Winging it in...Boston!

Life's a party. Crash it.

This week has been absolutely manic! I have been rushing around at work trying to get my head straight and desperately trying to remember the names of all the children, but more importantly all my colleagues. There really is nothing worse than having to ask people to introduce themselves again- especially after they have been nice enough to invite you out to places. It just seems rude to ask them for a name after you had lunch with them already. I do, however, think I’m nearly there. Consequently, I have had a few local places pointed out to me and discovered where I should and should not eat.
I have also managed my first trip into downtown tourist area Boston. I would love to say how historical it all was, and exactly how much interesting culture I managed to acquire, but that would be a complete lie. I have no doubt whatsoever that it is a very cultural place, and I will manage to get there and explore the wider area in the daylight, this time though it was all about the birthday- not mine- and all I can say of Faneuil Hall is that I had a nice Mexican and one too many drinks. Although I do understand that if has been a market place for 250 years and has often been a social hub in Boston, so I feel I was at least putting it to the correct use. I did also manage to meet some non work related people- thanks Ali- who I may well come into contact with again.
I have also managed to find my way to Target- how do people live without this store? Which means I now have a dusky green accent to my otherwise very cream bedroom; I even managed to hang draped myself, which given my floor is on a slant was an impressive feet. Then again given the building is over 100 years old (like Saxon village remains in US standards) I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, and I love the character of the apartment. You can see the area in the picture. I really think this is my favorite place ever to have lived in my life. It is just one of those places that seems to have a homely vibe to it- despite the lack of personal things. Not sure on the color scheme for the lounge yet- I might go for red accents, or possibly black and white. Now I just need to get some photos up and I’ll be good to go.
Anyway- my “new” for this week was new friends and a new place to eat so I will have to get back to exploring venues soon.

Winging it in...Boston!

Roads? Where we’re going we don’t need roads!

The journey to Boston is really an entire story in and of itself, but unless something spectacular happened delayed flights, gusting storms and whingy passengers (not just me) do not make for fun reading. Suffice it I did eventually arrive in Boston although I got to know Chicago O’Hare very well due to 5 gate changes and about five hours of delays. When we finally were allowed to leave, all planes having been grounded due to severe snow storms in the Eastern USA and Canada, I kind of wished I was back in the airport. The less said about the turbulence and the state of my tummy on that flight the better, and the Captain deserves a medal for landing the plane and not lodging a wing tip into the concrete runway in the process.
Anyway, Boston is currently covered in snow, which is very pretty to look at, but not great for walking in. I am also starting to rethink my aversion to tucking jeans into boots. I have so far managed to avoid it, even during all the rain and snow in Vancouver- and trust me I see the practical reasons behind it- but here the sludge seems somehow to demand it. Or that may just be because I managed to step in a completely invisible puddle this afternoon.
On the apartment front, I love the apartment. It is “old” I have that in inverted commas for those of you reading in England, but it feels great. Big skirting, chunky dado rail, real hard wood floors, 1930 style cast iron column radiators and stained glass above the interior doors. It has a really homey feel. The furniture is pretty standard functional stuff that you find in most apartments that have been furnished for you, not being the most arty person in the world I’m sure it will take me a few weeks to add some totally garish colors to it- wait til I get to Target… I’m thinking the hallway will make a great office with a chair, desk and tall book cases, in my head this looks great and requires proper furniture- not Ikea, so we’ll see. That may turn into my project for the next month or so. Oh and before I forget- I have a freestanding old fashioned bath! It doesn’t take much to get me excited.
Living in the Fenway area of Boston does mean that I am all of 2 blocks from Fenway Park baseball stadium and home of the Boston Red Sox. I do even get to walk past it on my way to the supermarket- or as today, twice because I forgot half the shopping the first time! Built in 1912 and squashed onto a wedge of land Fenway Park does have some slightly abnormal angles and shapes, but all makes for a more interesting game, and apparently more chance of a homerun for left hander players. It was also the home of George Herman- of “Babe Ruth” infamy. Luckily I think that is all I can remember about it- it has been about 6 years since I was last here, and there are plenty of more engaging attractions right on my door step. The Museum of Fine Art is a short walk away, and I think that may be a stop on my “New Activity” list next week. I thought that worked out well last year so my New Year resolution was to continue.

A year in Vancouver!

Anything we haven’t seen before is marvelous…

Having complained in November about the rain I’m now going to complain about the cold. I think this week it has managed to get down to about 19F and on only one day has warmed up to 32F, this week to say it was freezing would be an improvement! I have to add that the snow has been very pretty though. It has been snowing on and off pretty much all week, although it hasn’t really settled, just fallen in big drifty flakes, of the dreamy Christmas card variety.

First point worth mentioning this week was the deer at the bus stop. I was driving past on my way to work (I think) and as I passed the bus stop there was a deer stood right next to the sign post. I did have to stop the car and return for a second look, I was sure it must be a fake one left as a joke, but I can assure you that it was totally real, and moving. It was one of those moments when you wish you had a camera. I also have no idea if it actually got on the bus.

This week I did also finally manage to get down to the Aquarium and have another meander around Stanley Park. Apparently the Aquarium is amongst the largest in North America, and after the CN Tower in Toronto it is the most visited tourist site in Canada. As in most aquariums the main tourist draws are the dolphins and the whales- in this case Beluga whales and Pacific White-sided dolphins. The aquarium does seem to promote scientific research and has two new beluga whale calves as evidence of a successful breeding program; however, I couldn’t help but feel that the enclosures seemed a bit cramped. In comparison to the space they had to show in Sea World it all seemed very condensed.

The aquarium does concern itself with the local habitat and two of the three main exhibits are related to local issues. They have dedicated one gallery to the Pacific waters and the BC Coast, and show otters, seals, octopi, and other local wildlife, such as starfish. I have to say this wasn’t the most interesting gallery, but I did feel it had a definite educational purpose. It was more exciting as the gallery progressed through to the Arctic North, again still along the BC coast and in to the Yukon, and this was where the whales came into their own. It did also extend south down the pacific coastal region and into the warm waters with impressive displays of turtles and coral.

Possibly the most interesting area, and because it was so very different to anything else, was the rainforest gallery. Not only did it have the exotic species of fish but they had expanded it to create a whole rainforest feel, along with plants, parrots, turtles, and underwater river displays. It didn’t hurt that the temperature also went up by more than a few degrees.

The theater also had a 4D experience of a BBC film about pacific coastal marine life. I have had the “joy” of experiencing 4D theater before in Austin TX, but for some reason had totally managed to forget this and was therefore shocked when the whale spraying water was not in 3D but also resulted in water in my face. The eels round my ankles, the snake biting me in the back and the vibrating chair coral were all highly entertaining!

The Killer Whale in the picture this week- outside the aquarium- is a bronze work by Haida artist Bill Reid. I have no more information on this sculpture but thought as I have used a few of his works in photos and talked about him before it was worth a mention.

I had hoped to get back to Gastown/ Chinatown this week, having not been there for a while I had wanted to update and take some better photographs of the steam powered clock in Gastown. The clock was created by Ray Saunders and was built in 1977 following a design that had been created more than a century previously. It is reportedly powered by an underground system that could be used the heat the surrounding buildings, and I’m told it is the only one in the world. I have to say when I first saw it I was expecting slightly more than four toots on the quarter hour, but the big surprise is reserved for the hourly chime.

Not far from the clock is Maple Tree Square, unsurprisingly named after a maple tree that was to be found there. It was the spot on which, in 1886, the people of Granville settled on the name Vancouver for their new and ever growing city. Today a statue of Gassy Jack- a Yorkshire man who couldn’t keep his opinions to himself, of Gastown fame, stands on the spot and a new tree stands nearby with a plaque commemorating events. Unfortunately time ran out… at least I know where I’ll be headed next, or at least one in a long list of places.