Pond Hopping: From Cork to Providence with Norwegian - Part 2: Some Tea in Boston?

This is the second part of a five-part series about my trip to Providence. 

Check out Part 1 here.

Well, I’ll say one thing for a westbound jetlag: It makes you get the most of the day. My alarm clock is set for 0635h, but I’m wide awake an hour earlier. Good, that means I can take it easy with getting ready, and still catch an early train to Boston, which is my main plan for the day. My optimism is shattered by the time I’ve finished getting ready and opened the blinds. Outside, it is raining cats and dogs! Well thanks a lot, America. I feel right at home already! Alas, there’s no use in whining about the weather, so I head down for a quick breakfast, which turns out to be excellent. Especially the coffee. Some of the combinations seem a bit “eccentric” to my European palate, but the taste is great, and the quality top notch. As for the rain, remember that covered walkway I mentioned in the last paragraph of the previous article? Well, that thing is absolutely essential in this kind of weather, and I make it to the train station without getting drenched… too much.

"Everywhere you go, always take the weather with you..." - Great, that's the ONE bit of Ireland that I could have done without!

"I can hear the train a-comin'" - In this case, a double decker push-pull train with the driving trailer in front and a MPI HSP46 diesel locomotive pushing from behind, for those that are interested.

This is how the station looks when it isn't raining cats and dogs. Oh, and that's my hotel in the background.

There’s no ticket machines or sales booth at T.F. Green station, so any tickets need to be purchased on the train. At $12 one way, they’re a steal as far as I am concerned, although the tickets themselves are a blast from the past, consisting simply of a cardboard strip with just a few holes punched in it. But hey, at least these tickets match the train, which is, shall we say, nostalgic. T.F. Green Airport is served by commuter trains operated by MBTA, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. These usually consist of double-decker trains pushed or pulled by diesel engines. Although the track itself is owned by Amtrak, they currently don’t see the need to serve the station themselves. These double deckers are mostly equipped with crimson vinyl covered benches, as well as pinkish fluorescent lighting. Basically, they’re straight out of a 1980s cop movie. The benches themselves are comfortable though, and I manage to nab a table and write down my thoughts on yesterday’s flight, which in turn served as the basis for the previous article. With the weather being miserable, that is the best course of action. Still, I can’t help but notice some of the scenery outside, especially a number of the stations, namely Providence and Back Bay in Boston. Why are these underground stations such dark, foreboding cavities? Seriously, even Frankfurt Airport station is better and that thing is hardly an architectural marvel. And what the hell is going on with Pawtucket station? Why wasn’t that station reactivated when the MBTA extended its commuter rail service into Rhode Island? Ah well, none of my business really. Thankfully, Boston South Station bucks the glum, depressing station trend, and is nice and airy, not to mention a hive of activity.

Boston South Station - Impressive indeed.

Well, I'm definitely not in Ireland anymore...

My first reaction as I step out of the station is a dropping jaw. “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore!” I haven’t seen such a collection of high rises since leaving Dubai back in 2016. Granted, by US standards, those building likely aren’t spectacular, but even the small buildings are likely higher than Ireland’s tallest building, the Elysian here in Cork. Even though it is still raining, I decide against hopping onto the subway and simply walk over to Boston Common, where I’m planning to start my little tour of the city. I’m consistently surprised at how “European” Boston appears, despite the high rises. This is especially true of the Downtown Crossing area, which might as well be in Hamburg or Mannheim. And of course, the weather is 100% Irish!

Downtown Crossing, Boston. Take away the high-rises...

... and this might as well be a high street in any German city.

The weather is still typically Irish, though.

As for Boston Common itself, it doesn’t really make sense to tour it when the rain is pouring down. On a slightly macabre note, the Common became a prime example of „The Tragedy of the Commons“, and demonstrated what happens when a common resource is overused by individuals. Originally used for cattle grazing, the Common became barren when a number of wealthy families drastically increased the number of cattle they owned, leading to overgrazing and an effective collapse of the commons. Going back from Bovines to Boston, due to the continuing rain, I stick to interesting photo vantage points around the memorial to US Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, Commander of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment during the American Civil War. The story of Shaw, the 54th Massachusetts, the first all-black combat unit of the US Army, and their valiant but suicidal attack on Battery Wagner on July 18th, 1863 is brilliantly depicted in the movie Glory with Morgan Freeman, so I won‘t go into that here. Instead, I try to get a shot of the memorial,  as well as the New Massachusetts State House, opened in 1798 to replace the old colonial era structure that had born witness to the Boston Massacre and the declaration of independence in 1776. Getting a good shot of the building proves difficult due to the heavy traffic up on Beacon Street, as well as the rainfall, so I just decide to move on.

The "new" Massachusetts State House. Despite the moniker, it was actually built a mere twenty years after independence.

Boston Common is certainly a nice place to hang out... if the weather permits, that is.

When it's pouring down, it is far less attractive. Oh, by the way. See that brick line in the path? That's my guide through Boston for today, the Freedom Trail.

Picking a route is easy, as Boston Common is the start of the „Freedom Trail“, a four kilometer trail through the city of Boston that connects all major historic sites in the city, most of which have a connection to the struggle for Independence of the Thirteen Colonies from Britain in the 18th century. Therefore, the next hour or so is a deep dive into American history, with places like Granary Burial Ground, the Old South Meeting House, the Old State House, the site of the Boston Massacre or Faneuil Hall all ringing very familiar to anyone who is interested in this particular part of history. It is also obvious just how well developed places like Boston were by the time the struggle for independence picked up momentum. Despite being pretty small, all of the remaining buildings from the 18th century are not just well preserved, but appear very well built in the first place, holding up far better than a number of Cork buildings dating back to the same period. What is even more remarkable is that, despite having long since been overshadowed by skyscrapers, these buildings have an air of style and authority about that makes them stand out even among their modern day neighbours.

The amount of historically significant buildings in Boston is surprisingly high by any standards. Whether it is Park Street Church (1809),

...Granary Burial Ground (1660) just around the corner from the church,

..., which by the way is the final resting place of several signatories of the Declaration of Independence,...

...King's Chapel (1749) and the accompanying Burial Ground,...

...Boston's old city hall (1865) right next door,...

...the Old South Meeting House (1729), the place where a certain Benjamin Franklin was baptised, and the Boston Tea Party was organised,...

...the Old State House (1713), which also overlooks the site of the 1770 Boston Massacre,...

or Faneuil Hall (1742), which was one of the city's principal market halls. All these sites are linked together by the Freedom Trail, by the way.

By the time I reach Faneuil Hall, it is lunch time, and with the rain still coming down, I decide against following in my parents‘ footsteps and opt for a lunch in the Quincy Market rather than at a place on the waterfront. I‘m spoilt for choice either way, as Quincy market offers hundreds of meters of food stalls, ranging from Asian to Italian to numerous local stalls selling the ubiquitous lobster rolls and clam chowders. I opt for one of the latter, going for a bread bowl, a combination that even my seafood-averse mother enjoyed while she was over here. One bit of advice here: While you may be spoilt for choice with regards to food, the same can‘t be said for seats or table. While the central rotunda acts as a food court of sorts and offers two levels of tables, actually getting a place at one of them is pretty much impossible at lunchtime. I end up circling the area for twenty minutes, akin to a shark stalking a surfer, before I find a table. The chowder is still hot though, and more importantly tastes great!

Quincy Market, right behind Faneuil Hall, is what can only be described as the stomach of Boston.

While there admittedly are some international brands in there,...

...most of the food stalls in there are run by locals, by the looks of it.

It's a family tradition. When in Boston, go for the clam chowder.

One bit of advice - Come early, the entire place is absolutely overrun at lunchtime!

With that essential business taken care off, and rain finally easing off, I decide to check out the waterfront, which is easier said than done due to quite a bit of construction work. Once you get away from the immediate downtown area, the hustle and bustle dies away immediately, as does the touristy nature of the area, and some of the buildings and streets might as well be standing in Germany. The area around Commercial Street in particular could just as well be located in Heidelberg. With its treelined streets, it reminds me a lot of the Neuenheim area of Heidelberg, where my parents lived for a few months after coming back from Prague. This part of Boston is surprisingly green in general, which is undoubtedly due to the „Big Dig“, a mamooth project that saw the Interstate 93 be routed away from the city center as well as being put underground. The former path of the old elevated highway is still visible as a green band in the city, having been converted into parklands.

Boston or Heidelberg? I'm kinda confused here.

I just love back streets like this for some reason...

Sorry for the HDR overkill... just kidding, I'm not sorry.

This used to be an interstate. A belt of green now marks the path of a highway that was moved underground as part of the "big dig" project. This sculpture is part of the Armenian Heritage Park.

The entire sculpture is dedicated to both the experience of Armenian immigrants in the US, and of course to the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide.

Now, I know the Tara expedition might be doing some sterling work with regards to marine research. Their boat still doesn't look to trustworthy, to be honest.

I think I just found my new yacht.

Is anyone else getting a certain "The Departed" vibe here?

These boats are everywhere in Boston Harbour. However, given the weather, I really didn't fancy a cruise.

The skyline is definitely impressive.

Once back outside Quincy Market, I hop back into the Downtown Crossing area, although I ultimately decide against going on a shopping spree, much to the relief of my bank account. Instead, I slowly make my way back to South Station, only to see my train to Providence slowly pull out of the station just as I arrive. Ah well, the best laid plans of men and mice. After having a bit of a rest at the station, I head back out to give the area around Fort Point Channel a bit of a look-in. While generally unremarkable from a tourist point of view, an old looking structure in the middle of Congress Street Bridge catches my eye. The structure turns out to be the Boston Tea Party Museum, a faithful recreation of a late 18th century wharf, complete with two period cargo ships tied up alongside. I decide to give them a pass, being more interested in a more recent artefact of Boston‘s history right at the mouth of the channel. Originally built in 1908, Northern Avenue Bridge served as a road, and more recently as a pedestrian bridge until its closure in December 2014 due to structural deficiencies. As a swing bridge, it is currently locked in the „open“ position, probably to ensure access to the yacht club right behind is. Apparently, the city is looking for ways to replace or at least reinvigorate the bridge, however, for the time being, it stands in the middle of Fort Point Channel as a rusting memorial to Boston‘s more industrial past.

Anyone in the mood for some salted tea?

The Boston Tea Party Museum sits smack in the middle of Fort Point Channel, though I'm not sure how true to life that location would have been. 

If there's a better symbol of the evolving nature of Boston than this old bridge from the city's industrial heyday, I can't think of it.

With the sun beginning to set outside, I make my way back to the station, pretty slowly as my feet are not at all amused by that sudden burst of activity. The train ride back is pretty packed, which makes sense, as it is a commuter service. The latter also explains while, once clear of Boston, the train stops at every „milk can“, as my parents used to say. Once again, the interiors are rather „rustic“ and certainly haven‘t aged well. But hey, the benches are comfortable, and I can at least get some writing done on my way back. Once past Sharon station, the train empties rapidly, and the last part of the ride is actually quite comfortable. Plus, there‘s just something to be said about a four minute walk from the platform to my hotel room. By the time I arrive there, my feet and I aren‘t on speaking terms anymore.

Back in Providence. I cannot stress enough just how useful the MBTA service between the airport and Boston is. Now if it would only run on weekends.

In Part 3 of this Five part series, it'll be all about Providence, and a rather spectacular festival that I wasn't expecting. Feel free to check it out!