Boston (10/27/05)

I took a trip back east to visit some friends. First stop was in Boston, to see Brian and Sherry Haus, who are overworking themselves as a succefful doctor and lawyer, respectively. They took me our for drinks at the oldest bar in America, or something equally historical and important. Instead of revolutionary-types it was full of loud techno. Brian looks awfully cheerful despite having only 2 hours of sleep in the last 2 days.

They have a very grown-up type apartment downtown with a doorman and everything. The view from their living room is amazing. You can see the Charles River and Boston Common (see below).
Also visible from their living room, but not in the picture above, is the Garden, where the Bruins play. That's Boston's hockey team, for those of you who don't follow the 4th major league sport (that's right, I'm not counting soccer). As it happened, David Kuszmar happened to be in town about the same time, and we caught a hockey game together. The Bruins played the Toronto Maple Leafs, whose fans were well represented in the cheap seats near us, some wearing Toronto towels as capes. Crazy Canadians. They'd squeak out a pitiful "go leafs go!" between the roar of "LET'S GO BRU-INS." It was kind of cute. They got creamed. We noted many foam bear parts for sale including heads and paws. Will alert PETA. And of course the best part was the dueling zambonis: Amstel Light in red vs. Heinekin in green.


In addition to soaking in the local dialect at the game, David and I did a nod to the tourist circuit with a trip on a harbor tour boat. Here we are ignoring the informative narrative while sipping warm beverages on the bow.

The tour disembarked at the U.S.S. Constitution to let us tour the historic ship. A trip on the Boston tourist circuit really makes you realize how much you've forgotton from high school U.S. History class. We were quite mistaken about the place of "old Ironsides" in our history. I won't beat you over the head with the details, but as it turns out, it isn't made of iron, but of some super tough southern oak. Cannon balls bounce right off it, which is how its still in service after serving in battles 100 years ago.

Anyhoo, this was much more exciting than the ferry boat harbor cruise. I've been reading the Patrick O'Brien series about Lucky Jack Aubrey's exploits on big wooden sailing ships during the Napoleanic wars (think: Master and Commander starring Russel Crowe). Its easier to visualize the scenes after being on one of the ships of that era in person. And, they let you pull on ropes and fire cannons and everything! Ok, actually we were asked to leave soon after these pictures were taken. I think the navy guys were already a little insulted when David insinuated that no one actually know how to run the ship, what with all those ropes running all over the place. Turns out they do still know which ropes to pull on , and they take it out for a sail a couple of times a year. Still, I think, a pretty cush comission.

I'm looking forward to my next trip to Boston, as Sherry has promised to geek out with me on the Freedom Trail, and revel in some revolutionary history. Good times for patriots. The classical kind, not the "you're with us or you're with the terrorist" kind.