Winging it in...Boston!

I, too, believe that everyone should have a chance at a breathtaking piece of folly once in his life. (Do you think a race is won by luck?)

I’m not sure that there is much of a cohesive theme to the ramblings of the week, therefore I shall just start at the beginning (a very good place to start) and meander my way through to the end.

The weather this week has been very up and down. I was just getting very fed up with running in the freezing cold rain- I am sure there was white stuff falling from the sky at one point on Tuesday- and thinking about restarting my gym membership when the weather took a turn for the better. Despite the cold wind Thursday and Friday were gloriously sunny and led into an even better weekend. It has been warm, sunny and a pleasure to be outside. Running today was delightful and I wish I had managed to get out an hour earlier and make more of an effort to complete a long run. There is always next weekend…
I did manage to get out and wander around Newbury Street, and surrounding area for a while on Saturday. Newbury street seems to have a buzz all of its own on a warm weekend and a mix of eclectic stores, chain stores such as Nike, Gap and Apple, seem to intermingle with cafés, art galleries and restaurants in Victorian (yes, I know- wrong country) brown stones to create a laid back place to shop, browse and enjoy the outdoors.

No, I didn’t get lost- I knew exactly where I was- I also managed to find my way to Trinity Church. Built in 1877 Trinity Church is an interesting Romanesque Revival style. Personally I like it, especially in contrast to the glass of the John Hancock Tower seen behind. Originally the Trinity Church was to be found Summer Street, but in March 1872 the powers that be decided to move to the new Back Bay area of Boston and launched a competition to create a new design. Probably a good bit of forward planning on their part as the original church burned down in the Boston fire in November of the same year. Please note the photo this week- possibly not the best version you will ever see, but a fairly classic Boston image.

Completing one side of Copley Square is the Boston Public Library, the largest public research library in New England and one of the first in America to permit the borrowing of books. (One of the joys of being in one of the oldest cities in America is that I can often point to things and say, the first…) Of its many claims to fame- the huge bronze doors were designed by Daniel Chester French, who also designed the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC, and it houses a statue of one of the earliest Governors of the Massachusetts Bay colony, a man who soon beheaded for daring to declare that “God, law and Parliament” were superior to the king. Not a popular sentiment with the monarchy in 1662 (Can’t imagine why Charles II was so nervous…).

Just across from the library is the New Old South Church, which is actually a lot prettier than Trinity Church, but also partly obscured by the subway station. The name does make a little more sense when you realize that the original Old South Church decamped here when they outgrew their first meeting space in 1875. Just to prove how tricky building in the Back Bay could be, the bell tower was rebuilt in the 1940s after it started to lean and sink into the marsh land- everything including the copper roof and the gargoyle dragons were carefully moved back into place. The New Old South Church does also contain beautiful, fifteenth century, English Style stained glass in the windows. There really are some most extraordinary buildings around here.

May 1st also saw the dawning of Derby Day! The 136th Kentucky Derby was taking place today- and this is a big deal. If you can find any connection to Kentucky- and I think the fact I drove through it once, or I know someone who has a cousin who once visited, counts- it is time to don you best dress, find a fancy hat, drag out your best suit and tie and drink mint juleps and place your bets. You may have noticed by now that I am currently in Boston and therefore a few thousand miles from Kentucky. Luckily I know someone who calls Kentucky home, and not wishing to let his home state down, mint juleps were made, barbeque wings were served and a great party was thrown. I had a fantastic time- thank you. Can’t wait until next year… Although I am now thinking that maybe we should reciprocate and have Pimms and Lemonade for the start of Wimbledon in a few weeks…

Next weekend is looking like chores and work so I may have to start planning some thing entertaining for the week.