Ok, so this is what happened. As you all know (because you read my blog so diligantly) I ended up stranded in Detroit / Grand Rapids last weekend on my way to Boston because of the snow storms on the East Coast. Well just to finish the trip strong I had more travel problems on the way home also. Caroline and I went to the Boston airport at 2 pm last Saturday for Caroline's 4 pm flight (due to being a cheap travelling pseudo-student type I opted for a flight 2 hours later to save some cash). Caroline got on her flight and it left no problem. I hang out at my gate reading a book waiting for my flight. I landed, unloaded and was getting very close to boarding time when they announced that the oil light had some on at landing and when they checked it out they found metal filings in the oil. Disturbing..... So the cancelled the flight. I had an extra night in Boston in the ritzy hotel airport, went back into town for another bowl of clam chowder and some wine and meet some locals.
Then yesterday I travelled from Boston through Salt Lake City to Vancouver. The bonus: I didn't need to take a bus from Seattle for Vancouver. Unfortunately I did not have a passport and didn't even think of it until I was boarding in Salt Lake as I had originally planned to go back to Canada by land. Fortunately they let me go without much trouble but told me I wasn't allowed back in the States, BANNED.......
So there you have it. More random ramblings of my obscure life :)
Monday, March 26, 2007
Friday, March 23, 2007
Manhattan in a Day
That's right we did Manhattan in a day. We are having a slow morning we were very tired last night and still have sore feet.
We rose before the sun yesterday morning and caught a China Town bus to New York. We caught what sleep we could on the bus and arrived in Chinatown, Manhattan
at 11am After a bit of disorientation we began our walking tour. First we went to lower Manhattan and saw all the classic touristy things: ground zero, statue of liberty, the court house, Wall street, the New York Stock Exchange and the Korean and Vietnam war memorials.
Next we started the long trek to downtown Manhattan located mid island. We passed through Chinatown, had a bite to eat in Little Italy and headed on up to see the UN, 5th Ave, Central Park, Grand Central station, the Empire state building and Times Square. Then we took the subway back to Chinatown and ran to catch the 9pm bus back to Boston. We arrived at the bus depot at 1am caught a taxi back to the hotel and got to bed by 2am. Needless to say it was along day.
We rose before the sun yesterday morning and caught a China Town bus to New York. We caught what sleep we could on the bus and arrived in Chinatown, Manhattan
at 11am After a bit of disorientation we began our walking tour. First we went to lower Manhattan and saw all the classic touristy things: ground zero, statue of liberty, the court house, Wall street, the New York Stock Exchange and the Korean and Vietnam war memorials.
Next we started the long trek to downtown Manhattan located mid island. We passed through Chinatown, had a bite to eat in Little Italy and headed on up to see the UN, 5th Ave, Central Park, Grand Central station, the Empire state building and Times Square. Then we took the subway back to Chinatown and ran to catch the 9pm bus back to Boston. We arrived at the bus depot at 1am caught a taxi back to the hotel and got to bed by 2am. Needless to say it was along day.
Now, here are the pictures:
Chinatown in Manhattan.
Me in Chinatown, we thought the sign above my head was interesting. you can't really read it, but it says "no standing allowed, except for trucks."
Caroline at Ground Zero.
The Statue of Liberty from the Staten Island Ferry. We felt no special ties to Ellis Island so we opted for the less expensive option.
The view down Wall street.
Caroline walking up the Brooklyn Bridge.
Caroline in front of the UN plaza of nations.
Me in Central Park, from here we went to see Strawberry Fields and Shakespeare Gardens.
Me in Times Square.
Chinatown in Manhattan.
Me in Chinatown, we thought the sign above my head was interesting. you can't really read it, but it says "no standing allowed, except for trucks."
Caroline at Ground Zero.
The Statue of Liberty from the Staten Island Ferry. We felt no special ties to Ellis Island so we opted for the less expensive option.
The view down Wall street.
Caroline walking up the Brooklyn Bridge.
Caroline in front of the UN plaza of nations.
Me in Central Park, from here we went to see Strawberry Fields and Shakespeare Gardens.
Me in Times Square.Art Museums in Boston
Ok, now to finish off what I started yesterday morning.
After we walked down the shopping street and went to the homeless artists art sale, we got on the subway (also known as the T) and headed out to the Museum of Fine Arts and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
We went to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum first. Caroline had been there before on an English tour of New England last year. However, for me it was a first time visit. The museum was amazing! It was an art museum, but had the atmosphere of walking through a house. Lots of paintings and sculptures were tucked in corners or aligned in a row right at the top of the wall were it meets the celling. Everywhere you looked there was something that you hadn't yet seen. The museum boasts some very famous European Masters such as Rembrant and Machelangelo, which I am not used to seeing being from the Westcoast; most all the famous European artists were sealed in museum collection long before the west coast was in a position to look at developing museums.
The other very cool thing about it was that very few peices of art, be they sculptures, paintings, books or historic artifacts, were behind glass. There was just like a sculpture from the 6th century right there; you could reach out and touch it. Of course they had gaurds in every room to ensure that people weren't touching the art work or lounging on antique sofa.
In total there were 3 floors of art work and in the middle of the building was a beautiful garden.
Next we headed over to the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA). We started it and will finish on Saturday before we fly back home. I will write more about it then. I'll just say for now that after going to Isabella Stewart Gardner it wasn't nearly as excitting being in the MFA; everything was beind plexy glass, the rooms had bright lighting with bland coloured walls. Not at all arranged in a pleasing-to-the-eye fashion. Nevertheless, it does contain marvilous works of art as well.
Sorry, I am trying to attach some pictures, but blogger doesn't seem to be working very well right now.
After we walked down the shopping street and went to the homeless artists art sale, we got on the subway (also known as the T) and headed out to the Museum of Fine Arts and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
We went to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum first. Caroline had been there before on an English tour of New England last year. However, for me it was a first time visit. The museum was amazing! It was an art museum, but had the atmosphere of walking through a house. Lots of paintings and sculptures were tucked in corners or aligned in a row right at the top of the wall were it meets the celling. Everywhere you looked there was something that you hadn't yet seen. The museum boasts some very famous European Masters such as Rembrant and Machelangelo, which I am not used to seeing being from the Westcoast; most all the famous European artists were sealed in museum collection long before the west coast was in a position to look at developing museums.
The other very cool thing about it was that very few peices of art, be they sculptures, paintings, books or historic artifacts, were behind glass. There was just like a sculpture from the 6th century right there; you could reach out and touch it. Of course they had gaurds in every room to ensure that people weren't touching the art work or lounging on antique sofa.
In total there were 3 floors of art work and in the middle of the building was a beautiful garden.
Next we headed over to the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA). We started it and will finish on Saturday before we fly back home. I will write more about it then. I'll just say for now that after going to Isabella Stewart Gardner it wasn't nearly as excitting being in the MFA; everything was beind plexy glass, the rooms had bright lighting with bland coloured walls. Not at all arranged in a pleasing-to-the-eye fashion. Nevertheless, it does contain marvilous works of art as well.
Sorry, I am trying to attach some pictures, but blogger doesn't seem to be working very well right now.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Boston Day 3
Goodmorning everyone. Well we were just awakened by 3 alarms that we set to all go off at once to be sure that we did not sleep-in and miss our bus. I am now well rested and am going to attempt a report of yesterday's happening in hopes that they turn out better than my last post.
To start we slept in, we were going to go and watch the sun rise over the ocean. On the flight from Seattle I realized that I have never seen the sun rise over the ocean; I have only seen it set over the ocean, being a west coaster. However, that did not happen yesterday so we are planning a second attempt on Saturday.
After sleeping in and putzing around the hotel room, slow morning, we headed out to do some shopping, more so store gazing, down the ritzy shopping street. We poked around a very expensive thrift shop, had an olive oil tasting at a ritzy olive oil store and looked at very expensive antiques at an antique store.
As we were walking past a older stone church we saw a hand painted sign saying "Art Show", red letters on a blue background. We decided to investigate, pulled open the heavy wooden door and found ourselves in the church atrium, rather dark with a pile of last weeks bullitens on a table directly in front of us. There was a lot of buzz coming from a room off to our right and a women wearing a bandana came out to greet us. She told us about how the church opens up its doors to homless artists, so that they have a place to work, every Wendesday. We looked at the art work which included paintings, jewlary made from sea glass, and a veriety of knitted and croched art, which were all located at one far end of the room. Int he rest of the rorom were the artists who were busily working, chatting with friends over a cheap muffin, or looking up inquizatively at the visiters, that being us. The women told us that they church heard that there was a need for this art program and supplied all the supplies and the artists had a chance to sell their work, all the money from the sale went directly to the artists. We looked around. Caroline found a piece that depected Copley square, painted by a homless man from Equador. I also found a very nice piece that isn't, as far as I can tell, a picture of any scene in Boston. We saw the artists that had painted our treasure finds and Caroline was able to meet her artists. Mine however, has very shy and did not want to come and say hello. This for me was one of the highlights of my day.
More on yesterday later, we need to head out to catch the NYC bus right now.
Randomness of the day:
Caroline was asked three times yesterday about her height. First, what position she plays; then what time it was, which the inquirer quickly changed to "how tall are you"; and lastly by some random man we walked past in Quency market who told her that she would get along with his 7'4" couisin.
To start we slept in, we were going to go and watch the sun rise over the ocean. On the flight from Seattle I realized that I have never seen the sun rise over the ocean; I have only seen it set over the ocean, being a west coaster. However, that did not happen yesterday so we are planning a second attempt on Saturday.
After sleeping in and putzing around the hotel room, slow morning, we headed out to do some shopping, more so store gazing, down the ritzy shopping street. We poked around a very expensive thrift shop, had an olive oil tasting at a ritzy olive oil store and looked at very expensive antiques at an antique store.
As we were walking past a older stone church we saw a hand painted sign saying "Art Show", red letters on a blue background. We decided to investigate, pulled open the heavy wooden door and found ourselves in the church atrium, rather dark with a pile of last weeks bullitens on a table directly in front of us. There was a lot of buzz coming from a room off to our right and a women wearing a bandana came out to greet us. She told us about how the church opens up its doors to homless artists, so that they have a place to work, every Wendesday. We looked at the art work which included paintings, jewlary made from sea glass, and a veriety of knitted and croched art, which were all located at one far end of the room. Int he rest of the rorom were the artists who were busily working, chatting with friends over a cheap muffin, or looking up inquizatively at the visiters, that being us. The women told us that they church heard that there was a need for this art program and supplied all the supplies and the artists had a chance to sell their work, all the money from the sale went directly to the artists. We looked around. Caroline found a piece that depected Copley square, painted by a homless man from Equador. I also found a very nice piece that isn't, as far as I can tell, a picture of any scene in Boston. We saw the artists that had painted our treasure finds and Caroline was able to meet her artists. Mine however, has very shy and did not want to come and say hello. This for me was one of the highlights of my day.
More on yesterday later, we need to head out to catch the NYC bus right now.
Randomness of the day:
Caroline was asked three times yesterday about her height. First, what position she plays; then what time it was, which the inquirer quickly changed to "how tall are you"; and lastly by some random man we walked past in Quency market who told her that she would get along with his 7'4" couisin.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Boston Day 2
Well it has been two days since I last blogged and in that time we have seen and experienced a lot of different things. Ranging in randomness from an olive oil tasting to perfecting our skills at J-walking.
I am trying to be creative, sorry it isn't working very well. Here is what we did yesterday:
1. Took the subway to Cambridge, looked around downtown Cambridge then continued on to Harvard University.
2. Went to the Museum of Natural History (located at Harvard), they highlights of which were the Comparative Zoology Museum and the Glass Plant collection, both of which were extremely incredable.
3. Walked around Harvard square and poked around some very cute boutiques one of which, called Little Tibet, was playing very strange low throat sort of chanting music, but the clothes were cool.
4. Went out for Afgany food in east Cambridge, it was very good. The restaurant was fully equiped with an operating brick bread oven, fresh flat bread of which we were served.
I will give you all more info when I can think straighter. Right now I have sore feet from standing in museums all day and need to sleep. Tomorrow the plan is New York City: Manhatten really. The plan is to rise at 5:15, prior to the sun and catch a bus to New York and then be act like nerdy tourists all day taking pictures of ourselves in front of well known places.
I am trying to be creative, sorry it isn't working very well. Here is what we did yesterday:
1. Took the subway to Cambridge, looked around downtown Cambridge then continued on to Harvard University.
2. Went to the Museum of Natural History (located at Harvard), they highlights of which were the Comparative Zoology Museum and the Glass Plant collection, both of which were extremely incredable.
3. Walked around Harvard square and poked around some very cute boutiques one of which, called Little Tibet, was playing very strange low throat sort of chanting music, but the clothes were cool.
4. Went out for Afgany food in east Cambridge, it was very good. The restaurant was fully equiped with an operating brick bread oven, fresh flat bread of which we were served.
I will give you all more info when I can think straighter. Right now I have sore feet from standing in museums all day and need to sleep. Tomorrow the plan is New York City: Manhatten really. The plan is to rise at 5:15, prior to the sun and catch a bus to New York and then be act like nerdy tourists all day taking pictures of ourselves in front of well known places.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Arrival in Boston MA
Well, our first half day in Boston is quickly drawing to a close.
After a very random flight delay last night in Grand rapids I headed out the door soon after I had written my post to retrieve a very frustrated Caroline from the Grand Rapids airport. On a positive note, I got the rudimentaries of Grand Rapids navigation down. Long story short, we both travelled to Boston today.
My day started with a 3 hour bus ride from Grand Rapids to Detroit, and then a Taxicab from the Greyhound station to the airport. Lets just say that my first experience with big city cabbies was not a pleasant one. Sensing my innocence of metropolis experience the cab driver, after puling away from the curb, offered me a deal: $60 for the 8 mile trip to the airport. I was somewhat confused as he did have a meter installed. He told me to name my price, I considered for a while and then told him I would pay him no more than $38. To which he replied, with a slight grin, "someone told you what the trip was worth, hey." "No," I replied, "I just don't understand how it can be so expensive for 8 miles." After that experience I am quite glad that Boston was a solid transit system.
Anyways, moving on to more 'not so trivial' details. Upon our arrival in Boston I was happily reunited with my bag (meaning clean clothes and underwear), and we were out of the airport and on the subway with little delay.
My first impressions of the subway station reminded me of scenes in movies: lots of people, bright colours, street musicions and shabbily clad vagabonds. We quickly found our hotel behind the Boston Public Library and were uncerimoniously thrust into a very different world: a professionally dressed host and hostess, elaborite woodtrim decerating the lobby, and a welcoming bowl of fruit on the counter. We wasted little time in dropping off our luggage, the tell tale sign out our tourist state, and head for the streets of downtown Boston; nothing particular in mind.
We found our way through the Public Garden and the Boston Commons, not lush and green as you see in the pictures, but cold with heaps of dirty melting snow and leafless trees lining the busy walking paths. There were also clourfully clothes children taking advantage of the freak snowfall at the local sleding hill.
Nothing more of great intrest. We are back in the hotel and planning for tomorrow.
Random Question of the Day: Caroline was asked if she was from Belgium.
After a very random flight delay last night in Grand rapids I headed out the door soon after I had written my post to retrieve a very frustrated Caroline from the Grand Rapids airport. On a positive note, I got the rudimentaries of Grand Rapids navigation down. Long story short, we both travelled to Boston today.
My day started with a 3 hour bus ride from Grand Rapids to Detroit, and then a Taxicab from the Greyhound station to the airport. Lets just say that my first experience with big city cabbies was not a pleasant one. Sensing my innocence of metropolis experience the cab driver, after puling away from the curb, offered me a deal: $60 for the 8 mile trip to the airport. I was somewhat confused as he did have a meter installed. He told me to name my price, I considered for a while and then told him I would pay him no more than $38. To which he replied, with a slight grin, "someone told you what the trip was worth, hey." "No," I replied, "I just don't understand how it can be so expensive for 8 miles." After that experience I am quite glad that Boston was a solid transit system.
Anyways, moving on to more 'not so trivial' details. Upon our arrival in Boston I was happily reunited with my bag (meaning clean clothes and underwear), and we were out of the airport and on the subway with little delay.
My first impressions of the subway station reminded me of scenes in movies: lots of people, bright colours, street musicions and shabbily clad vagabonds. We quickly found our hotel behind the Boston Public Library and were uncerimoniously thrust into a very different world: a professionally dressed host and hostess, elaborite woodtrim decerating the lobby, and a welcoming bowl of fruit on the counter. We wasted little time in dropping off our luggage, the tell tale sign out our tourist state, and head for the streets of downtown Boston; nothing particular in mind.We found our way through the Public Garden and the Boston Commons, not lush and green as you see in the pictures, but cold with heaps of dirty melting snow and leafless trees lining the busy walking paths. There were also clourfully clothes children taking advantage of the freak snowfall at the local sleding hill.
Nothing more of great intrest. We are back in the hotel and planning for tomorrow.
Random Question of the Day: Caroline was asked if she was from Belgium.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
In Grand Rapids MI
Well as a result of the snow storms onthe eastern sea board a few days ago I was stranded in the Detroit airport and have found my way to Grand Rapids MI.
My flight has been rescheduled and I will continue on to Boston first thing tomorrow morning. I just got back from dropping Caroline off at the airport and am now going to be spending the evening and night with her housemates.
More on my adventures in Detroit and Grand Rapids in the near future....
My flight has been rescheduled and I will continue on to Boston first thing tomorrow morning. I just got back from dropping Caroline off at the airport and am now going to be spending the evening and night with her housemates.
More on my adventures in Detroit and Grand Rapids in the near future....
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