. The tour there was enjoyable and at the end you got to sample 3 of there beers and we are talking quite reasonable sample sizes too. Best of all entry was by donation to charity. Had i known the tour was going to be so good, i would have donated more that $1. It left me feeling a little cheap, but i got over that in 5 seconds as I remembered I tend to be cheap anyway. I also went to Fenway Park, which is the home of the Boston Red Sox, one of America’s most famous baseball teams and probably (along side Yankee Stadium) the most famous ballpark in America. It dates back to 1912. I did both a tour and also to saw Boston play Tampa Bay. Throw in Harvard Univertity, a guided tour of Boston’s famous historical sites, a cruise out in Massachusetts Bay and it all added up to give me a good feel for the city.
Boston from the Water
Where everybody knows your name
On the Fenway park Tour
Game Time
Harvard University
Anyway enough of my ramblings for now. I have to go and try and fit everything into my backpack for my flight tomorrow morning. The flight leaves at 7:45. It isn’t helped that tonight is AFL Grand Final and i am off to a function at Planet Hollywood in Times Square, hosted by the NY Magpies. The game won’t start until 12:30am here, and as it is at least a 45 minute trip to the Airport plus security delays in the US, i don’t think i’ll have time to see the second half.
OK i am off. Check out the photo gallery for more photos. See you in Vancouver.
Aaron.