So much to see...

Saturday, September 19, 2015

Hello from Boston!

Museum of Fine Art

Chihuly glass -- all the way to the ceiling!

A Hittite artifact!

We decided to take the hotel shuttle to Copley Square this morning and work our way to the museums from there.  So, a few minutes til 9 a.m. there was quite a crowd outside, but we all actually fit into the hotel’s 22-person van; very convenient, and we were at Copley Square in 10 minutes.  As it turns out, we will be leaving Boston on Monday morning from the Back Bay Amtrak station – which just happens to be half-a-block from where the shuttle dropped us off.  We investigated – just to make sure we found the right place – and Amtrak it is!  So, not only are we familiar with our station for Monday, but R was able to get a detailed Boston bus map as well as transit passes. 

Statue in front of the MFA

We found the 39 bus outside the station, and that let us out right in front of the Museum of Fine Art.  I had been researching the MFA, and their ancient art collection sounded interesting.  (The last time we were at the MFA, I hadn’t really discovered Hittites or the near east – at least not to the extent I have now, so thought we should check it out!)  SO glad that we did!  This is an American museum that actually has several pieces from the Hittite and Neo-Hittite eras!  SOOO neat! 

Another old friend!

I think we probably spent an hour in just one room, but things were beautifully and clearly presented, and included information as to how various groups of people related to one another.  All in all, an excellent exhibition!  Oh!  I forgot!  Today was Greek Communities day at the MFA, and there were various Greek-oriented things going on in the different galleries.  One gallery had a group of folk dancers, beautifully costumed in native Greek garb.  Another gallery had a Greek singer performing; a really neat idea!

Another Hittite artifact!

After that, we decided it was time for lunch, so we headed to the cafeteria.  I do remember eating there when we were there with Mom, but this time, with the weather being really lovely, we were able to sit outside in the atrium courtyard and enjoy the cool breezes.  We both got pieces of pizza, which wasn’t exciting, but filled our needs (and tummies) quite well.

Lunch in the garden!

After the MFA, we went looking for the Isabella Stewart Gardiner Museum, which was supposed to be very close by…and that’s where we ended up getting very confused. 

Gardiner courtyard

One would think that with a map plus two iPhones, we could find whatever we wanted – I guess the problem was that I was looking for a “house” that had been turned into a museum – while in reality, I needed to be looking for a “palace” (their words, not ours!) which has had a glass and chrome structure built all over it.  So…the museum.

More courtyard

I should probably clarify right now that if anyone reading this is fond of the Gardiner Museum, you should stop reading NOW.  Quite frankly, we were appalled. 

Faneuil Hall

I have never seen so much stuff jammed together with no rhyme or reason in my life.  It is the best example I have ever seen of someone with too much money and no taste whatsoever.  And to call it a “palace?”  Whew!  As Robert said, many of the pieces should never have been allowed to leave their native countries.  Churches everywhere are probably still looking for their possessions.  Apparently the museum lost ten paintings some years ago in what has been called a major art theft – we figure it took people a long time just to figure out something had disappeared – it was that cluttered and thrown together.  So…enough of that.  We were out of there in record time.  No need to ever do that again!

We walked back to the MFA and took the Green Line T downtown to Haymarket.  Exited the T station to a true cacophony of noise!  There was a bike race taking place around a closed course, with continual commentary via loudspeaker.  There were street musicians playing drums.  We walked through the Boston Public Market – and wished we were in a position to buy some of the wonderful things we saw!  From there we headed to Faneuil Hall for a brief walk-around, but by that time, we were definitely losing steam.  R had a beer and I had a coke in an Irish bar that was cool and relatively calm and quiet. As the shuttle was almost two hours away, we decided to get back to the hotel using public transit. 

First stop was to find the Orange line, which wasn’t too far away. 

Fabulous clam chowder!

That’s when we found out, though, that while the trains are air conditioned, the stations weren’t!  Whew!  Lots of people and a very hot day … quite a combination!  Finally the Orange train arrived, and we only went one stop – we seriously could have walked it, had we known how uncomfortable the station was going to be.  So…from Downtown Crossing we took the Red line toward Alewife and got off at Central.  So far so good…but then came the search for the bus stop…only to find that the bus we wanted to take us to our hotel only ran hourly on Saturday…finally opted for a quick cab ride back to the hotel.  R headed right into the shower. 

We had a nice rest in front of a football game on TV, until close to dinnertime. 

My grilled chicken sandwich!

R's fabulous steak with sauce & asparagus!

Then headed first to Whole Foods to pick up more water and a few odds and ends, and finally decided to have dinner at one of the restaurants here in the hotel, Fusion.  It’s rather informal; part sports bar, but the food was excellent!  We both started with their wonderful clam chowder, then R had a steak with potatoes and asparagus, and I had their grilled chicken sandwich; also excellent!  And finally, back upstairs and getting ready for bed!

m

xxx