My little corner of the world...: Boston Day 1: Random Wanderings

The first day in Massachusetts really was just a day of random wanderings. I flew into the Boston airport, picked up the rental car and then drove to Rhode Island to pick up Corinnie from the cute little airport there. Let me tell you, renting a car was a huge deal for me. I've rented a car before but wasn't responsible for anything and my insurance agency took care of everything for me. All I had to do was pick it up. I was somewhat nervous to rent a car and I felt insanely grown up. It was much easier then I thought it would be and, thanks to the advice that Chris gave me, I was able to get the price that I reserved the car at and not the new, more expensive price they tried to charge me. I drove to Rhode Island with no problems and really loved it. I felt so at home and so safe driving on I-95 even if it was so much further north then I have ever driven. It was still 95!!

It was so good to see Corinnie when she came down the escalator at the airport! We saw each other last summer but didn't get to spend hardly any time together, so this was a big deal! This is the most time we have been able to spend together since she moved back to PA. We loved being roommates so I knew things would be perfectly fine and I was right. We picked up right where we left off and had a blast right from the start.

A fun one from the good old days!!

Another old one, we have the same eyeshadow. :)

After leaving the airport we stopped in some random towns along the way and took pictures of ourselves as well as pictures of churches and some other pretty things.

One of the pretty churches!!

Us!

Another pretty church!

Pawtucket,RI is beautiful!!

After the fun stops along I-95 we went to check-in at the hotel and then to meet Tom at the ICA. Most of the museum was under construction so we paid for 3 rooms. Not the best $12 I have ever spent but, ya know, every traveler has to make a mistake sometime. Luckily mine was a $12 mistake on the first day of the trip. I'm really glad that Tom came up from New York to wander around Boston with us. Tom and I always end up on these random little adventures and I hope we'll keep it up through the years. We always bicker (usually because I start it) but I am always so happy to see him and always really enjoy the time I spend with him. After the museum we decided to walk around the city. We were all pretty hungry, so we walked to a place that I heard about called the Barking Crab. We had shrimp and crab claws and I remembered why I am an east coast girl. Oh my seafood. How I love it.

Tom, Corinne & I at the ICA

Rin and the shrimp! Oh yum!

It would not be a Beth & Tom trip without seafood. I'm glad we made it official.

This is where the random wanderings title really comes in. We walked for 6 or 7 hours. We wandered along the harbor and then went into the North End, rested at Christopher Columbus Park, walked around Little Italy, walked around beautiful neighborhoods filled with beautiful homes and quaint little courtyards, walked to Bunker Hill and rested on top of the hill while looking at the monument, walked through the beautiful neighborhoods and took tons of pictures, walked to the USS Constitution and looked at it through the gates, went to Quincy Market and walked through Faneuil Hall and then went back to Little Italy to meet a friend that Tom & I met in Minnesota last year for dinner. We went to a little restaurant called Giacomo's that has maybe 8-10 tables. We stood in line for an hour and a half and finally got in right before they were closing. There was a couple behind us that overheard our declarations that the food better be good after that wait. They told us that they go to Boston from Florida just to eat at Giacomo's. My first thought was, "what would it be like to have that kind of money..." soon followed by, "sweet, the food must be good!" We were not disappointed! I felt silly ordering Chicken Parm but I really wanted it and I don't regret it one bit. The red sauce was to die for. Mmmm. Yum.

Rin & Tom at Christopher Columbus Park

The view from Christopher Columbus Park

Bunker Hill Monument

Rin & I in front of the Zakim Bridge

Tom waiting ever so patiently, for us to finish taking pictures

Quincy Market

The line for Giacomo's

We finally got in! Yummy!

After dinner we took a cab back to the ICA where our car was parked and then took a few pictures on the deck behind the ICA. Then we drove back to the good ol' Red Roof Inn-Saugus, that would be our home for the next 5 days and quickly fell asleep. It was an amazing, fun-filled, first day and I'm really glad Tom came because I think we were able to see a lot of things we probably would have missed out on had he not taken the lead.

My attempt at an artsy shot of Tom. It was his idea, in his mind it probably looked much cooler.