Monday June 6th

Today my plan was to follow the Freedom Trail across Boston. After oatmeal for breakfast at McDonalds, I hopped the train to Park Station, which was the starting point for the trail. I grabbed a map and then followed the signs to the first point. Everywhere I turned, there were men and women dressed as historic characters taking tourists (mostly school kids) on walking tours of the trail. Without a guide, the trail became nothing more than a group of buildings, so I started veering off track.


The first off track moment came at Quincy Market, an outdoor shopping community. I wasn’t here to shop, but I did browse the coolest Christmas store I have ever seen. It was two floors and had Christmas ornaments for everything you could imagine – they’d even set-up a tree in a shoe addict theme!


I made my way across to the Harbour, where I found ‘Sargent’s Wharf’, and across the bridge to more sights on the Freedom Trail. It was easier to follow now as there was red paint marked on the footpath and the road. On my way back into town was TD Stadium. This was of interest for two reasons, one being that it was where the Glee concert was supposed to have taken place tonight, and two being it was the place where the third game of the Stanley Cup play-offs was taking place tonight against Vancouver (go Canucks!!)


I made my way back to Fenuil Hall, which was located inside Quincy Market. It comprised 40 ‘street-carts’ – pizza, pretzels, bagels, brownies – you name it! After much debate – and steering clear of the tempting brownies – I had a bagel for lunch, before checking out the souvenir stores below (there was even a ‘Cheers’ store, as the original bar that Cheers was based on is located in Boston, very much a tourist trap now).


Having now done the Freedom Trail, however bad a job it may have been, I spent some time exploring the Boston CBD – including ducking into a H&M store. After a few hours of R&R in the hostel, it was time for dinner. There weren’t a lot of options around the hostel but there was a food court down the road, which I made a beeline for. After a few bites of a terrible Chinese meal, I remembered there was a Pinkberry store nearby. Pinkberry is a new addiction after first tasting it in Los Angeles (although I haven’t actually found another store up until now) of frozen yoghurt, topped with whatever toppings you like. Small salted caramel frozen yoghurt with hazelnut praline and yoghurt chips, coming right up!


The hostel didn’t have a TV room to watch the hockey, so I followed it on my laptop. Just as well, as the Canucks went down 8-1. Lucky it’s a best of 7!