Boston: Day 1
NYC was a blast but was time to make my way up the coast on the way to Montréal. John’s apartment was only 5 blocks from Penn Station so I walked over and navigated a new train station for myself. The station was gorgeous. In the middle they had a giant suspended clock. It has hard angle edges and a beautiful clock face. The ceiling was all glass so you could see all the surrounding buildings looking down like giants.
My train to Boston departed at noon but got there a bit early to snap some photos and give myself time in case I couldn’t figure out where the actual train was. There were about 20 pillars that had corresponding numbers but all were roped off. Over the loud speaker an announcement played letting passengers know of a boarding train. I looked at the board and saw there were 4 trains before mine and only the top train had a platform number. So I deemed that once your train was about to arrive a platform number would be assigned. Sure enough as the train arrived a platform number was given and we lined up to be escorted below the main waiting area to the train.
The train was nice! I had an assigned seat and took the time to work on putting up an actual blog. My website had been having issues and I wasn’t able to post a formal blog before I started this adventure. The train took about 4 hours but the time flew by. They had a good car and in seat service so couldn’t help myself with having a beer. We pulled in to South Station in Boston and disembarked. I was staying in a Sheraton not far from Fenway Park which I had a ticket to the Redsox vs Royals game. I caught my Uber to the hotel and checked in. The hotel was flooded with people. Seemed like mostly business folks but a small mix of tourists as well. Got to my room and dumped all my stuff.
Changed clothes and walked out of the hotel headed for Fenway Park. I have never been to Fenway and a fan of baseball. As funny as the world is when I was in middle school I played club baseball and played for the Royals. Tonight the Redsox were playing the Kansas City Royals! I had scored a ticket off of Seat Geek and got a really good seat. I walked the mile and a half from my hotel that led me around a really cool city park. People were out enjoying the later afternoon with the temperature only being 80 degrees. The streets were packed! Everyone had their jerseys on and ready for an early week game. I arrived at Fenway and entered in through the outfield gate. The stadium was way different than any I had been to before. Petco Park is a newer stadium that has all the high end options you could want. Their restaurants have sushi and everything is state of the art. Fenway however has the most east coast feel you can imagine. All of the concessions and shops are all made of brick and have an old time feel. Not in a bad way however! It feels classic and like taking a step back in time. I walked around the whole stadium and found my seat.
My fortune on Seat Geek had landed me a seat 6th row behind home plate. The seats were filling up and the pre-game was bustling with the VIP’s, and other being honored before the game. The mascot was taking pictures with kids and families. The first pitch was thrown (luckily it made it across home plate) and two kids, about 8, yelled “PLAY BALL” in to the mic. The crowed cheered and it was time for baseball. My seat was awesome, but the kid next to me had less personality than the chair unfortunately. His buddy had more to say and I learned a little about where they were from and how many games they go to. There were many around me that the long time custodians knew and some were keeping stats on their printed books. The game however didnt go as planned, and the Royals kind of killed the Redsox. A bummer, no doubt, to not be at a new stadium when the home team doesn’t win. However! I did get to see a Redsox player NUKE a home run out of the Green Monster and sailed the ball park. To be that close and see that made it all worth it.
I left after the 7th and hit a bar just outside the stadium. The streets surrounding the park all feel attached to the stadium somehow. I walked in to Cheeky Monkey Brewing and found a seat at the bar. I was just early enough to find a seat before the crowed piled in. I had a burger and a local IPA. By the time I stood up to leave the bar was 3 deep and pool tables were packed. I walked the mile and a half home and for the first time this trip was excited to be in bed before midnight. Unsure if that was due to travel or not, but it was the first night I felt like I was starting to be on East Coast time. The real question is what time will I be up tomorrow and will I get in all the activities I have planned!
