Winging it in...Boston!

I may have found a way out of here

Not quite the right prison, but I did find myself in “Clink” on Friday night. Luckily I was enjoying cocktails, in one of the Liberty Hotel bars, rather than a jail cell. The Liberty Hotel used to be the Charles Street Jail, and the granite structure still has some of the original features incorporates. The lobby area has a central rotunda with layered walkways and viewing galleries, before leading off to what would have been prison wings. Anyone who has spent time in Canterbury’s Eliot, or Rutherford Collages will know exactly what I mean! Jails, Halls of Residence and Hotels are all apparently very similar. Here though, you can choose to book the booth for dinner and take up an entire cell, complete with bars. I can only assume from the prices they charge that the rooms are a little more spacious, and have slightly better ensuite facilities than the originals.
I have to say that most of this weekend seems to have been busy, but taken up with essentials. I have been out and about a bit, and discovered a new hairdresser. The appointment is booked for the end of February and I’ll report back after that. I have finally managed to get my shoes fixed, which I have been meaning to do for the last six weeks- which was lucky as I haven’t seen any new boots I like in a while.
I have this week, bought and used a CharlieCard for the T- which is the Boston transit system. It isn’t really sure if it is a underground or a trolley car and seems to mix and match both systems. The CharlieCard is a prepay system that requires topping up when you travel. I got on at Fenway, no problem- well the “train” just seems to stop in the middle to two marked platform areas, and waved my card in front of the machine, which duly spat out a ticket. Getting back the other way from Boston Common proved a little trickier, as they have a proper station, with barriers and no ticket machines. After asking the MBTA official (who now thinks I’m really special) I finally grasped the principal of waving my card at the gate, which internally generates a ticket and swallows it without me even seeing it! Who knew I would have to learn so many travel techniques to got eight stops on the T?
Anyway, I did finally get to Boston Common- which is the start of the Freedom Trail, and the Central Burying Ground. The Park Street stop, right at the corner of Boston Common is in fact- or so I’m told the central transfer point for America’s first subway. The Central Burying ground has been located here since 1756 and contains the artist Gilbert Stuart- who was responsible for the portrait of George Washington as seen on the one dollar bill. (Guess who has been reading the historical fact plaques?) Anyway, it was far too cold and snowy to be wandering through the common today, and the frog pond- which I love is frozen and being used for ice skating, so I will be back shortly, and probably with more time to read facts!
My main aim today was to successfully navigate Washington Street, while originally a main traffic way from the Old State House to the main city gates of Boston it is now a pedestrian shopping area that is connected to the financial district. Apart from the Starbucks building I have to say it is decidedly more commercial than historic. Which today, was just what I needed.