So I slept better than I did the night before. I was up before 6:30. About 7:30, Chuck went across the street to a Dunkin Donuts. He brought back their excellent coffees and some breakfast sandwiches. After breakfast, I got all the bags repacked and tagged for the ship.
While Chuck was out and about this morning, he saw a man in a ballgown enjoying a leisurely morning stroll and a man in only his underwear singing and dancing down the sidewalk. Life in the big city. When we went out a little later just to kill some time before we had to checkout, we sat in the hotel swing and only saw some joggers and dog walkers.
At 10:45 we went to the lobby to meet with the HAL representative. The bus was supposed to be there at 11:00. At 11:15, the rep said “The bus is on its way. It’s just around the corner.” At 11:25, the rep said, “Oh, the bus just got hit by a car. Another bus is coming.” At 11:45, we were finally on a bus with the luggage. We pulled away from the curb, went one block, and were stuck in a huge traffic jam. It was stop and go all the way to the port. I knew it wouldn’t get any better once we were at the terminal. Serenity Now!
I enjoy sailing out of Boston because it is scenic and not usually too hot. I do not like Boston embarkations. The lines are typically long and slow. Today was no different. Not as bad as last year (see photo below) but long. The security screening is the worse. You would think they would at least follow the airports, but it is way stricter. I can’t think of another embarkation port that we have encountered that is worse.
September 2024 embarkation line in Boston
We had been notified that each person would also have to complete a Canadian declaration form while in the terminal. But, I guess the lines were slow enough, so they decided to put them in our stateroom instead. Thankful for small favors.
Once we finally made it out of the terminal, I thought we were home free. Nope. Not today. Once we got up the ramp, we were stopped on the promenade deck to do the final check-in to the ship. Typically, they do the final check-in once you are inside the ship.
There were two lines but one line was held up with a couple who had a small service dog. The couple was looking for all their paperwork while the HAL officer left to find someone higher up in rank to help. I wondered if they would end up getting on the ship or not.
I thought our line was moving okay until two people had to show their passports. They were waved on but then another HAL official saw something on the screen and pointed while saying “Passport Denied!” and took off after the people. The other HAL person seemed shook up. I thought she was going to stop the line, but she scanned our boarding passes and just let us keep going. Finally, we were onboard the Volendam.
We found our cabin easily and almost immediately one piece of luggage showed up. We went to brave the Lido for a lite lunch. It wasn’t too crowded. Afterwards, I went to the dining kiosk and made our specialty dining reservations.
We went back to the room and found our 2nd piece of luggage had arrived. We were able to get everything put away before the sailaway at 3:00. I met our room steward and inquired about the small refrigerator I had requested to rent for our room. He said it would be delivered before the end of the evening.
On some of the ships, like the Volendam, only refrigerators are available in verandas and above. On some of the newer ships, refrigerators are available in all of the rooms. I was glad to be able to rent one. We like to keep water and soft drinks in there.
I dropped off the Canadian Declaration form to Guest Services and then met up with Chuck at the sailaway party. It was a lot of fun as usual.
The Cruise Director and his team were very energetic. I left at 4:00 to go attend the Cruise Director’s port talk about Portland. I found out during the talk that all his talks would be recorded, and we could watch them in our cabin. Good to know.
Soon the Casino opened. It was very small but had some of our favorite machines. Chuck made sure that his free play was loaded on his card. We met the Casino host who remembered Chuck from one of the sailings on the Zuiderdam.
For dinner, we went to the Lido for their steak dinner.
We then went to the show in the World Stage – Ventriloquist Mike Robinson. He was very funny.
Once the show was over, we went to the last two sets of the Ocean Bar band. They were okay but I missed the Rolling Stone Rock bands on the larger ships.
When we have an early flight, I prefer to go to the airport the day before. Chuck indulges my nervous-traveler needs. After reviewing my travel check-list for the 3rd time and being snubbed by Pumpkin when we tried to say good-bye, we got to the shuttle office at 1:30 and left promptly at 2:00.
The driver must have been new because he had a long spiel “Buckle up – we’ll do our best to get you there on-time, let me know if you get hot or cold.” In the past, most of the drivers just say buckle up and they take off. Maybe it’s a new rule.
The van was full, but everyone was going to the airport, and the driver didn’t have to drop-off or pick-up anyone up at the auxiliary locations. Since we were just going to an airport hotel, I didn’t care but I’m sure the other passengers trying to get to their flight were anxious because the weather soon started getting worse and the traffic was snarling.
We arrived at the domestic terminal only about 20 minutes later than expected which I thought was pretty good given the conditions. While the others spread out heading for the different airlines, we went to the hotel shuttle area. With all of the construction that has been going on (and is still going on), we discovered that the hotel shuttle and the regional shuttle areas have been moved farther away from the airport exit.
We had to cross the street, go down a long ramp, and then cross another street. Instead of having someone let you know which hotel shuttle was arriving, you had to look at the sign and go to the area where your shuttle would eventually arrive. Annoying.
We stayed at the Hyatt Airport South again. We were on the 5th floor. They have done some renovations to the building and inside, but more is needed. Especially having more than one elevator working. We like the location. It was still misting so we decided to just go next door to the Burger Place at the Sonesta hotel.
Chuck had a burger and I had a bar-b-que sandwich. Good service and food. Pricey for what you get but not unexpected.
Watched some reruns of Big Bang Theory and went to sleep early. Wish I could have stayed asleep, but I tossed and turned all night. Just got on up at 5:00.
The hotel still offers a decent free breakfast and good coffee. When we checked out and went outside to wait for the 9:00 hotel shuttle, I saw a fire truck arrive at the Sonesta and block the road the shuttle typically takes. Luckily, they didn’t stay there very long. Not sure what the issue was.
We had a very smooth transition from the pick-up at the hotel to sitting down at our gate – 40 minutes. Couldn’t believe how easy security was this time. Typically, one of our bags goes down the naughty line to be examined. Not this time. Started talking with a couple near us who were also going on the cruise. They had flown in from Hilton Head early that morning.
With the dreary weather, I was concerned we might not take off on time, but we did. However, the pilot kept the seatbelt light on longer than usual because we were bumping along as we tried to get well above the bad weather. I watched the MineCraft movie. It was cute. Chuck watched some old reruns of Fraiser.
After retrieving our bags, we found the Holland America (HAL) representatives who escorted us and one other couple to our driver. I was glad it was him and not me battling the Boston traffic.
The last couple of times in Boston, we stayed at the Marriott Copley. This time, HAL had us booked at the W Boston (also a Marriott property). It is located in the Theater District and is a more modern building than the Copley.
Our room was ready so we dropped off our luggage. We were on the 11th floor. We found the HAL representatives to get information about the transfer to the pier tomorrow. Unlike last time, we would be responsible for bringing our luggage down to the lobby. I was okay with that change because they always picked up our luggage so early and now I wouldn’t have to rush to get everything ready.
After so much sitting today, we needed to walk around so we wandered around the Theater District and then on to the Boston Commons.
Once we made it back, we ate falafels at The Halal Guys across the street from the hotel. We enjoyed sitting outside people watching. We didn’t really care for all the pigeons watching us.
Too big to wrap up in the pita bread
After dinner, we had run out of steam and were ready to call it an evening.
We were offered a good deal on this 10-day Boston to Montreal cruise on the Holland America Volendam. Though we’ve done a similar route before, we decided to book this trip because it offered three ports we have not experienced, and we could celebrate Chuck’s birthday. I was able to celebrate my birthday on a cruise earlier this year, so this cruise was his turn.
The Volendam is one of the two smallest ships in the Holland America (HAL) fleet. We have never sailed on the Volendam, but we have sailed several times on its sister ship – Zaandam. So, we knew the Volendam would not have all the amenities of the larger ships, but it would still offer great service, good food, and enjoyable activities/entertainment. And its small size allows it to sail into ports that larger ships cannot as well as being very easy to navigate inside.
Despite the long day yesterday, we both still had a restless night. Woke up early to a beautiful but chilly morning.
Our tagged bags had to be ready for pick up by 8:00 but they actually weren’t retrieved until about 9:15. Our HAL bus was the first one to arrive at the hotel and we were at the port by 11:00. Our last embarkation here was a mess because of the long lines created by a surprise Coast Guard inspection of the ship. Nobody was allowed on the ship until they had finished their inspection.
Embarkation line in August – Ugh!
Today was a normal embarkation. Once we retrieved our luggage and turned them over to the porters, we made our way through the various checkpoints. The security checkpoint being the slowest. Boston port treats security like an airport security – coats off, belts off, laptop outs, no large liquids (be prepared to dump out your water out of your water bottle and to throw away your bottle if it is a disposable plastic one). I think if they are going to imitate the airport security then they should have at least one TSA precheck line also.
Once we cleared security, we kept walking and didn’t slow down until we made it to our balcony room on the 5th floor toward the aft (back) of the ship. This room was bigger than the one in August as it could sleep 3 people with the addition of a pull-out couch. The balcony was very narrow and was in need of some TLC in regard to paint and rust spot removal. I’m sure at the next dry dock all of those issues will be addressed.
Since we skipped breakfast, we ventured into the Lido buffet for lunch. I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t a madhouse. We were able to find a place to sit without too much trouble. I still miss the embarkation lunch in the dining room as it was nice to relax in a quiet environment after a hectic morning.
Once lunch was over, we went back to the room and found that our luggage had been delivered. Was able to unpack everything and store the bags under the bed just in time for the muster drill. We have gotten used to the virtual muster drills where you go to your lifeboat station and get your card scanned and then watch the video on your stateroom TV.
However, today we all had to go to our lifeboat station and line up in rows, get our cards scanned, and listen to the Captain over the loudspeaker explain the procedure. And, we also had to watch the safety information on the TV (it won’t show anything else until you complete this video). The Cruise Director (CD) said it was a Coast Guard rule that all ships had to have a traditional muster periodically. At least it wasn’t sweltering like we’ve experienced in Florida where I’ve seen people collapse from being out in the heat during a traditional muster drill.
We went up to the Sea View deck for the sailaway party. Along with copious amounts of drinks being served, they were also serving appetizers, playing music, and encouraging us to get up and dance. Who can resist Cupid Shuffle?
Shrimp spring rollEntertainment staff pumping up the crowd
We met a couple from Texas and he and Chuck talked about the UGA vs Texas football game that was going to be played later today. Once we were on the move, I went to the dining reservation area and made our reservations for the specialty restaurants.
I went back to the room to finish some organizing and met our room stewards – Komang and Made. They wanted to be sure everything was satisfactory and if we needed anything special. I asked for ice to be delivered in the evenings. They gave me a card in case I thought of anything else we needed.
We went to the Lido for dinner as they were serving steak and ribs. Again, the lines were short and there were plenty of places to sit.
Once we had finished dinner, the casino was open as we were now far enough out to sea. We were disappointed to see that the Wonder Woman machines were gone. We didn’t care for the replacement machines. However, we were happy to see the Tiger / Dragon machines. They are fun. We also saw a server in the Gallery Bar who remembered us from August.
We went to all three sets of the Rolling Stone Lounge band. It was a different group than the ones we had in August. This group has two female vocalists and one male vocalist/guitarist. They were very good. We sat in a booth with a nice couple from Ohio.
I could soon tell we were well into the Atlantic as the ship’s motion was starting to get to me. Bonine to the rescue.
Once the last set of the Band ended, we called it a night. It has been a good start to the cruise and, icing on the cake, Georgia beat Texas.
Ended up getting up at 5:30 again. The air conditioner was loud and woke me up every time it kicked on, but it did have cold air. Our bathroom walk-in shower had a rain shower type of shower head. I am not a fan. I just can’t get the water pressure strong enough. It also did not have a safety bar or bathmat. Have to be cautious.
We had our luggage tagged with the cruise tags and the color dots given to us at the hotel and ready to be picked up. We were instructed to keep the luggage just inside the room. Not wanting a huge breakfast buffet at the hotel (or the big bill), I found a Chik-fil-A that was just a few minutes from the hotel (in the opposite direction of where we walked yesterday).
It was a cool morning but sunny. We ordered at the counter and had planned to eat in their upstairs dining room, but it was closed for cleaning. We could have taken our coffees and chicken biscuits back to the hotel but just decided to eat at the outdoor tables. It was a busy place with people in and out with their orders.
Our luggage was being picked up as we returned to the room. Our instructions said to come down to the lobby area at 10:30 to ensure that our luggage had arrived in the Ballroom. Okay. At 10:30, I did that and found our 3 pieces in the Blue section as promised.
We had already been told that embarkation would be delayed today because of a mandatory Coast Guard inspection of the ship so we knew our arrival was going to be later than usual. All of us assembled in the Ballroom at 11:15 to wait for our busses. One bus came (not ours), and the rest were stuck in traffic (of course).
Once our bus came and the luggage started to be rolled out on carts and loaded, I could see that one of our bags was not with the others. Chuck brought it to the attention of the representative who assured him that all were on. My Apple airtag said otherwise. We insisted it was not and he said he would double-check the hotel ballroom. A few minutes later my airtag locator said the last bag was with me. Wonder if the other people who also had luggage on that last cart knew how close we came to leaving without it.
We got to the terminal about 1:00 and were faced with a very long line. We also had to wait for porters to get our luggage off the bus. (Tip – flash some cash and your luggage will get grabbed by the porters first). Obviously, the inspection was taking far longer than expected. It took another hour for us to get on the ship and there were many people behind us. Not a great start and we weren’t going to be leaving at 3:00.
We are in the turn of the line – people with their backs to us are in front of us – people facing us are behind us.
We had a very small inside cabin for these two trips. Since these cruises were casino-comped, we would make do. We could have taken some upsell offers but because the cruise was full, the offers were not worth the money they wanted (in our opinion).
We left our backpacks in the room, and we went to our muster station to be checked in. Very quick. Just don’t know why people wait until the last minute to get it done. I would be embarrassed if my name had to be called over the loudspeaker.
We went to the Sea View area. None of the sailaway activities had started so I went to the Dining Reservation desk to make our complimentary Pinnacle Grill and Canaletto dinner reservations. I met back up with Chuck and we went back to the room to check on luggage arrival. The bags had been delivered so we got those unpacked while watching the safety video on the TV (your TV won’t work unless you watch the video first). Also got to meet our room stewards – Raja and Joshem – and complete the Canadian customs form.
By the time we got back to the Sea View area, the sailaway activities had started.
Because we had such an early breakfast and didn’t really eat lunch due to the crowded Lido Buffet (HAL has stopped the sit-down embarkation Mariner lunch which is a big disappointment to me), we were ready for an early dinner. We opted for the steak dinner in the Lido. We got there early enough that they would grill your steak to your specifications. Later in the evening, you would have to choose among the ones that were ready. Both of our steaks were excellent.
By the time we finished, the Casino was open. Chuck was supposed to get some free casino play money on this first leg of the cruise but, according to their paperwork, “he wasn’t on the list.” However, according to my paperwork, he most definitely was supposed to be on the list. He got his free play money.
We had some slot fun playing old favorites “Wonder Woman” and “Devil’s Lock” and some new ones “Dancing Drums” and “Fortune Harmony.”
After listening and dancing to three sets of the Rolling Stone Lounge Band, we called it a night.
Another restless night. Just couldn’t get my temperature right. Too hot and then too cold. Air conditioning? Hormones? Whatever – I just know I spent most of the night either pulling the covers up or kicking them off. I just got up at 5:30. That’s when the fun started.
To try and not wake up Chuck, I closed the door to the bathroom to take my shower. Not sure what happened but the lights suddenly went out just as I was shampooing. Pitch dark. I was very glad I didn’t trip or slip as I got to the light switch. The switch was outside of the bathroom. It went off again when I was toweling off. We finally decided the lights were on some sort of motion sensor from the outside of the room. Not a great design and so noted on the review.
After a decent free breakfast buffet, we caught the hotel shuttle at 9:00 back to the airport. With a combination of the outside luggage drop-off, TSA precheck, CLEAR, and our gate being at the Delta T concourse, we were at our gate at 9:40 even with Chuck’s backpack having to go down the “naughty” lane to be reviewed by the Agent. May be a record.
We took off promptly at 11:50. It was a little bit of a rough ride. I watched The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. It was much better than I expected.
We arrived at Boston at 2:15. Beautiful, sunny day. Once we retrieved our luggage, we found the Holland America (HAL) representative, and she called the company that was going to take us to the hotel.
The last time we were in Boston, I made a reservation at the Downtown Hilton because it was close to the start of the Freedom Trail, and I had a lot of points. We took Uber to the hotel. Since we were not spending any extra days in Boston this time, and I found that the HAL-sponsored hotel was very close in price to all the others I checked, I booked with them. The cost also included transportation to the hotel from the airport and then to the ship the next day.
We walked to the car pick-up area and the town car driver was waiting. The Friday afternoon traffic was very slow. The driver said the road/tunnel construction and the Red Sox having a home game that day were combining to make a bad traffic day. I don’t think I have ever come to Boston when there wasn’t road construction.
We were staying at the Fairmont Copley Plaza in the Back Bay area of Boston. The outside plaza is still being renovated but the hotel itself wasn’t terribly affected. Our room was ready, and it was nice. But hotel entrance was beautiful.
We walked around a few blocks just to stretch our legs and do a little sight-seeing and people-watching. There was a farmer’s market on the plaza of the public library.
Boston Public LibraryJohn Hancock TowerTrinity Church
We ate an early dinner at Solas Irish Pub. There were some enthusiastic Red Sox fans at the bar. I never did find out if the team won that night. I had a bowl of clam chowder, homemade potato chips, and an Irish cider. Chuck had a cuban sandwich, french fries, and beer. With tip, almost $100. Crazy.
We had to have the bags ready to be picked up by HAL by 8:00 the next morning so we had an early evening. I got the bags tagged with the cruise luggage tags. Getting closer to sail-away.
After I got back to the room from the Tech presentation, Chuck was back from playing cards and meeting new friends. We got ready for the evening and went to the casino. We were having fun on the slots and time got away from us. Decided to have a late dinner at the Lido – we both chose steak and fried shrimp (Chuck also snagged a small pork chop).
After dinner, we listened to Cat play for a while, but the Ocean Bar band was not going to play until 9:45. Since tomorrow was our first port day, we called it a night.
We got up at 6:30 and after coffee and breakfast in the Lido, we watched the sail-in to Boston. The jets landing at Logan seemed very close to the port. So very loud.
See the Goose by the jet wing? I hope he made it.
The officials cleared our ship at 8:20 and we walked off at 8:45.
The last time we were in Boston was in July of 2022 for the Voyage of the Vikings. We came in two days before embarkation since that was Chuck’s first time to Boston. On that visit, we walked the Freedom Trail from beginning to end and back – a total of about 9 miles. Today, we were not going to be that ambitious.
The BeginningThe End
We hadn’t really had any set plans as we were going to wait to see what the weather was like. It was a cold, blustery day but we dressed in layers. Topped with jackets and hats, we were warm enough. Since it was not raining, that was a plus.
Out of the port area, we walked down the sidewalk and found an Old Town Trolley kiosk. We decided that the Hop-On / Hop-Off trolley would be our transportation for the day and bought two tickets. We probably could have saved some money if we had decided earlier on what we wanted to do and bought the tickets online. Oh well.
The narrator of the trolley was very good. As we passed by each stop, he gave us a lot of information about Boston and its history that we didn’t get walking the Freedom Trail. He was also funny.
The downside – since it was so cold – the plastic sheeting was down over the open trolley windows, so my photos weren’t the best.
Zaandam in portOne example of the many pieces of street art“Quoth the raven nevermore.”Famous Oriental Company Teapot that now hangs at a Starbucks
We stayed on the trolley for most of the stops just enjoying the views and listening to the information. However, we did get off at the Public Gardens and the Boston Commons since we didn’t spend any time at either site last July. The gardens were pretty with the tulips in bloom and the Swan Boats were in business.
Thought it was Paul Revere – It’s George Washington
We stopped and watched as people marched through the Commons protesting the consumption of meat and touting the vegan lifestyle. I am glad all the hotdog vendors did not throw anything at them.
The trolley dropped us back at the port around 1:30. We ate lunch in the Lido restaurant and then spent some time in the hot tub at the Lido pool.
I like the hot tubs in the Sea View area better than the Lido area, but it was too windy to go to them. I was glad that HAL had the retractable roof open just a little in the Lido pool area so it was not as stuffy as it can get in there.
After a relaxing time in the hot tub, we got hot chocolates to take back to the room and a nap until dinner. Love the ship life.
Travel Trivia
Massachusetts – The Bay State
Massachusetts was originally inhabited by tribes of the Algonquian language family such as the Wampanoag, Narragansett, Nipmuc, Pocomtuc, Mahican, and Massachusett. Early explorers visited the coast of Massachusetts in 1497. The first English settlers in Massachusetts, the Pilgrims, arrived on the Mayflower at Plymouth in 1620.
On April 19, 1775, the Revolutionary War began with the Battles of Lexington and Concord.
Massachusetts became the sixth state to join the United States on February 6, 1788.
James Naismith invented basketball in 1891 at the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Also in 1891, Fig Newtons were invented in Cambridge, Massachusetts and named after Newton, Massachusetts. They were almost called “Fig Shrewsbury,” but Newton won.
The chocolate chip cookie was invented by Ruth Graves Wakefield and her husband in 1930 in the Toll House Restaurant in Whitman, Massachusetts.
Earl Tupper of Grafton Massachusetts invented Tupperware and marketed his products to the public in 1946 as a giveaway with cigarettes.
Dunkin Donuts was founded in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1950 and opened its first franchise restaurant in Dedham, Massachusetts in 1955. It sold 52 varieties of donuts.
Lake Chargogagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg is a lake in the town of Webster, Massachusetts. It is located near the Connecticut border and has a surface area of 1,442 acres. The name derives from the Loup dialect, which is an Algonquian language. The locals call it Webster Lake.
Massachusetts is one of the nation’s leading producers of cranberries.
It is illegal to use tomatoes in clam chowder in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts is located along the Atlantic Flyway, a major route for migratory waterfowl.
Mount Holyoke College, the first college established for women, was founded in 1837 in South Hadley, Massachusetts, as the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary. The founder was Mary Lyon, a pioneer in education for women.
Boston, Massachusetts
About 13% of Boston citizens commute by foot, giving it the highest percentage of pedestrian commuters in major cities of the United States.
The first post office in America opened in Boston in 1639.
The Boston Fire Department (1678) is the oldest in the United States.
The Boston Pilgrims won the first World Series over the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1903.
From May 15, 2003, to April 10, 2013, the Boston Red Sox sold out every home game at Fenway Park—a total of 820 games—setting a record in the sport’s world.
The Boston Public Library, the first public library in the United States, was founded in 1849.
Boston is the only state capital in the contiguous United States to have an ocean coastline.
The Big Dig rerouted Boston’s main highway into a 3.5-mile tunnel due to traffic congestion. The Central Artery (I-93)—designed for 75,000 cars—had over 190,000 vehicles pass over it per day. The project cost an estimated $22 billion with interest, making it the most expensive highway project in US history.
Boston Common, established in 1634, is the oldest public park in the United States.
Boston University Bridge is one of the only places in the world that a boat can sail under a train passing under a car driving under an airplane.
The oldest restaurant in continuous service in the United States is Boston’s The Union Oyster House, established in 1826.
On January 15, 1919, a 55-foot steel tank filled with 2,319,525 gallons of molasses ripped apart, releasing a 13,000-ton wave on Boston’s North End that destroyed nearby houses, vehicles, businesses, apartment buildings, and more. It took over six months to clean up and caused over 40 injuries and 21 deaths. Until it finally faded away in 1995, the smell of molasses still permeated through Boston on hot days.
The Hyatt Regency Boston is located between the Theater District and the Chinatown section. We decided to walk to eat at one of the closer restaurants. First, we tried JJ Foley Bar & Grille- Nope – Standing Room Only. Went across the street to the Good Life – Nope – $20 cover charge each just to come in. Went around the corner to the Back Deck – Nope – 45-minute wait and no seat at the bar. Next – French Quarter – Maybe – 1 hour wait but you can sit at the bar and eat and drink instead. Okay – we’ll take it. Wait – a person whispers in her ear. “Oh, I didn’t know she had come in tonight.” To us – “We can seat you now at a table if you would like. Yes, yes we would.
The service was slow, but the food and drinks were good, and the server was a nice young lady doing her very best. She said it was her first week there. Bless her.
The area was so very busy for a Thursday night. Just couldn’t understand why. But it was made clear when we exited the restaurant and saw the line to get into the iconic Opera House to see the show – Wicked. Lots of excited people.
We walked to a CVS and picked up a few items and made our way back to the hotel. Wasn’t long before lights out.
I slept restlessly. I just couldn’t seem to get the temperature right. I was either kicking off the covers or pulling them back up. Even though I didn’t set an alarm for this morning, I still got up at 6:30.
The day started out with me receiving an email from HAL that construction would be going on in some of the highway tunnels that go between the airport and the cruise port starting this weekend. They wanted to let us know that we should take the HAL shuttle between the two or be sure to leave more travel time since taxis and ride share vehicles would be tied up.
I checked with the hotel concierge to see if the construction would also mess up the ride between here and the cruise port. He said we wouldn’t be going through any tunnels from here to the cruise port so we should be okay. I’ll worry about the construction getting to the airport once we get closer to disembarkation day.
Our only plan for today was to walk the Boston Freedom Trail from beginning to end. I have walked it before, but I never went over the bridge to Charlestown and the USS Constitution. Today we were going to do it.
Neither of us were interested in the hotel buffet breakfast so we walked to the nearest McDonald’s for a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit. Met a local police officer walking the beat and he said, “take care on your walk today.” Luckily, we had no problems today although we were approached several times by panhandlers.
We made our way to the Boston Common, America’s oldest public park, and the beginning of the Freedom Trail. Off we go. The path is clearly marked on the sidewalks, so we had no problem following it. However, I should have picked up a map at the Visitor Center just so we could have read more about the different places that we visited.
First stop was the Massachusetts State House. Designed by Charles Bulfinch, the ‘new’ and current State House has served as the seat of Massachusetts government since its opening in 1798. Holding the legislative and executive branches, it sits adjacent to the former site of the historic Hancock mansion. It was under renovation so we couldn’t get closer.
Next, was the Granary Burying Ground. It has approximately 2300 markers. Very somber to look at all these headstones that were so old you couldn’t read the inscription on them.
The Infant’s Tomb, where hundreds of children have been interred, is located near the central obelisk that marks the grave of Benjamin Franklin’s parents. Alongside the far wall, an elaborately embellished obelisk marks John Hancock’s tomb. Paul Revere is buried near the back of the Granary; a large marker placed in the 19th century stands by a smaller, older slate marker. Matching stones in the two front corners of the burial ground commemorate James Otis and Samuel Adams. Next to the stone for Adams is the grave marker for the victims of the Boston Massacre. On the right-hand wall is a plaque marking the tomb of Robert Treat Paine, the third signer of the Declaration of Independence buried in the Granary (the others being John Hancock and Samuel Adams).
Puritan churches did not believe in religious icons or imagery, so the people of Boston used tombstones as an outlet for artistic expression of their beliefs about the afterlife. One of the most popular motifs was the “Soul Effigy,” a skull or “death’s head” with a wing on each side that was a representation of the soul flying to heaven after death. Elaborate scroll work, poetic epitaphs, and depictions of the Grim Reaper and Father Time also adorn many headstones.
Next, was King’s Chapel and the King’s Chapel Burying Ground. It was founded in 1686 as Boston’s first Anglican church. The 1754 granite building still stands on the church’s original site: the corner of Boston’s oldest English burying ground.
Next up was the Old City Hall complete with a donkey for the Democrats and “footsteps in opposition” of the Republicans (I guess a replica Elephant was too expensive). It was home to its city council from 1865 to 1969 and was one of the first buildings in the French Second Empire style to be built in the United States. The Boston Latin School operated on the site from 1704 to 1748, and on the same street until 1844. Thirty-eight Boston mayors, including John F. Fitzgerald, Maurice J. Tobin, and James Michael Curley, served their terms of office at this site.
We then made our way to Faneuil Hall. It is often referred to as “the home of free speech” and the “Cradle of Liberty,” as Faneuil Hall hosted America’s first Town Meeting. Unfortunately, it was not open when we arrived. We did enjoy walking through Quincy Market and looking at all the food and souvenir vendors.
We came to an area that had a number of bars and restaurants including the Union Oyster House and the Bell and Hand Tavern. The Union Oyster House has the distinction of being America’s oldest restaurant. It is housed in a building dating back to Pre-Revolutionary days and started serving food in 1826. It has continued ever since with the stalls and oyster bar, where Daniel Webster was a constant customer, in their original positions. The Bell in Hand Tavern is famous for being the oldest tavern in the US and has been in operation since 1795.
Our feet were tired and hot by the time we made it to one of Boston’s beautiful green spaces. This particular space had some fountains that many children were enjoying. I decided to join them even if it was just to cool off my toes.
Up next was the Italian North End with Paul Revere and the Old North Church. There was a nice park that had plaques dedicated to people who helped America reach its independence.
Now it was time to cross the bridge over the St. Charles to Charlestown. It was at this point that I originally turned back but we crossed. We had a slight detour as they were working on part of the bridge, so they routed us a little differently, but it was not too much out of the way.
We eventually made it to the USS Constitution. Launched in Boston in 1797, USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned warship afloat and earned her nickname “Old Ironsides” during the War of 1812 when she fought the British frigate HMS Guerriere.
We started in the visitor center where we had to go through metal detectors, and I had my purse scanned. We got a restroom break and enjoyed looking at the displays.
We then went outside and were able to walk onto the ship. It had 3 levels and the first thing I noticed was that the ceilings were very low. So low, that Chuck and I had to walk around all bent over. Very claustrophobic.
Once I took Chuck’s picture at the last marker, we turned around to make our way back.
The sun was out in force now and we were certainly ready for lunch when we got back to the Quincy Market area. We ate at the Green Dragon. I felt so sorry for the waitress. She was the only one besides the bartender in the front. She kept working as hard as she could – taking orders, bringing drinks and food, clearing the tables, and checking people out – all with a smile. Bless her. The place was packed. She forgot our place settings. I didn’t even ask her. I just went and got 2 sets out of the basket on the counter. The food was good, the drinks cold, and the air conditioning felt wonderful.
Once we made it back to the hotel, we had walked over 9 miles today according to my Fitbit. I gratefully sank my toes into some warm bathwater for a nice long soak. A good day.
Travel Trivia
Boston, Massachusetts
About 13% of Boston citizens commute by foot, giving it the highest percentage of pedestrian commuters in major cities of the United States.
The first post office in America opened in Boston in 1639.
The Boston Fire Department (1678) is the oldest in the United States.
The Boston Pilgrims won the first World Series over the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1903.
From May 15, 2003, to April 10, 2013, the Boston Red Sox sold out every home game at Fenway Park—a total of 820 games—setting a record in the sport’s world.
The Boston Public Library, the first public library in the United States, was founded in 1849.
Boston is the only state capital in the contiguous United States to have an ocean coastline.
The Big Dig rerouted Boston’s main highway into a 3.5-mile tunnel due to traffic congestion. The Central Artery (I-93)—designed for 75,000 cars—had over 190,000 vehicles pass over it per day. The project cost an estimated $22 billion with interest, making it the most expensive highway project in US history.
Boston Common, established in 1634, is the oldest public park in the United States.
Boston University Bridge is one of the only places in the world that a boat can sail under a train passing under a car driving under an airplane.
The oldest restaurant in continuous service in the United States is Boston’s The Union Oyster House, established in 1826.
On January 15, 1919, a 55-foot steel tank filled with 2,319,525 gallons of molasses ripped apart, releasing a 13,000-ton wave on Boston’s North End that destroyed nearby houses, vehicles, businesses, apartment buildings, and more. It took over six months to clean up and caused over 40 injuries and 21 deaths. Until it finally faded away in 1995, the smell of molasses still permeated through Boston on hot days.
*Trivia provided by Wikipedia and other Boston tourist documents.
After getting back to the hotel, we got organized for today. Some rearranging of the suitcase items, etc. After reading a while, I had a surprisingly restful night. No plane or traffic noise. Another reason I like it here.
I was awake 15 minutes before my alarms. Yes, I said alarms. I know I only need one but the “over-thinking, what-if” part of my brain says, “set two alarms – you never know if one might fail.” Sigh. I didn’t need either one of them.
The shower had good pressure, the hair dryer and in-room coffee maker worked, and there was a nice selection of cold and hot breakfast items. Seemed like it was going to be a good morning.
We were going to catch the 8:00 hotel shuttle but when we got to the lobby, the 7:30 shuttle hadn’t left yet so we got on it. Few minutes later, we were at the airport. Easy bag check at the Delta outside kiosks. Bags weighed less than 50 pounds each, so good to go.
Now we are inside ready to go through security. We are members of CLEAR so we typically can move to the front of the general boarding line very quickly. However, today the CLEAR line was almost as long as general boarding. WTH? The line moved so slowly; I was so glad we had gotten on the 7:30 shuttle.
When we finally got to the front, I saw the issue. There was the new full-body scanner and there was only one scanner for 3 different people lines that were merging into one people line – we were the people version of construction on I-75.
My bags had already gone through the luggage scanner and were just sitting on the conveyor. I was still waiting to get through the body scanner. I was just praying that nobody would deliberately or accidentally take my bags from the conveyor. Stress level high.
I got through the scanner without any alarms going off but then the agent stopped me to wand my arms and waist. Okay. Weird. But, yay! All my stuff was still in their bins. Stress level lowered.
Chuck ended up a few people behind me because they had trouble scanning his eyes at the CLEAR station. His eyes are so pale blue that they had to turn on extra lights on the machine to read them. Then, his backpack went through the naughty line. He had left his e-reader in it, so it had to be taken out and the bag rescanned. We really need to go through the process of getting TSA pre-check to avoid the aggravation of shoes and belts off, electronics out.
We finally made it to the gate. We were still early thankfully. We had time to use the restroom and then boarding started at 9:30. This plane had 3 seats on the left and right side, so we had aisle seats across from each other. Chuck’s aisle mates were already seated. There was a guy at the window seat in my aisle but nobody in the middle. I didn’t put on my seatbelt because I knew eventually there would be a middle seat person and I would have to get up to let him/her in.
People were still streaming in, and the flight attendants kept announcing that the flight is full please find your seats quickly. I kept waiting for the middle seat person to arrive. Then, they closed the doors. What? No person in the middle seat? Wow.
I took Chuck’s backpack and put it under the middle seat in my aisle so he could have some more legroom at his seat. We took off on time and the Captain announced it would be about a 2-hour flight – 30 minutes less than the flight schedule. Yay again.
I couldn’t find a movie I wanted to watch, so I just watched Simpson episodes until the plane landed. Chuck tried to watch a movie, but he didn’t get to see how it ended since we landed early. Maybe he can catch the ending on the way back.
After retrieving our checked bags, we followed the signs to the Uber/Lyft area and an UberXL was quickly booked. While we were waiting for the UberXL to arrive, I got a notification that our hotel room was ready. More good news.
I chose the Hyatt Regency Boston because of its walking distance location to the start of the Freedom Trail and because I like Hyatt hotels. This particular Hyatt seems to cater to conferences because it has a lot of rooms and meetings spaces. When we arrived, we had to take an elevator up from the street level to the check-in area. Once we got our keys, we used them for access to the elevators up to our room. They told us they only service the rooms every 4 days so we just asked for extra coffee and towels so we should be fine until check-out.
After resting a while, we decided to undertake the dreaded task of the official COVID test. I got the computer connected to my phone’s hotspot. I didn’t want to take the chance that the hotel WIFI might go out. I logged in like I usually do but the welcome page was different. I usually only have to login with my NAVICA credentials but today I had to create an Emed account before it allowed me to go further. Okay. Stress level on the rise again.
Once I created the Emed account, it took me to the NAVICA page. WTH – why didn’t it just take me there in the beginning? I logged into it too with the credentials I always use. Yay, it recognized me. Took the test and got my negative results. Did the whole double login process for Chuck and he took his test with negative results. Great! Stress level lowered.
We really weren’t surprised that we were negative since we had taken non-medically monitored tests earlier in the week and had negative results. But it is always great to get the official results since those results are the only ones that mattered.
Now that we had our negative results, I had to complete the ArriveCAN app which is currently required by anyone who is traveling to Canada by air or sea. It was a pretty easy app to complete because I had already scanned our passports before we left so I just had a few questions to answer. 10 minutes – done.
The VeriFLY app was a little more difficult to complete. Because our negative test results were password protected, they wouldn’t upload. I finally realized that I could take a picture of the results and upload the pictures of the documents. Whew! The VerfiFLY app soon said the magic words – Ready to Sail! – Yes, we are so very ready to sail.
Travel Trivia
Massachusetts – The Bay State
Massachusetts was originally inhabited by tribes of the Algonquian language family such as the Wampanoag, Narragansett, Nipmuc, Pocomtuc, Mahican, and Massachusett. Early explorers visited the coast of Massachusetts in 1497. The first English settlers in Massachusetts, the Pilgrims, arrived on the Mayflower at Plymouth in 1620.
On April 19, 1775, the Revolutionary War began with the Battles of Lexington and Concord.
Massachusetts became the sixth state to join the United States on February 6, 1788.
James Naismith invented basketball in 1891 at the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Also in 1891, Fig Newtons were invented in Cambridge, Massachusetts and named after Newton, Massachusetts. They were almost called “Fig Shrewsbury,” but Newton won.
The chocolate chip cookie was invented by Ruth Graves Wakefield and her husband in 1930 in the Toll House Restaurant in Whitman, Massachusetts.
Earl Tupper of Grafton Massachusetts invented Tupperware and marketed his products to the public in 1946 as a giveaway with cigarettes.
Dunkin Donuts was founded in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1950 and opened its first franchise restaurant in Dedham, Massachusetts in 1955. It sold 52 varieties of donuts.
Lake Chargogagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg is a lake in the town of Webster, Massachusetts. It is located near the Connecticut border and has a surface area of 1,442 acres. The name derives from the Loup dialect, which is an Algonquian language. The locals call it Webster Lake.
Massachusetts is one of the nation’s leading producers of cranberries.
It is illegal to use tomatoes in clam chowder in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts is located along the Atlantic Flyway, a major route for migratory waterfowl.
Mount Holyoke College, the first college established for women, was founded in 1837 in South Hadley, Massachusetts, as the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary. The founder was Mary Lyon, a pioneer in education for women.
*Trivia provided by Wikipedia and various Massachusetts tourist websites.
