Boylston and Boston Common - 9th April 2005

Boston is a very compact city, exciting, vibrant and alive; it is a lot like San Francisco, one of the most fantastic places I have ever been. Both cities have a similar feel to them, rich in sights to see and things to do, and each has a fantastic, cheap, reliable public transport system that is safe and efficient to use. Both are also fun to walk around, Boston being a little less wearing on the knees, it has to be said.
I was going to be here for a month, so I would have pretty much a chance to see and do anything I wanted... or so I thought when I arrived. Oh, how little I knew about what the immediate future would hold... For now, though, I fancied a walkabout. Arriving on the Wednesday, Saturday was my first chance to get out and about. So, I set off from the hotel around 9AM, having had a good old breakfast of juice, cereal, bacon, sausage, eggs, potatoey-oniony stuff, pancakes, toast, coffee. I'm surprised I could actually walk, to tell the truth, but I intended to walk it off, so it was all copasetic
I was going to be here for a month, so I would have pretty much a chance to see and do anything I wanted... or so I thought when I arrived. Oh, how little I knew about what the immediate future would hold... For now, though, I fancied a walkabout. Arriving on the Wednesday, Saturday was my first chance to get out and about. So, I set off from the hotel around 9AM, having had a good old breakfast of juice, cereal, bacon, sausage, eggs, potatoey-oniony stuff, pancakes, toast, coffee. I'm surprised I could actually walk, to tell the truth, but I intended to walk it off, so it was all copasetic
Boylston

(Above) So, I headed off down Boylston in the direction of Boston Common...
The photograph on the right is looking back up Boylston towards Copley Plaza with a nice view of The Hancock Tower.
At the junction of Boylston and Arlington, you come to the Public Gardens, through which you can stroll to Charles St, where Boston Common begins.
It's all very pretty with a lake, swans, trees, and grass (not the Ricky Williams variety).
The photograph on the right is looking back up Boylston towards Copley Plaza with a nice view of The Hancock Tower.
At the junction of Boylston and Arlington, you come to the Public Gardens, through which you can stroll to Charles St, where Boston Common begins.
It's all very pretty with a lake, swans, trees, and grass (not the Ricky Williams variety).
Boston Common Squirrels

Squirrel!
These little buggers are everywhere on the Common.
They have no fear of humans and a very bad attitude!
These little buggers are everywhere on the Common.
They have no fear of humans and a very bad attitude!

You can be walking happily along the footpath, minding your own business, the sun is shining and everything is alright with the world, when, suddenly, there's a gang of these steroid-popping, muscle-bound, delinquents blocking your path, looking for a fight. It's like a scene out of The Wild One, I tell you!
They ride motorcycles, carry guns, knives, chains, half-a-bricks, nuts.
And, yes, the picture is the right way up.
They ride motorcycles, carry guns, knives, chains, half-a-bricks, nuts.
And, yes, the picture is the right way up.
Boston Common

And, so, on to Boston Common.
It's all very tranquil (apart from those little nut-munching buggers!)
On a nice, warm day, there are people lying on the grass, throwing frisbees, playing softball, feeding the skyrats and treerats and, generally, enjoying the pleasant surroundings. It's all so civilised and bohemian.
It's all very tranquil (apart from those little nut-munching buggers!)
On a nice, warm day, there are people lying on the grass, throwing frisbees, playing softball, feeding the skyrats and treerats and, generally, enjoying the pleasant surroundings. It's all so civilised and bohemian.