Day 15

Time for more sightseeing around the city, this time trying to avoid the Freedom Trail.

This food stand is outside the city children's museum. It's been around since the 1930s.

I had a quick explore around the city's South Station. Whilst there I spotted a train running to Providence, which is Rhode Island; one of the 6 states I've left to get. A chat with the ticket office staff revealed the journey was around an hour and running regularly through the day.

I didn't get the old style train, mine was the aluminium-looking one further down the platform.

The journey was fine and the train was surprisingly ok. I'd heard bad things about Amtrak but found it to be OK and it opens up doors to more travel in the future (I choose not to drive so am severely impeded in America).

Even better the State Capitol Building is directly outside the station. Bonus!

I had a little walk around Providence, with most of the time spent in a nearby mall for a late breakfast and quick window shop.

I was a bit too big to ride this one unfortunately.

Not the best name for a shop.

The journey back also went fine although with the train having been running for a longer journey it smelt more lived-in than the journey out. One hour later my impromptu side trip was over and it was back in Boston for more walking around looking aimly at stuff.

Around the ChinaTown area, which was the first China Town in America. Perhaps not a surprise considering the city's history. It has a lot of first, I'm surprised there weren't more.

Zhu's Hong Kong restaurant was the location for the HQ in the Ghostbusters remake. I've not seen it but now I've been to both HQs with the other obviously being in New York.

Some mason stuff. I tried to find the reasons for having pythagoras visualisations on their walls but I got lost in a mire of nonsense (3 is a man because it's odd, 4 is a woman blah blah). Batshit crazy nonsense.

I hadn't gone overboard on donuts on this trip. In previous visits we'd hit the rather excellent Voodoo Donuts but there weren't any branches on this route. I did read favourable reviews of Blackbird Donuts which is a small local chain of just 2 stores but their donuts are really good. 

Boston is fairly small as cities go, easy to walk around and with a really good selection of stuff to see. A lot of cities are too much of a sprawl with a heavy dependency on cars to get about (Hello LA). Boston is easy to get about.

Trinity Church is the standout church in the city. It's been around since the 1870s

This is The Old South church, located within eyesight of the Trinity one.

A quick walk along the Back Bay and there are lots of shops and opulent displays of wealth.

This was the sight of the Boston Marathon bombing. In perhaps an odd reaction for the US there is nothing signifying it took place other than the scars on the pavement.

Some shots of another church, the First Baptist Church. Why these specific shots? Well I was looking for another film location and the earlier 2 churches weren't the right ones for what I was looking for. 

Boondock Saints Baby!!! (A really good film if you've not seen it)

Another location, this on the esplanade was in Ted, along with a bunch of other films.

The walk along the river was quite relaxing although I didn't go for a swim.

I wonder if this was made for those people who try to wear as many t-shirts as they can. The record is 227 btw.

A couple of views from The Skywalk the high point in the city. It's a little pricey for what it is ($20) but the views are good. Also a little odd there was no security control in getting up.

Out to the west is Fenway Park the city's baseball ground. There was a series of games with Toronto Maple Leafs going on.

Err, what's all this about?

The next stop for me was the Maparium, part of the Mary Baker Eddy library.

It's a spherical shaped room featuring a stained-glass map of the world as of 1935 with a bridge spanning the room. Not only was it different to be inside a globe but the acoustics made it possible to hear every conversation as if they were next to you.

This must have been the inspiration for Cerebro in the X-Men film. It was my favourite attraction in the city and although it's brief it's unique and different. No photos allowed inside so I stole these off the net :)

Near the Maparium is Bodega, a shop that from the outside looks to be selling old groceries, but where inside a vending machine opens to reveal a sports shop speakeasy. For some reason they asked us not to take photos of the secret entrance.

Back in the main city park and these swam boats have been run by the same family for over 140 years. They must be old...

Boston is the Massachusetts state capitol, the last one of my trip. 

Random pavement chalking...

A quick stop for dinner before heading out for the evening's entertainment.

For the evening I chose to head up to the Harvard campus

If they're so smart in Harvard why do they need to put up a fence to keep them off the grass?

The campus was alright, quite a few people taking photos just like me. 

I want to go to a gig in each big holiday I do know and I was lucking out with Boston. Beck would be playing the next day (the day I flew home) and the only act of note whilst I was there was Neil Young, which really isn't my thing.

I then found this line up, and thought I'd give it a go knowing little of any the acts but read that Freezepop had their track "Stakeout" featured in a DDR game. 

Symbion Project is an act of Kasson Crooker, who is also one of Freezepop. It was alright with the finale featuring guest vocalist Liz Enthusiasm, also of Freezepop.

Photocomfort is a three-piece band fronted by Justine Bowe's, who wields the tiniest keyboard I've ever seen. Their indie rock was pretty good too.

Party Bois, were a much more upbeat rock/ska outfit who were a great support act, getting some energy into the crowd. I was constantly distracted by the drummer on the left who was trying to look like Bret 'The Hitman' Hart. 

The main event Freezepop were very good too and it looks like they were having a bit of a reunion. It had been quite a lengthy gap since their last album.

A couple of night time shots on the way back home.

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