Boston Trip ~ Week 3
A Quiet Week
After two weeks of exploring and sightseeing, we are ready to coast a bit. Seeing everything we have seen has been fun and definitely getting a lot of walking in. The logistics of getting around have been a bit challenging, but after using Cory’s car a couple of times we are very glad we did not try to rent a car here. Navigating the area is difficult at best in a car, streets are extremely narrow and do not run through in any consistent manner. The layout creates routes that are constantly weaving back and forth to get from Point A to Point B. Additionally, parking is extremely limited and permits are required to park anywhere. Boston and the surrounding area are not car-friendly in any manner.
This week started with a trip to Salem, on Monday, which is reasonably close to Boston. We took an Uber to explore the area.
After spending a day in Salem, we are feeling at this point that we have seen what we wanted to see. We spent the rest of the week with no real agenda. We did some walking, including a day walking the Community Path to Alewife and explored that area which came to a total of about 6 miles.
We did return to Little Italy for a dinner at Al Dente, a little Italian restaurant. It was a small, casual place and was quite entertaining listening to the chatter in the kitchen.
Trip Summary
This trip has been a completely different kind of travel for us. Travels for us have always been centered around exploring and getting some outdoor time cycling or hiking. . In contrast, here we have been in city and at best urban environments. By the end of this trip we were beginning to feel a bit closed in and in need of some natural environment. While the history in this are is truly amazing, we tend to get a bit jaded after aa couple of weeks and eveything begins to look the same. We have felt this way at times in our other travels but have always been able to get an escape with the bike or a hike.
The East coast is something that we had talked about and this was a good opportunity to check it out. Of course a new grandson for Liz was the true incentive and we are glad it was great to See Owen and family.
Staying in an Airbnb for an extended time was a new experience as well. We have earned to really appreciate our trailer and our home. An Airbnb on ground level with a family in the upstairs unit is not ideal, however I suspect in the Boston area there is likely not a lot of choice.
All said, two weeks would probably have been a better plan for a trip to a city environment.