Boston - a Rock and a Hard Place

Martha's Vineyard to Boston

Down to breakfast the off for a walk through the gingerbread houses again...

Lots of squirrels about this morning. Somewhere near here is the place I didn't stay at because their reply to an email I sent them had atrocious grammar - great reason not to stay somewhere!

Down to the wharf and onto the ferry to Hyannis.

 Went past the Kennedy Compound, off in the distance. My camera is playing up (hopefully it just needs a new battery). Got it working as we came into Hyannis port. So pretty.

Had a quick look around - it didn't take long - then into a taxi to the airport. When renting a car that has a different pick up and drop off location (as I'm doing), you have to do it from airports. I could not understand a word the driver was saying. He was recommending that I should go to a town I worked out later, when I saw the signs, was Provincetown. I'm having enough of a time getting to Boston!

Got my car and I'm sure I filled them with encouragement as I walked to the right-hand side to get in. The guy had given me directions on how to get to the road to Plymouth and Boston and I actually managed to follow them - was very happy with that. I got onto route 6 and came to signs saying Plymouth and Boston and actually said 'excellent' out loud.

Drove along happily in the right lane, letting all the cars go past me. I am doing the speed limit but have been told that everyone speeds and it appears that they do.

On the approach to Plymouth there was an information turnoff so I took that - I don't have a GPS so need all the information I can get. Nice lady gave me directions into town which I again managed to follow. 

Into Plymouth where the Mayflower landed after two months of travel - the same amount of time as my trip though I'm sure the travels of the Pilgrims were exceedingly different to mine. Wandered up Leyden Street (first settled street in Plymouth) and up to Burial Hill where many are buried. There were quite a few children. Also a few women listed as 'consort' of such and such.

Ready for lunch and I decided on a shop advertising that I'd fall in love with their pumpkin pancakes. I didn't. Maybe a like, but certainly not love. Pumpkin-flavoured pancakes with walnuts, whipped cream, cinnamon and sugar. Looked like this...

I just wanted to take the food photo that many do. Doesn't it look appetising? Yeah, it wasn't.

Back to the water and to the rock itself. It's quite small - apparently it's been worn down, used to be three times the size. It's also not known to be the actual rock that they landed on. There is no description of it in the history books and it was saved around 100 years after the landing when they were going to put in a wharf or something and they salvaged it. Don't think that's clear, never mind.

A few steps past this I stopped to take this photo...

..and I saw three tourists walking past me, chatting. Guy says, "Isn't there supposed to be a rock around here somewhere?" They should stop talking and pay attention maybe. It was right next to them.

They have a replica of the Mayflower there. Went onboard to have a look around. They have a few people dressed up, in character, to explain stuff. This can sometimes be a bit twee but it worked well here.

I had lucked onto a car park when I got here - perfect two-hour spot that I could drive into, didn't have to parallel park. When I got back, there were cars on either side so I had to reverse back and swing out. Not sure on the spacing and a nice man guided me out. Otherwise I could still be there!

Managed to get back onto the freeway and head towards the dreaded bit - drive into Boston. Was feeling a bit sick about it now. Jeannie (Niagara driver) had said on their tours, they weren't allowed to drive in Boston. The shuttle driver from the train to the ferry said she doesn't drive in Boston anymore. Eric, who runs Oak Bluffs Inn, grimaced when I said I was driving there and when I said I normally drive  on the left, said, "Now I am really scared." It's something I have been dreading.

So driving along, found the merge, 93, and did so, feeling okay about it all. See the signs for exit 26 coming up, I'm in the right lane, all ready to turn off, then this lane goes off to some other exit and exit 26 is two lanes over. I can't get to it, have to take the exit I'm on.

Next choice is Boston south or the airport. I don't know. I think I went south. Drove around in a huge square, there's nowhere to pull over and look for directions. I find a spot, pull over and then see it's for commercial vehicles and there's a UPS truck behind me wanting to get in. Finally managed to get back onto 93 but now it's after exit 26. I get off at 28, hoping it's not too far to double back. This exit takes forever to get off. 

This is a part of town I'm guessing isn't on any tour itineraries. Finally find somewhere to pull over, find the directions and take off. And again a turnoff is not at all clear and I'm now in a different section. So find somewhere to pull over, find the spot, drive on.

Find the spot, up here, turn left, follow on and it should be on the left. Follow on and it's a one way street - I can't get down. So go to go around. Turn into a street and it's a private street with no parking. I do park and see a lady walking a dog - that must mean she's local. Asked her for help and she tells me how to drive the two blocks to get there.

This went on for the better part of 90 minutes. It wasn't scary, just incredibly frustrating. It was like circling something from a huge circle that gradually narrowed down to the target.

Found the car garage that offers cheap parking to guests of John Jeffries House. I couldn't understand this guy either. Finally realised he was telling me to get out of the car, he would park it. I was quite happy to get out of it!

And so here we are...

I do love the anticipation of opening a hotel room door - what will it be like? This was cute, and again, much nicer than the photo on the website. (And therefore probably nicer than this photo too).

That door to the right is this...

 

..so now I will feel guilty if I don't cook a meal!

Went down to the common room for a much-needed coffee the headed along Charles Street - beautiful...

..to this...

Very cool. They have a gift shop with all things Cheers. There is a Norm bobble head - I'm wondering if that was all that was made or if they were all made and no one wants Norm.

Saw lots of this today...

But made it!