Travel Goals

1. Climb to Everest Base Camp.
2. Climb Mt Kilimanjaro.
3. Learn to Scuba Dive.
4. Visit every continent.
5. See the Galapagos Islands.
6. Sail down the Amazon River.
7. Climb Ayer's Rock.
8. Ride the Trans-Siberian.
9. Go into space.
10. Go wild at La Tomintina.
11. See the sunrise from Mt. Fuji.
12. Gaze at Borobudor.
13. Visit the Pyramids
14. Safari in East Africa.
15. Go to the World Cup!
16. See Machu Picchu.
17. Join the Century Club.
18. Visit Antarctica.
19. Do development work.
20. See Petra Jordan.
21. Backpack the Eastern Block.
22. See the Northern Lights.
23. Vegas Baby! Vegas!
24. Greek Island hop.
25. Cycle Tuscany.
26. Visit India.
27. Lounge in the Seychelles.
28. See Morocco.
29. Oktoberfest!
30. Caravan across the Sahara.
31. Visit Tibet.
32. Fly first class.
33. Go to Israel.
34. Carnival!!!!
35. Mardi Gras!
36. Cannes Film Festival.
37. Sundance Film Festival.
38. Eat a sushi meal at NOBU
39. Pacific Island hop.
40. Spend a night in the Ice Hotel.
41. See Glacier National Park.

Learn a Foreign Language

Are you planning to travel around Europe? Why not learn Italian or French before you go to maximize your experience.

Book Your Travel Here!!

With my time in Boston coming to a close, I decided to really get out and explore Boston. It has been ages since I’ve actually explored it. Isn’t that how it is though? You never really see the city you live in all your life because it is always there. Well, not anymore!

Parks and Homes
Boston is a small and compact city. It’s easily walkable and so I broke up my city tour into various walks. My first walk took me around the city parks, the state house, and the famous Beacon Hill, the residence of Boston’s elite.

Right in the middle of the city is Boston Commons and the Public Gardens. The commons are a combination of a few things: fields for sports, a wading pool for kids, the beginning of the historic freedom trail, and tree lined walkways and grass knolls where you can relax the afternoon away.

During the summer, the commons are filled with people relaxing out in the sun. Little kids play and splash in Frog pond while students lay out in the sun enjoying their break. Workers flood the benches during lunch time- catching some fresh air and enjoying the weather before retreating back to their cubicles. Tourists roam the park and groups are out playing sports. If it is summer, it is packed. With such harsh winters, Bostonians take full advantage of all our nice days.

Across the way is the Boston Public Gardens. A mini-park, the garden, is exactly that- a garden. Paths criss cross the area with various flowers and trees dotting the trails. At the entrance stands a welcoming and strident statue of George Washington. It’s a great place to stroll through during the summer and a cool place to photograph in the winter. In the center is a lake filled with swans- both real and wooden. You can watch the real ones float across the pond while couples peddle by in giant swan shaped boats. Float across the pond and watch all the people and animals role. It’s our mini-central park and exploration of both the Public Garden and The Commons is a great way to spend an afternoon.

Right next to these parks is Beacon Hill. Beacon hill is home to our golden domed state house where all the legislative action happens and people like John Adams and John F. Kennedy used to roam the halls. The surrounding neighborhood is home to Boston’s historic colonial houses where Boston’s upper class used to and still does live. It’s here you’ll find tiny cobble streets and lamp, colonial mansions, and brick homes that line the streets. You’ll see colonial actors leading tour groups through the area explaining the history of all the homes and the leaders who used to live here. This area was home to the likes of John Adams and John Hancock. It’s a neighborhood drenched in history- political, cultural, and architectural. It is reminiscent of the historic area of Philadelphia.

Suffolk University, my graduate school, is located near here and while I frequently walked the outlying streets of the area, I never really explored all of Beacon Hill. I had always made plans to do so but it never worked out so it was good to finally do so. If any of you are in Boston, do not skip this area. It is a walk back in history, something Boston has a lot of.

11 Responses to “Boston, Part 1”

1. Cheryl on June 25th, 2008 4:28 pm

   Your timing on this post was perfect! I’m looking forward to hearing all about Boston from you. I can’t wait for my trip there! What are your recommended *can’t miss* haunts?

2. Russ on June 25th, 2008 7:02 pm

   Nice article Matt! I am a fellow Bostonian as well, I live over in JP.

   Beacon Hill is definitely a great part of downtown to roam at night with its charming gas-lamp lined streets. Your description of The Common and all its activity is right on. It is the ultimate spot for relaxing on the grass and just watching all the people do there thing. Looking forward to the other parts…

3. Quickroute on June 25th, 2008 10:38 pm

   I love that there is so much green space in Boston.
   Even though it’s a major city you never feel smothered as you sometimrs do in say New York.

4. Theresa on June 25th, 2008 11:29 pm

   If it weren’t for those winters, Boston could be on my list of places I’d like to live. But damn I hate cold weather. It’s a lovely place in summer though.

5. sforshner on June 25th, 2008 11:50 pm

   I can’t wait to read the rest of your Boston posts. To be honest, I don’t think I have ever trekked beyond Beacon to really explore the neighborhood, I should get to that.

6. NomadicMatt on June 26th, 2008 12:15 am

   @Quick: that’s another reason why I like Boston. More open space.

   @Theresa: Same! I hate the cold. That’s why I migrant to asia every winter! nice and warm!

   @sforshner: Where in the city do you live?

7. lakshmi on June 26th, 2008 9:06 am

   Lovely article ..your pictures are literally taking me there..Ive always postponed exploring the cities where Ive lived..sometime I must take a cue from this and explore Bangalore and Madras

8. Ron in L.A. on June 26th, 2008 1:00 pm

   Boston is one of my favorite cities. A fantastic food town, a great place to spend several days. Unfortunately, it’s been 2 years since I last visited…

   R(etc… )

9. Heatheronhertravels on June 26th, 2008 7:38 pm

   I can see lots of similarities with Bristol in the pleasant public parks and the older historic neighbourhoods.

10. Gillian on June 26th, 2008 8:21 pm

    Sounds like you and almostfearless are both madly trying to see your home cities before you leave. I have always been a fan of being a ‘tourist in your home town’ but there are certainly sights that I should still get out to.

    Good Luck!

11. NomadicMatt on June 27th, 2008 9:53 pm

    @gillian: Almostfearless and I are from the same city!

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