Boston goals

This morning, Cas and I started off with a quick bite at a coffee shop in the Italian area of town.  We each had a cappuccino, and we split a chocolate cannoli.  That’s apparently a cannoli whose shell is dipped in dark chocolate prior to adding the filling.  Wow.  It was pretty spectacular.  Today was a day that vacillated between rain and drizzle pretty much the whole time, reserving the breaks in the weather for the moments when Cas and I were inside of a building.  It was like clockwork.  We’d go in somewhere, and the rain would let up.  We’d step out again, and it was downpour time.  I am writing this right now while Cas is in the bathroom aiming a blow dryer at his jeans.  

In spite of the general crappiness of the weather, we managed to accomplish a lot of our Boston goals.  We left the coffee shop and headed to the Old North Church, where we caught a reading of the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere.  We stuck around the church for a while, looking around the inside and the grounds until it was time for the Middlesex County Volunteer Fifes and Drums group.  They came out in costume and they played so well and so loud that I was ready to go into battle.  The group had period costumes and plenty of personality.  We hung out for several songs.  

When we left there, we headed out to accomplish our most significant Boston goals.  Cas wanted to eat clam chowder and a lobster roll.  I wanted to visit the Bell In Hand, the oldest continuously operating bar in America.  We did all of those things at the same table.  The Bell In Hand has very good clam chowder and excellent lobster rolls.  Check and check.  

My day could have wrapped up there, and I would have been happy, but we wanted to walk along the Freedom Trail and see a few things before cashing in our chips for the day.  We had other things we wanted to see, and it would have been pretty straightforward, but the weather decided to add a layer of challenge.  I don’t remember the last time my feet were this wet with shoes on.  It must have been a water ride at an amusement park . We would walk a bit, then stop somewhere for a visit or a beer.  That would be the precise moment the rain would let up.  We got confident looking out a window and headed for the door, just in time to welcome the next wave of rain.  Every single time.  The rain was nearly constant, and the winds made sure you couldn’t just casually hold an umbrella.  You had to wield it.  You had to aim it against the winds, or risk it flipping inside out, as so many of them did today. It was just crappy.  

But, like I said, we accomplished our big, Boston goals today, and we even stopped in at the Cheers bar.  No Ted Danson, I’m afraid, and George Wendt was nowhere in sight.  And because Karma must be trying to make up for things, our Harbor Cruise that was scheduled for this evening was rescheduled.  They called today and said they would be cancelling tonight, but somehow, they magically had two spots on tomorrow night’s boat, when the weather appears to be more promising.  So, the crummy weather got our July 3 fireworks harbor cruise (where there probably won’t be fireworks, because, weather…) moved to July 4th (where there probably will be be two days’ worth of amazing fireworks.).

Heck, I’ll take it.  Should be good as soon as we both dry out.  In the meantime, we have dinner reservations just around the corner from the hotel.  Good thing, too.  I don’t think I have much hope of dry pants by then, and walking outside in shorts is going to make me go pretty fast.  

Here are many damp photos,  Enjoy: https://photos.app.goo.gl/2sYnZaQSheDb6sfJ6