Jon's and my first reaction to Salem, Mass....check out the garbage in the background
The next day we found our way back on the train to go back to Boston. We get off...go check into the Bulfinch Hotel and head down to Fenway Park! We get to Fenway and get our tickets to see the tour and off we went...it was sort of sad there weren't any Yankee Fans there...it would've been fun to listen to the bickering. When we started the tour the ballpark was getting some remodeling and upgrading done. So needless to say some things were left out...like going to get to stand on the Green Monster!!! It was sad...but we did get to see the press box and the different views from the stands and I got to see the history about those different aspects of the park and that their are still the original seats there...they're falling apart sort of and small but it was cool. The one thing I was figuring would be done is what I got to see on the Yankee Stadium tour.
The salem witch museum
Which was going down to the field and sit in the dug out and going into the locker room. So it was sort of disappointing trip to the park, but still fun to hear the history!!! There were a lot of firsts and a lot of aspects that make the park different that I would never have seen if I didn't know the history. Like the single red chair in outfield and the rickety old blue chairs under the hover hang.
Once we were done with Fenway Park we walked back towards Boston where we had some goals to hit.
One goal was to walk along Newbury Street to see the shops.
John Turner's grave from Salem dated 1680
Which I felt out of place because flying stand by and not really knowing what I'm doing when I get to the city I pack really light in a shoulder bag and since I went to Fenway Park I was in PSU T-shirt...so I didn't fit in going to Prada or Kate Spade and shops like that. But some shops did catch my eye that I had to go in...poor Jon got dragged in there too. (I know Brandon can feel his pain because I did the same to him in NYC, but not as much). So we went into Cole Hann and I was so fascinated with their shoes. I always heard of them, but then I heard that they're great for standing and working in all day...which sucks because I heard this after I went to NYC and bought a pair of Aerosoles (which Brandon was nice enough to go in with me) and I couldn't afford or justify buying a new pair of shoes. But the lady was really nice, even though I looked like a bum, and told me that we have on in PGH in the South Side!!! We also went into the original Filene's Basement where I saw a lot of stuff that was on sale, but couldn't afford either.
outside of Fenway Park
..that trip to chi-town really hit into my pocket! But there was this Bergdorf Goodman coat that was a grand...it was 60% off!!! And I found an Emilio Pucci change purse which I did get...it was 75% and very affordable!!
After my shopping trip we went to our 2nd stop at the Hard Rock Cafe so I could get a pin for my dad...it's been a habit of mine since I started traveling when I was in high school.
Third stop was at the original cheers. And let me just say, it was sad because they didn't know my name...but they were really, really friendly, so that made up for it.
On the Fenway park tour...and no this isn't photoshopped...this is the out come of a photo major taking it!
We got there and ordered a drink and an appetizer..we were hungry but wanted to wait to hear from Ed to see if we were doing dinner or getting together with him later. So we order our grub...talk to the bar tender and picked up some souveniers...I got some beer nuts and since I missed work the thursday before due to plane cancelations I didn't get to take my popcorn to my Sup meeting and decided to make a snack out of that weeks meeting. We got our call from Ed while we were eating some lobster/spinach dip and he said that he just wanted to meet us after dinner...so we went back up towards the hotel and decided we were going to go change to go eat up in Cambridge and see Harvard Square.
We get off the train and as we're walking back up to the hotel we decide to stop off at Quincy Market to go see what Dick's Last Resort is.
It took us forever to find it...Jon had this great idea to cut through a park to see the scenery...but in the process we walked about a mile out of the way and had to turn around!!
We heard it's this place where you can treat the waiters like crap and they treat you like crap...every retailers dream. While we're there we ended up actually eating dinner. We were sort of sad because they were just a little rude. The waiter, Mickey, just threw the menu at us and when asking a question he was like what do you want. But he said he liked us so he was nice...which was sad because the woman at Salem said that one time a guy was bragging about his girlfriends implants when his wife called and the waitress got on the phone and told his wife that he was at Dick's with his girlfriend and her big boobs. Then the waiter was telling us about how he had a rich girl come in for her birthday and he made her bus the table and serve her friends when she has a butler for that at home...that's what I wanted to see...but sadly it didn't happen.
So around 9:30ish we head out of there and went a grabbed some drinks with Ed.
at dick's last resort with our waiter, Mickey, who looks like my friend Chris
..our friend from college. It was good seeing him...Last time I saw him was like 2003 or so.. He was surprised we called him because it was a last minute trip and we surprised him. but it was good to get a hold of him and to just shoot the breeze. And he had a car so instead of it taking about 20 minutes to get back to the hotel it only took us about 5!
We get out the next day to leave for the airport and make a side stop to eat lunch at the countries oldest restaurant...the Union Oyster House and then we went over to the Countries oldest Tavern, the Bell at Hand (1795). It was cool. The waiters there were awesome too. I don't know why Boston got termed the name as Mass-holes because they are awesome...very friendly and informative.
So I went into Fenway Park with the same expectations as Yankee Stadium...now don't get me wrong...I'm more a Bo-sox fan than a Yankee Fan but this tour didn't live up to my expectations. We didn't get to go into the locker room like at Yankee nor down into the dug out...which was sad. And the one place I wanted to see and go on to was the Green Monster. But it didn't happen neither; it was shut down to prep for opening day...sigh....
It was a good tour. My tour guide was more fun than my Yankee tour guide and he told us more of the history of the team, the curse of the great bambino and history of the stadium.
So if you go up to Boston check out Fenway Park...you will have a lot of fun!
Big Chair in the club house of F
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Fenway Park from the Street outside
Phenomenal downtown hotel
So on my train ride to Salem I was looking through Hotel books and saw this hotel and according to the map it was in a really good location and it was really affordable ($130 per night) for being in downtown Boston. So I called and made the reservations.
After Salem we went to the hotel and checked in and the gentleman behind the counter was very nice and welcoming. We checked our bags to our room and went on our way to galavant around town.
When we came back our room had a modern feel to it (though the TV was a little bulky for the look of the room). But it was very comfortable and even though we were on the 6th floor (the top floor before the suites) the shower had very good pressure and good hot water.
We went to bed for the night and my legs were killing me from that day and the day before. When I woke up my legs were soothed and I was well rested because the bed was so comfortable...it was the second best bed I have ever had in a hotel.
If you go to Boston stay in the Bulfinch. It is in an awesome location and you can walk to Quincy Market a couple blocks away and jump on the train to get down towards Fenway Park or over to the Airport!!!
