Thursday, September 25, 2014

Boston Tourist

A few days after arriving home from London my best friend Claire arrived for a ten day visit.  We had a blast playing Boston tourists.

First stop- Martha's Vineyard for some rest and relaxation



Charles River Boat Cruise- we had the perfect sky for picture taking



 The Boston Aquarium





 The Observatory at the Custom House Marriott Hotel- this was a great find with amazing views!


The Boston Public Gardens



Tribute to Robin Williams
The Skywalk Observatory



The Institute for Contemporary Art



 The Rose Garden in the Fens


The Museum of Fine Arts.  We also went to the Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum but pictures were not allowed.


 Steamers and Lobsters at Chauncey's Creek in Maine.



Inman Square Movie Night


MIT Museum



Taza Chocolate Factory Tour



Keytar Bear Sighting


One last visit to Harvard Square



London Calling

Well, August was a whirlwind, to say the least.  It started off with an eight day trip to London with my good friend Kendra.  During CheeseFest last February, Kendra said, "I want to go to London" and I said, "I'll go with you" and the rest is history!

Here's what I learned about London during our trip:

1.  Most Londoners are mean.  I don't usually make blanket statements like this, but for real, most Londoners are mean.  We were yelled at more times than you would believe.  We were even yelled at once for not crossing a street.

2.  London has a great mix of the old and the new.  I saw the Rosetta Stone and used a bathroom resembling an egg pod farm all in the same trip.
The egg bathrooms at Sketch














Rosetta Stone















3.  The 170 bus is either right on time, or horribly late- there is no in between.

4.  There's nothing like a palace great room, or hall, to make you feel small.

5.  London is crowded, I mean Disney World, crowded.  I was not expecting that.

6.  London doesn't believe in good signage.  More than once we walked aimlessly around without finding any kind of sign pointing us in the right direction.

Although, I did love this sign!  Looks bad!
7.  I fear many Londoners get their knowledge on America from Cops and Jerry Springer episodes.

8.  If you want to take the elevator, it will be broken.  I think there may be an elevator conspiracy in London.

9.  London is susceptible to hurricanes.  Who knew?

10.  London thinks nothing of crippling it's city with the Ride London, an Olympic sized bicycle race, which shut down almost all grand transportation.


Despite some "tragic" events like having to take two buses, two trains, and the Heathrow Express, over the course of two and half hours, to get to the airport during Hurricane Bertha, we had an amazing time on our trip.  Here are some of the highlights.


Stonehenge











Mummies at The British Museum











Drinks at the Marylebone














More drinks at The Marylebone














Views from our flat in Battersea











The Royal Mews 











Big Ben




















We had so many coins- and we couldn't count them
Buckingham Palace











Always pay the extra two pounds and have champagne on the London Eye









Tea at Sketch









The London Eye

Views from The London Eye
The Poppy Project at the Tower of London
More London Eye- it was pretty darn cool












Tennis anyone?
Windsor Palace