I got to Boston at about 5pm. Favourite Cousin (FC) wasn't due to arrive until 10, so I had some time to kill. Luckily there was a Hilton attached to the airport and secret rumour had it that if you "take care" of the bellhop, he'll store your luggage for you.
Conversation between me and the bellhop:
Me (wide-eyed and smiley like a cheerleader): Hi there! I'm not staying at this hotel but I was wondering if there was any way you could hang on to my luggage for me while I kill some time?
Bellhop (in old-timey 30s mobster accent): You take care of me; I'll take care of you.
Me (talking out of the side of my mouth and shifting my eyes around while I nonchalantly put some money into his hand): Thanks.
Honestly, I'm just the kind of person you want around when there's some sort of secret mission happening. You wouldn't even believe how breezy I can be.
Anyway, I then caught the silver line into the city and hopped on the blue line to head to the Aquarium. See? Breezy. Alright, it may not have been that easy; I had to ask four or five different people for directions just to see if I was in the right place. But, eventually, I made it to the Aquarium...10 minutes after it closed.
So I took myself out for dinner instead. I sat in a fancy restaurant looking slightly homeless after travelling for the entire day, and ordered an appetizer, main course, dessert and a couple glasses of wine. It was lovely and so yummy. Every time the waiter brought out another dish, I'd jump up and down in my seat and clap my hands...so appearing not only homeless but perhaps a tad mentally handicapped as well.
Eventually I made it back to the airport, picked up my luggage, waited for FC in the wrong terminal, met her at the car rental place and we headed to our first destination.
We started in Foxboro. It's where they keep the stadium for the New England Patriots. I never actually saw the stadium though. I actually only saw the hotel in Foxboro cause every time I left, I ended up in a different town. There was a 170-shop outlet mall close by. So I did that while FC learned how to make herself look like a Muppet in cake form.
After leaving Foxboro, we went up to the Cape. When I tell people this out loud I always jut my chin out and talk through my teeth. Because that's how you say things like that I suppose. We spent some of our time walking to a lighthouse--through the forest, across the ocean (it was low tide), and over the sand dunes. We think this is probably much more lovely in summer, but it was a nice walk just the same.
In Cape Cod, we stayed at a little bed and breakfast in Provincetown called the Whitewind Inn. Cutest place ever. Our hosts name was Jeffrey; he was wicked awesome.
After leaving there the next morning, we stopped in Plymouth where we saw this.
It was overwhelming how much history the state has. I know it's not my history, but to be near a site where something so important happened 400 years ago was amazing.
That night, we stayed in Salem. We went to a couple of witch museums but I was pretty underwhelmed by them. Like everything else in Massachusetts, most of the good stuff is closed until it warms up.
We got our tarot cards read though. What else would you do in a place known for witches and magic? I, apparently, am supposed to meet the love of my life in late-July and he will be "different looking...like Spanish." I'm not really sure what's so different-looking about Spanish people but that's what she said. She also said he "would give me a run for my money." That sounds dramatic and not at all what I'd like. The love of my life sounds like too much work with all his running for my money and different looking-ness. Ugh.
After Salem we headed for Harvard and MIT. I loved both places. And what a difference between them. Harvard is all brick and stone and old looking and MIT (though founded in 1861) looks more modern.
The picture below is the Bill Gates building. It looks a lot like something from Dr. Seuss.
That night we sat in TD Garden and watched the Boston-Montreal game. It was probably the most exciting game either team had played all year (though I wouldn't actually know because I don't follow the Eastern Conference). It ended in a tie, they played the 5-minute overtime, then did the shootout. It was wicked exciting.
And finally, we spent the next day touring around Boston.
And now I'm home and things are back to normal.
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