The Freedom Trail

We have been in Boston for 3 days now and it has been very good to us. The weather has been perfect. Let me try and remember what we have done.

We arrived here Monday and that day I talked about last time, Tuesday was a rest day, sort of. We slept in, nice. Then had breakfast/lunch at Joe's American Bar and Grill on the waterfront. Very nice and relaxing. 

View from our table

Then a bit of a walk and explore of the city. Found a lovely little cemetery or burial ground that has a few of the founding fathers buried there. I love looking through old cemeteries so I dragged the family along to take some pictures. 

Then a little stop in Boston Common the oldest park in the middle of the city. Sat by the fountain and watched the pigeons. 

Oh, there is only one pigeon here. I'm sure there were more.

We finished the day with a ride on the subway and dinner in China Town. Yum!

Wednesday we hired a car for our first time, this trip, driving on the wrong side of the road, well just the other side it's not wrong over here. It's just the left turns and roundabouts that get you. So weird!! 

We needed to hire a car because we were heading to New Hampshire for a canopy zip lining tour. If you have never heard of zip lining well you need to try it. So much fun. Basically it's flying across lines, like flying foxes, that are suspended above the tree line and you are just held in by a harness. The longest line we travelled on was 830 feet long and 170 feet high. They have little platforms around the trees and you go from tree to tree on the lines. There were 9 zip lines, 2 suspension bridges (those were a little scary) and 3 repels (where you lower yourself down a rope). I thought I would be more scared but the instructors were very good and once you are up there, if you dont think about the heights the views are breathtaking. 

This took up our whole day as the trip in the car to get there took 2.5 hours and the tour was 3.5 hours. So after the trip home again, it was very late.  New Hampshire is such a pretty state, if we had known about this resort we may have stayed there a day or two, but it was still nice to look at.

Today, Thursday, we started off slow, after the adrenaline rush of yesterday. Found this great place for lunch. When we got there the line was out the door. So they must be good right? The line moved fairly quick and once inside Casa Razdora's we could see why the long line up. Great food but also great service, which we haven't seen a lot of here. These guys were very friendly and happy to help and even checked if we enjoyed it all the while the lines were out the door. This pizza was only half of what we ordered. We had pasta coming too. Obviously we totally underestimated the serving sizes :)

Then after lunch we jumped on a trolley tour of Boston to see the sights, including a couple more old cemeteries and a few old churches. There is so much history here, sometimes it's s bit too much to take in.

Then it was a stop by Quincy's Market for dinner. Clam chowda again for me. LOVE IT! But not before a little silliness!!!

Until next time...

A Kawfee and a bagel to go...

Our last day in New York today, well only the first few hours were spent in New York today. Right now we are on the train to Boston. This is definitely the better way to travel, lots of leg room, three chairs together, free WI-FI, and the view is spectacular out the windows.

View of New York City from the train.

Tickets please

Yesterday was our last full day in New York. I must say I have really enjoyed New York this time. When we were here four years ago, I was not a fan. It was Christmas time and there were so many people. Don’t get me wrong, there are heaps of people this time too but not so many tourists (he he). The New Yorkers this time have been so friendly, welcoming and polite. Even the crowded subways have been a joy (almost) to ride.

Crowded Subway

The place we stayed in was an apartment in Harlem. The neighborhood was so cool. Everyone standing on the streets talking to each other, it had such a community feel to it. The apartment was owned by a guy who lived downstairs (we had the second story) and he rented out each floor by the week. That did mean that we had to carry our suitcases up and down two flights of very small and steep stairs. But the guy was really nice and gave us some great tips on shopping and transport etc. Meeting and talking to the locals really gives you a feel for the city. 

Yesterday we started the day with church. We knew a guy from our days back in Adelaide who is running a church on the Upper East Side, so onto the subway we went and finally found it. It was great. Met some really nice people. Then it was back on the subway and to a foot tour of Greenwich Village. I have done up some collages of pictures of the buildings and things we saw on the tour. I took so many pictures I couldn't put them all in here. It was such a lovely place and the tour guide was very informative and funny. Great way to spend a couple of hours. 

Then it was back on the subway and to the Empire State Building. Really a must see. So see it we did. Great views from the top, well the 86^th floor anyway. It all looks so different from above. 

View from the 86th Floor

After 6 days of go, go, go we were totally exhausted and came home and collapsed in front of the TV. Watched some football before bed and an early start the next day.

This morning we were up at 6 and out the door to the train at 7am. Said good bye to happy Harlem and boarded the train to Boston. We should arrive there in about 4 hours. Just enough time for a sleep on the train I think. 

____________

And sleep I did. Got a couple of hours of shut eye on the train, then we were in Boston. Got out of the train and saw this great building art. 

We found our great little apartment (little is an understatement) and settled in. Then it was off to explore. We walked through this very moving Holocaust Memorial. I really effected me. They had these 6 huge glass towers covered from top to bottom with numbers. Every one of those numbers represented a life taken during that tragic time. The walk started with a message that if we remember this then we are less likely to repeat it. I hope that is so.

Then we found a great Market. Quincy Market has awesome food and little craft carts. Will be enjoying some of those later this week, I'm sure. Tried my first clam chowda for dinner. Yum!

But none of these! They are all so massive. Do people really eat them?

Until next time…

Today I feel so alive...

I feel so alive today (Saturday) because I survived a roller coaster ride that is the tallest in the world (45 stories up) and the fastest in America (210 km/hr). But more on that in a sec. Let's start with yesterday.

Yesterday we started the day at the 9/11 memorial. Wow, how sobering that was. Seeing all those names carved in the granett around the never ending waterfalls that are the size of the foot print of each tower that went down.  Amazing! Just stopping to think that each of those names was an actual person. Wow, it was very moving.

After that we stopped for a famous NY hot dog from a street cart. What can I say, expensive and not very nice. Not sure what they see in them.

Then off to Madam Tussauds. Now that was fun. Had a photo with my mate, Brad. Brad Pitt that is... made sure Angelina wasn't in the shot!! 

They all looked so real. Very cool. We then jumped on a Clipper and sailed down the East River to the Statue of Liberty and back. 

We were actually booked in for another sailing trip at night to see the lights of Manhattan but we all unanimously agreed an early night would be better, we had a big day planned the next day.

And what a big day it had been. Six Flags... biggest amusement park ever!!! 

View of the park as we got off the bus

Like I said before we survived the tallest and fastest. Also had a ride on this very cool wooden roller coaster called the El Toro. It was huge and sooooo much fun. We had such a great day. 

Just before we left. Beautiful sunset.

Caitlin said even when she was sitting still her brain was still moving around. It was a bit like that. So day 6 is over and tomorrow is our last day in the Big Apple before heading out to Boston.

I'll leave you with a few photos of the roller coasters from Alex's instagram. He's the only one that took his camera. If you want to follow him on instagram he is @alexattard.

Till next time...

Batman ride.

El Toro. Old school roller coaster. Seriously cool.

Green Lantern - Ok!

That's the one. Kingda Ka. Tallest and fastest. Ride only lasts 25 seconds. 

Superman ride. We were actually lying down. Loved this one.

Walk, Walk, Walk

It feels like walking is all we have done over the last few days. But we have seen some great stuff. Walking is really the only way to see NY. We started off yesterday with a Wall Street on Foot tour. The tour guide was great. I didn't know Wall Street was called that because of a big wall that was built by the Dutch to keep the English out. New York was called New Amsterdam at the time. The English actually came in by boat so the wall didn't work at all.  So now it is called New York, after the Duke of York that came in with the English. Ahh... the English!!

George Washington

Then time for some quick lunch before seeing Wicked on Broadway. It was soooooo good. To quote Caitlin "If I could watch musicals all day every day I would be very happy". I must say I have to agree. Alex on the other hand caught up on his sleep during the first half. :)

Then it was off to Ido Sushi for a sushi dinner and opera. Great combo. We saw this Sushi restaurant in the New York times and booked while still in Australia, two months ago. The restaurant owner came and introduced himself when we arrived. Then introduced us to the singers. Great night. This night was for me, can't say the rest of my family are into opera but they did grin and bear it. Love them.

Just before our Sushi feast and Opera delights

Katie the opera singer. She was really good.

Then today it was up for another tour of New York city, yet again on foot. This one went to some out of the way places and filled us in on more info. Then we got in some shopping at the a giant outlet store in New Jersey. Got back on the bus carrying multiple bags. The bus was running late and very full so we missed our sailing tour around the city at night. Not to worry getting it in tomorrow night. 

Giant Red Cube sculpture

All the shopping

I think there will be more walking tomorrow. Well I guess that makes up for the food I'm eating. Just don't know if my feet know its good for them. Some much earned sleep now.

Until tomorrow...