Boston and Washington Spring 2016 - Boys, Blades and Balls! - Day 5 (Fenway, Skating, Freedom Trail)

[Guest]

Originally Posted by collybird

The tale of the French McDonalds made me laugh. I recently saw a man eating KFC with a plastic fork and knife. I thought it was adorable. R.C. would surely approve. Nik (I never know what to call him, boyfriend sounds immature, partner sounds too mature, and as we're not married he's not officialy 'OH', so we'll go with his actual name) likes watching U.S. fast food vloggers and it was through this he discovered the Baconator. I don't know how he tolerates these videos, they cover the entire experience, right down to how many napkins they were given. So tedious!

You are going to love the buffet breakfasts on the cruise! You'll have so many sandwich options open to you, it will be like you're in Subway. My favourite is using the English muffins to make a breakfast sandwich, sausage cut in half, some egg (I know, I know!) and some cheese from the deli counter Yum yum.

Thank you Poot for the book recommendations. I have added them both to my Kindle. Has Poot read 'The Desperate Journey'? It's a children's historical fiction novel about a family's experience during the Highland Clearances. They immigrate to Canada, IIRC. I read it in primary school and I think he'd enjoy it.

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I don't think I've had Kentucky Fried Chicken in thirty years - I wouldn't have guessed they had cutlery! I'll tell you a secret - R.C. keeps two packs of "camping cutlery" in the glove box of his car (he's always prepared)!


And I am imagining that since Nik has no "c" - it must be short for Nikolai - and that you get to hear someone with a sexy Russian accent call you zolotse. You lucky girl - hubba, hubba.


But there are FAST FOOD VLOGGERS? WHAT? Nyet, nyet, friend Nikolai - I know you can find better things to do with your time! I can't believe we've mentioned the Baconator so many times in this thread - Poot was both excited and worried to hear that it has a fan up in Scotland. "That had a LOT of grease, Mother."


Our cruise is a long one - I think I better stay FAR away from breakfast sandwiches, or I won't be able to fit into my clothes once we get to New York! I actually take a fair amount of exercise - but I really have to watch my carbs now that I am over 40. It seems rather unfair that BREAD is now a "treat", but what can you do? I am hoping that at least the Greek yogurt on the ship will be the tasty European kind - rather than disgusting American ectoplasm.


I'd never heard of "The Desperate Journey" - but Poot loves historical fiction (as do I) - so I have ordered it to his Kindle. He thanks you for the suggestion, as do I! Fingers crossed for a happy ending for those poor children...


I can't remember if you know that I'm an historian (by training - those degrees haven't been much use in my career in FINANCE, sigh) - but I really struggle to read a lot of "Celtic" (for lack of a better word) history. You know I'm from the North of Ireland - and whether it's Irish history or Highland history (or...) I have a hard time not getting all worked up. I remember going to Culloden when I was about twenty (with my same friend who wants the Dutch athletes in clogs) - and I could barely even breathe. The very ground still just...

[collybird]

I didn't know that you are a historian, my degree was joint honours in English and History. Both very useful in my position as restaurant manager of (oddly enough) KFC.

I've often thought about getting one of those safety hammers that will cut your seat belt and smash the window if you land in water (this is genuinely something I worry about, despite not ever driving close to any bodies of water). But I suppose R.C. could attempt both with his 'camping cutlery'.

Nik, is actually Nikolas, sorry to dash your visions of a Doctor Zhivago type. He is as Scottish as I am, which probably accounts for the love of grease.

Please let me know Poot's thoughts on The Desperate Journey, if/when he gets to it. I am quite tempted to re-read myself.

[Guest]

Originally Posted by collybird

I didn't know that you are a historian, my degree was joint honours in English and History. Both very useful in my position as restaurant manager of (oddly enough) KFC.

I've often thought about getting one of those safety hammers that will cut your seat belt and smash the window if you land in water (this is genuinely something I worry about, despite not ever driving close to any bodies of water). But I suppose R.C. could attempt both with his 'camping cutlery'.

Nik, is actually Nikolas, sorry to dash your visions of a Doctor Zhivago type. He is as Scottish as I am, which probably accounts for the love of grease.

Please let me know Poot's thoughts on The Desperate Journey, if/when he gets to it. I am quite tempted to re-read myself.

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Mmm...Dr. Zhivago. Yes, please!

And poor old Scotland - even her native daughters mock her - love of grease, indeed. I spent a month in Scotland many, MANY years ago - and my friend and I had so little money between us that we lived almost entirely on oatcakes and apples. I think our only "proper" meal was at a pizzeria (WHY?) in Inverness - where they were doing an all you can eat night. Worst pizza I've ever had. Should have gone to KFC, clearly.


We own those safety hammers - one for each car. I used to be CERTAIN that a bridge would collapse under my car - and then after I had Poot of course it was worse. He'd be trapped in his car seat! Why do you think I booked a balcony on the cruise? ESCAPE!

Lol, Colette - the curse of the Humanities degree strikes again! I hope that your franchisee is lovely - and that he/she is helping you to position yourself to own your own restaurant one day. An old friend of mine started at McDonald's at fifteen - and people laughed at her when she stuck with the company (she didn't go to college) - but she's having the last laugh now, as she owns two franchises.

My high school chemistry teacher told me I should train as a research chemist - and I wish I had. But I was caught up in the "romance" of history. Not so romantic when you find out there are 500 applicants for one (adjunct) professorship, though. Finance had no romance, but it paid my mortgage.


I will have Poot message you when he finishes the book.

[Sparksy72]

It's always a tricky one when you book a tour and you are so right about it being a money making exercise- it would be nicer if they just did more tours with slightly fewer people 😬 We have secured tickets in August to see the Red Sox vs The Yankees at Fenway and DH is beside himself with excitement! Poot managed to see some amazing sights, I'm going to have to read up on the Molasses Flood, it looks so interesting. This is why trip reports like yours are so wonderful- you pick up great tips! Mmmmm Wendy's! Lol! Michelle xx

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Sparksy72

It's always a tricky one when you book a tour and you are so right about it being a money making exercise- it would be nicer if they just did more tours with slightly fewer people 😬 We have secured tickets in August to see the Red Sox vs The Yankees at Fenway and DH is beside himself with excitement! Poot managed to see some amazing sights, I'm going to have to read up on the Molasses Flood, it looks so interesting. This is why trip reports like yours are so wonderful- you pick up great tips! Mmmmm Wendy's! Lol! Michelle xx

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That is the dream match-up to see at Fenway.

Make sure to get there plenty early so that you can soak up all the atmosphere on Yawkey Way!


We still have the book about the Molasses Flood (the children's novel) - let me know if you think Cooper (or you, yourself!) would like to read it. It's a small book and I'd be happy to send it to you.

And did you read collybird's post about "The Baconator"? That's her boyfriend's favourite! You are right - that's the kind of stuff I love about trippies, too.

[Sparksy72]

Originally Posted by GopherLass

That is the dream match-up to see at Fenway.

Make sure to get there plenty early so that you can soak up all the atmosphere on Yawkey Way!


We still have the book about the Molasses Flood (the children's novel) - let me know if you think Cooper (or you, yourself!) would like to read it. It's a small book and I'd be happy to send it to you.

And did you read collybird's post about "The Baconator"? That's her boyfriend's favourite! You are right - that's the kind of stuff I love about trippies, too.

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My DH who is a very manly Australian man randomly chuckled to himself and I asked him if he was OK and he said that every so often he remembers that he is finally going to see the Red Sox play at Fenway - he is like a giddy schoolgirl!

Thank you so much for the offer of the Molasses Flood book but when you recommended it I went online and purchased it in advance of our upcoming trip! You are such a kind lady

Lol! Who knew there could be so many very awesome sounding burgers - there is probably a team of very well paid people inventing more of these delicious treats as we speak. I am happy to let other people try them and tell me all about their experiences in their trip reports!

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Sparksy72

My DH who is a very manly Australian man randomly chuckled to himself and I asked him if he was OK and he said that every so often he remembers that he is finally going to see the Red Sox play at Fenway - he is like a giddy schoolgirl!

Thank you so much for the offer of the Molasses Flood book but when you recommended it I went online and purchased it in advance of our upcoming trip! You are such a kind lady

Lol! Who knew there could be so many very awesome sounding burgers - there is probably a team of very well paid people inventing more of these delicious treats as we speak. I am happy to let other people try them and tell me all about their experiences in their trip reports!

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You purchased it! I'm rather touched to think that you value our recommendations. And I bet that Poot would love to hear what you think of it.

I was gobsmacked when Colette told me that there are FAST FOOD VLOGGERS out there in internetland. What I haven't learned from the Dibb...


And I'm dying to know how an Australian became a Red Sox fan...or even a baseball fan...it's easy now, with the internet - but I assume he's been a fan for a long time (hence the giddiness, lol).

Maybe you should do a trippie - and tell us all about it. Please include (many) photos of manly Australian men!

[Sparksy72]

Originally Posted by GopherLass

You purchased it! I'm rather touched to think that you value our recommendations. And I bet that Poot would love to hear what you think of it.

I was gobsmacked when Colette told me that there are FAST FOOD VLOGGERS out there in internetland. What I haven't learned from the Dibb...


And I'm dying to know how an Australian became a Red Sox fan...or even a baseball fan...it's easy now, with the internet - but I assume he's been a fan for a long time (hence the giddiness, lol).

Maybe you should do a trippie - and tell us all about it. Please include (many) photos of manly Australian men!

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April you are going to need a comfortable chair and a cup,of tea for this one!

DH grew up in the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea (born in Oz) as his father was working in shipping. They had access to AFRTS, The Armed Forces Radio and Television Services (based in Guam) and all it showed was news and sports, which is how he became aware of the Red Sox. When they moved back to OZ in his early teens he joined a local baseball league and this just cemented his love of the game. To be fair he loves all sports!

Please tell Poot I will happily give him my review once I have read the Molasses Flood. I'm just impatiently waiting for it to arrive.

I think it is amazing the things you can learn on the dibb, Colette is lucky to have such a lovely man in her life to share all his fast food knowledge. I haven't tried KFC in America but we have tried Popeyes's Chicken and it was delicious (especially the biscuits - which are not cookies! More like a savoury scone).

My secret YouTube addiction is the Expedia city tours. I could watch them, all day.

As for a trippie, I have to leave that to the experts like you! There are so many other amazing TR writers, I couldn't possibly compete

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Sparksy72

April you are going to need a comfortable chair and a cup,of tea for this one!

DH grew up in the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea (born in Oz) as his father was working in shipping. They had access to AFRTS, The Armed Forces Radio and Television Services (based in Guam) and all it showed was news and sports, which is how he became aware of the Red Sox. When they moved back to OZ in his early teens he joined a local baseball league and this just cemented his love of the game. To be fair he loves all sports!

Please tell Poot I will happily give him my review once I have read the Molasses Flood. I'm just impatiently waiting for it to arrive.

I think it is amazing the things you can learn on the dibb, Colette is lucky to have such a lovely man in her life to share all his fast food knowledge. I haven't tried KFC in America but we have tried Popeyes's Chicken and it was delicious (especially the biscuits - which are not cookies! More like a savoury scone).

My secret YouTube addiction is the Expedia city tours. I could watch them, all day.

As for a trippie, I have to leave that to the experts like you! There are so many other amazing TR writers, I couldn't possibly compete

See more...

Great minds, Michelle! Popeye's biscuits are my FAVOURITE. When I worked in venture capital, my boss used to take us all to Popeye's once a month. There was only one restaurant IN Minnesota - and it was in a...hmm...slightly dodgy neighbourhood. We used to stick out like sore thumbs in our suits, but it was worth it for those biscuits.


What a fascinating childhood that must have been for your DH. I hope he's taken you back to some of his old haunts.


Poot is very keen to visit PNG to see the volcanoes, though I must confess whenever I think of Papua New Guinea - I think of the stories my linguistics professor used to tell us. He was out there just after the war, documenting the local languages - what an adventure! Amazing to think that he worked with folks who were still eating "long pig".


I have quite a few YouTube guilty pleasures...but I've never seen the city tours - I'll be popping a couple on to my "watch later" list...which is currently something like 1,300 videos long.

[Bianca]

Hello stranger!

Flour looks fab (see... I'm down with the lingo of 2017 ). I do like those kinds of businesses set up by people who have business minds but who are passionate about their method for making money, too - i.e. quality of product/service matters and you're getting something better for your money. (I don't think the Disney parks would ever have been created if the current execs were the original decision-makers.)

To Starbuck oneself: VERB [WITH OBJECT]
Provide with the caffeine or other substances necessary for vacationing with family!

Shame they crammed people onto the Fenway tour (did you give them any feedback about that?), but it does sound like it was interesting. I know next to nothing about baseball, but I now know about Ted and the Red Seat. (That sounds a bit like a children's book, doesn't it?)

OK... You speak Serbian? How did that come about?

Also, don't tell your mother, but I'm less keen on pairs skating, too. No Christopher Dean choreography in the pairs, maybe that's it.

As for skating in national dress...



...Absolutely!

Did the maple candy have the same effect on your DM as it did on Ross in friends? (Which will be lost on you if you didn't watch it!
)

Back to skating... I love the Les Mis music, so I would have enjoyed that. I shall not comment on forgetting the British skater! We've really lost our edge in skating haven't we? (It's back somewhere in the 1980s.) ...Ooh and Guys and Dolls, too! Sit down, sit down, sit down, sit down (if you can ) you're rockin' the boat!

Onto Poot's report: -

Papa Poubelle! ... Fenway have their own kitchen garden -- that's very impressive. I wonder how common that is in those kinds of arenas. Good on them. ... Great grin on the swing (if only that rhymed). I think I'd have framed that. Then again, you do have the real thing! ... $4 is very reasonable for the Paul Revere museum, but shame no photos. ...And the falling steeple photo is incredible. Wow! But I can't spot the missing chip from the building next door. ... How have I never heard about the Molasses Flood before?

Great day April. Lots packed in between you all. (Hence my many comments!)