Traveling America: Boston

Courtesy of the IET, we were in Boston, MA. We had a meeting and attended IET PATW New England Network Finals at Northeastern University. It was a fantastic outing, having met members and students from the America. The difference in views and lifestyle was apparent. Hopefully, with a clearer view of IET Americas, we could devise a YP strategy and better support CC-Americas.

Northeastern University

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I have never been to America, and to be honest, America was never on my bucket list. It has always been somewhere faraway. Indeed, the flight was 24 hours, with a 1.5 hour transit in Doha. My first impression of Boston was, 'Wow, it feels like England, and the chilly weather feels the same too'.

Wasn't the best first impression - Why do people need guns?

I am aware that the East coast and West Coast, North and South are vastly different. US is such a huge country.

It was end of March, and the temperature was still hovering below 8 degrees Celsius.

View of the Charles Rive on Day-1 dawn (Snowed throughout the night)

Thankfully, the next day was beautiful (but I still needed my bulky Scottish winter jacket)

Boston is one of the earliest English settlements and oldest cities in the US. Wikipedia gives a good history lesson.

After our conference, we explored the city. It was a nice day, but the temperature was still below 5 degrees. One of the must-dos in Boston is the Freedom Trail. Apparently, Boston was where the American Revolution began. The olden days are always associated with wars and batters.

This well-designed 4km 'trail' is marked by red bricks or red lines. It includes all important sites, buildings and monuments. This is actually a brilliant idea, and helps tourists navigate (and don't require too much homework). Of course, you'll need strong legs to complete the trail.

The 'trail' map

Juxtaposing the century-old Old-State House with modern skyscrapers

The Old State House was where most executions were carried out.

Quincy Market, beside Faneuil Hall

A stall inside Faneuil Marketplace

Fanueil Marketplace Center Count

Massachusetts State House, outside Boston Commons - The oldest city parks in the US

Just in case you are slightly confuse with the relations between New England, Massachusetts, Cambridge (of Massachusetts, not the one in England), and Boston, don't worry.

Basically, New England is a region of 6 states, which include the state of Massachusetts. Boston is the capital of the state of Massachusetts (MA), while Cambridge is an area located to the north of Boston, separated by the Charles River. Cambridge is where Harvard University and MIT are located. As you may have guessed, Cambridge, MA, was founded by a group of Cambridge University (England) theologians, who were known as the Puritans.

Diet in the US was never going to be healthy - They isn't much fruits and vegetables

Fortunately, a Uber driver recommended 'Whole Foods Market', a supermarket chain that sells organic and healthy food.

Posing like a warrior

Everywhere along the Freedom Trail, you could read stories of war and battles

Peace seems to be a commodity we take for granted nowadays. I think we need to appreciate the peace and prosperity we enjoy in the modern world.

Harvard University at Harvard Yard

Mr. John Harvard - Note that this was not Mr. Harvard himself, but just a random person

 Mr. Harvard's shoes has been subjected to numerous touches, pee, and god knows what else.

Everyone felt smarter walking around Harvard - The university is itself, a tourist attraction

As a Liverpool FC supporter, I know who our owner is: John Henry of the Fenway Group, who owns the Boston Red Sox, a baseball team. With some spare time, we made a 'puzzling' trip to Fenway Park. I have absolutely no idea about baseball.

It does look impressive

Like Bill Shankly at Anfield, T. Henry at Arsenal, you find the legends fitted into bronze statues

 Boston, being close to the Atlantic, is also known for its seafood.

Story of Legal Legend

Lobster meal

Eating lobster is like eating crabs, and to some extend, prawns. It's not for the faint-hearted. It requires patience, gets your hands and cutlery really oily and by the end of the meal, a messy table. Another local dish is clamp chowder (soup) with bread.

In the US, be prepared to tip the restaurant 15-25%.

Exploring around Boston was pleasant. I have been to numerous Chinatowns, but the one here was different. It was dedicated to the Republic of China (ROC), or basically today's Taiwan, rather than the usual People's Republic of China (PRC). A further research finds that there are many Taiwanese in Boston.

Boston is a Sister-City to Taipei

天下为公 was coined by the late Dr. Sun Yat-sen, China's founding father

Dr Sun's 3 main principles are: nationalism (民族), democracy (民权) and livelihood of people (民生).

Overall, Boston is a really nice city to live in. It has one of the highest concentration of universities per square mile in the US. There is a large student population. It's clean, cultured, and full with history.

If you are looking for a place to stay, Hi Hostel Boston is really good, clean and is located in the middle of towm. AirBnb is also a good option (if the price is reasonable).

If you are looking to do some shopping or bargain hunting, you could check out TJ Maxx and Marshals Outlets. Don't waste your time on Primark though. There are some factory outlets on Assembly Row across the river.