Boston Trip Day two October 26th, 2007

Our first night in the Constitution Inn was a trial. Once you have evolved into the “princess and the pea” in the bed arena, sleeping on a spring board that every movement sets in motion a bouncing movement that takes ten minutes to subside is a bit challenging.

The skylight is right above the bed on my side and last night at 3am I was awakened by a full moon shining directly in my face. It was like laying on the beach at noon.

We bounced out of bed at 8 am (rather I bounced out and Lucy was thrown by the resultant mattress wave) and with my research in hand we headed off to what Zaggat’s calls the best breakfast restaurant in Boston, Flour Makers Café. It was an adventure. We took a shuttle bus into Boston that ran from the Medical School which is immediately next door to our hotel. It dropped us at a subway station. I called the restaurant and asked them where the closest subway exit to their restaurant was, they told me “Massachusetts (MASS) ave on the orange line” and we set off.

We purchased two seven day passes for fifteen dollars each – allowing us unlimited access to all buses, ferrys and subway trains. I asked an information clerk to help us with the procedure, she came out of her office, introduced herself, talked us through the procedure and then followed us to the turnstiles to insure we got through them safely. I was beginning to thing she was coming back to Texas with us. I’ve never seen such friendliness in a public servant.

Riding the subway was enjoyable. The orange line disappears into the depths of Boston’s southside and “Mass” avenue was apparently pretty far along into the depths. We had an encounter with local culture on the subway. A toothless old guy sat down across from us wearing a boston red sox cap and sporting a huge Byzantine looking cross on a pendant hanging around his neck. I smiled at him and asked him if he was a red sox fan (in boston that’s like asking are you really a human – everyone is) He smiled back revealing a stunning lack of anything close to teeth and commented on the fact that he admired my camera and if I chose to forget it when I left, he’d be happy to have it. I told him it would be a slim possibility of that happening. Following our cordial discussion, he was mumbling under his breath warnings to everyone sitting close to him except us (we were directly across). “hey you! You look nervous, why are you nervous” (spoken to a college student looking oriental guy to his left – actually muttering like a character out of the Hobbitt) the overall effect was to have Lucy tell me to hold on to my camera and not set it on the seat next to me.

We arrived at Mass ave exit and set out to find the restaurant, around a fifteen minute walk. Initially I was a little nervous, knowing nothing about the neighborhood. It was much like NYC. Nice sidewalks, Beautiful brownstown homes on both sides of a wide tree lined street. As we walked we were passed by an elementary class of small children walking in the other direction. One teacher in front and one in the back, sheparding them like ducks following their mother duck in a row. As they walked by, one of the little kids looked up and me, smiled said hi to us. I grinned back and said Hi Kids. A few had round stickers on their foreheads. I asked the trailing teacher what that was all about and she said some of the brood had been exemplary in their behavior during this field trip, thus earning the coveted round forehead sticker!!!

We walked by old brownstones that reminded me of the house the Huxtables lived in on the Bill Cosby show.

The restaurant turned out to be a small bakery with a counter and several tables and really not the kind of breakfast we were looking for – all baked goods, so we set off to find another, which we did, a diner just down the street. Fantastic food there, as well. They actually served grits, which is so rare outside of the south and for any of you who have read the great grit diatribe of Seabourn cruise line, will realize that grits are one of my favorite breakfast foods.

So there we were deeply esconced in the south end of Boston. The people on the streets were a varied mix ranging from well dressed and sophisticated looking to the stereotypical teen with baggy jeans hanging down to his knees and a giant sweatshirt.

We grabbed a bus to china town (pass worked fine), which was a disappointment after HONG KONG. Got back on the subway and went to Boston Common.

Boston Common is Boston’s equivalent of New York’s Central Park. The sign at the entrance says (the spelling is theirs not mine) “in or about the year of our Lord One thousand Six hundred thirty and four the then present inhabitants of the town of Boston of whom the Honorable John Winthrop; Esq. Governor of the Colony was Chief – did treate and agree with Mr. William Blackstone for the purchase of his Estate and rights in any lands lying within said neck of land called Boston after which purchase the town Laid out a plan for a trayning field which ever since and now is used for that purpose and for the feeding of cattell.”,. Apparently this is the exact spot where back in the sixteen hundreds religious heretics were hung in great numbers (RITA, pay attention to what used to happen to liberals back in the day)

Boston common is laid out in the center of town and is beautiful. Directly next to it and actually a part of it is the Boston Botanical Park. The commons consists of a beautiful tree filled park with wide walkways, vendors and kiosks selling T shirts and other trinkets .

We walked through the park to the botanical gardens.

The gardens surround a lake filled with ducks and swans who seemed to be fascinated with the scenery AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE.


We had an interesting encounter while sitting on a bench. Two derelict looking young guys who were each carrying large plastic bags filled with cans and other recyclables struck up a loud conversation while standing roughly fifty yards apart In the midst of these two guys were: us, numerous mothers with infants and strollers and some Japanese tourists.

First Guy“Hey Donnie, how ya doin. Hey man, I made a hunnert dollahs on Satuhday. Oh yeah, I sawr your braddah a while ago. He’s looking for ya” to which Donnie replies “Hey F*** em”. Donnie obviously holds his brother in high regard. AND concurrently teaching several young children, playing nearby new words.

So we had a bit of low rent color to add to our experience.

Dinner.. had to go back to legal seafoods.