Beantown Briefly

Yesterday with the first winter storm of 2015 bearing down on us I was charged with delivering a tour of Boston to the visiting PanaGal.  My wife’s knees (and the 32 degree temps) kept her at home and she asked me to do the honors.  I think the shopping and dancing over the past few days have taken a toll and they left this morning for a couple days in New York City so I’m sure she was preparing herself for that.  That and avoiding a day in the cold (did I already mention that?).

Navigating Through Harvard Square

I’ve done these in the past with various PanaGals and invariably they charge from one heated locale to another until they find a place to shop so we set out in the morning with that experience firmly in mind.  This PanaGal wanted to see both Harvard University and Fenway Park which I took as a sign of enlightenment (at least the Fenway part).  We left early in the morning to make it there and back again before the late afternoon storm which coincided nicely with certain NFL playoff games starting (my story and I’m sticking to it.)

Kenmore Square With My Daughter's Freshman Dorm (white Building)

I’d never been to Harvard (obviously) but we spent some interesting time navigating the one way streets and typical confusing layout that lacked any common sense (must have been designed by a Harvard academic).  Following a heartfelt escape from the Cambridge nightmare of side streets we stopped by venerable Fenway Park which looked kind of sad (I may be anthropomorphizing here).  The only other times I’ve visited, the place was vibrating with life and inundated with fans.  On the upside parking was a whole lot easier and cheaper.  We approached Fenway by way of Kenmore Square which brought back a lot of memories of the times we delivered and retrieved our daughter to/from Boston University.  The two dorms she lived in were in the shadow of Kenmore’s huge CITGO sign, has it really been ten years since the last retrieval?!

Lonely Fenway 

A short drive down Commonwealth Avenue brought us to the Public Gardens and a chance to abandon our car in the depths of the Boston Common Parking Garage.  The thought of driving in Boston used to terrify me (for good reason as the streets make absolutely no sense to the casual user) but now I kind of sneaky like the challenge.  The best way to see downtown Boston is definitely walking but I was a little leery since PanaGals historically do not thrive in as cold an environment as we were faced with yesterday.  This PanaGal was different though.  As soon as she saw the Frog Pond she wanted to rent a pair of ice skates and take a couple turns around the rink – color me astounded.  She made a few circuits (her first time ever on ice skates) and never fell – very impressive. 

First Time Skater

A short jaunt up Beacon Hill past the State House (in mourning pending the arrival of a republican governor is this bluest of blue states) and down to the harbor via Government Center.  We stopped for lunch in the Quincy Market which is de rigueur for any visit to Boston. I like spending time in the central rotunda which is devoted to eating from the dozens of food vendors the market offers.  It’s one of the best places in the world to people watch.  The PanaGal had her first lobster roll washed down by a bowl of clam chowdah.  I was now prepared to spend a lot more time people watching as the market also offers an untold variety of shopping opportunities.

Quincy Market Rotunda

I don’t know if she was being a good guest (knowing my oft stated opinions on shopping in general) or as she claimed – she would rather take advantage of this rare opportunity to sightsee in a place she’d never been.  I only know we would have lost my wife at this point.  We stopped by to say hi to the harbor seals cruising outside the aquarium before striking out though the North End.  She wanted to see the Zakin Bridge because they have a very similar bridge that was recently built over the Panama Canal near the base I used to live on.  As we were walking by all the Italian restaurants a steady stream of people garbed in black and gold streamed by which was kind of confusing for the PanaGal until I explained the Bruins were having a game in the nearby Garden. 

After the bridge and Old Ironsides we’d punched all the tickets on her dance card we made our way back to the Common stopping by pay respects to Colonel Robert Gould Shaw and the 54^th Massachusetts Regiment on the way.  It had been a good day and this was the first Panamanian I’ve met that seemed to enjoy being out in the cold weather – a pretty tough character.  We arrived home about thirty minutes before the snow started to fly.

The Seals

The Garden and Zakin Bridge

The PanaGal and Buddy spent the early part of the storm running around the back yard.  She had never seen snow fall before so it was fun seeing the reaction and the attendant disappointment that something so beautiful could be so cold.  My wife was predictably less sanguine about the snow’s arrival although I can remember her first reaction to snow which was very similar – some three decades ago.

First of 2015 Snow Starts to Fall as the Sun Sets

I guiltily felt a little put upon when my wife first charged me with yesterday’s trip but it turned out to be a lot of fun.  I’ve always loved walking around Boston and this time I got to vicariously experience a first time visitor and skater’s reactions as well as indulge in my well known proclivity for nostalgia.