Boston and Washington Spring 2016 - Boys, Blades and Balls! - Day 2 (Dublin to Boston)

[collybird]

Double digits eek! I didn't realise it was today until I popped onto The Dibb after work. I am really torn as I obviously want our trip to be here but I love summer so loathe to wish it away.

Buying mystery packs from Ebay always feels much naughtier than in the parks doesn't it!?

I am very much looking forward to pin hunting this year, especially now that our SOTMK set is complete. The nesting dolls look lovely, I really like the Merida one. I will more than likely take you up on your offer of your doubles but only once we have some pins to trade back!

[Guest]

Originally Posted by collybird

Double digits eek! I didn't realise it was today until I popped onto The Dibb after work. I am really torn as I obviously want our trip to be here but I love summer so loathe to wish it away.

Buying mystery packs from Ebay always feels much naughtier than in the parks doesn't it!?

I am very much looking forward to pin hunting this year, especially now that our SOTMK set is complete. The nesting dolls look lovely, I really like the Merida one. I will more than likely take you up on your offer of your doubles but only once we have some pins to trade back!

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Your graciousness is (as always) appreciated - but they're yours if you want them. They are very (VERY) small and would cost nothing to post.

The Merida one is cute - though I think my favourites are Snow White (with the apple) and Cinderella. The only "off" one (IMO) is Tinkerbell - the shape of the pin makes her bosom look positively VAST!

No hope of flight carrying those about, I fear!

[Sparksy72]

Wow the Back Bay express pass is good value, it is so lovely to meet the locals too, especially the kind ones 😊 The hotels are both in great locations, very handy. How lovely for you to be able to spend time with your Mum, it's good for the boys to have 'man' time as well. What a great start to your trip. Michelle x

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Sparksy72

Wow the Back Bay express pass is good value, it is so lovely to meet the locals too, especially the kind ones 😊 The hotels are both in great locations, very handy. How lovely for you to be able to spend time with your Mum, it's good for the boys to have 'man' time as well. What a great start to your trip. Michelle x

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I just wrote about this in another post - - but we had to go up to the embassy in London last week. And because all the appointments are in the morning - we had to go during rush hour. Cost of our three tickets - £56!

Public transport in Boston is heavily subsidised by local taxpayers - but since I don't pay tax there - I don't care, lol.


This was a pretty boring day to read, I'm sure - but Poot's contributions start tomorrow...and they are ALWAYS entertaining!

[Sparksy72]

I paid £60 return for a day in London for me a couple of weeks ago 😱 I have also booked for Adam, Cooper and I return to London for £70 with a family and friends card next week, you honestly could not make it up (we are a 2hr journey each way). Unlike the Queen, I completely understand the cost of public transport 😆

However, I must say, the accommodation in Boston is nearly twice what I paid for New York - What the Fudge?!? Outrageous! We have booked The Revere Hotel for the first couple of nights and the The Colonnade for our final 3 nights. I still have heart palpitations when I see how much I have spent on a room! However I don't drink, smoke or gamble, so it would appear that travel is my 'addiction' of choice 🤣 Michelle x

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Sparksy72

I paid £60 return for a day in London for me a couple of weeks ago 😱 I have also booked for Adam, Cooper and I return to London for £70 with a family and friends card next week, you honestly could not make it up (we are a 2hr journey each way). Unlike the Queen, I completely understand the cost of public transport 😆

However, I must say, the accommodation in Boston is nearly twice what I paid for New York - What the Fudge?!? Outrageous! We have booked The Revere Hotel for the first couple of nights and the The Colonnade for our final 3 nights. I still have heart palpitations when I see how much I have spent on a room! However I don't drink, smoke or gamble, so it would appear that travel is my 'addiction' of choice 🤣 Michelle x

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I know our commuter belt tickets subsidise the network - but it makes me CRAZY when I think that we live 35 minutes from Regent's Park - and our train tickets are barely cheaper than yours - when you're coming down from FLIPPING YORKSHIRE!


Completely with you on the Boston hotel prices - we were lucky to get special "skating fan rates" by booking the all-event tickets for the Championships. But the discounted per night rate was still $219 at the Westin and $256 at the Loews. In March. I shudder to think what the summer rates are...when I rang AMEX and checked on the FHR rate at the Loews, it was $400.

And yes - I sometimes feel guilty when I think of what I've spent on flights and hotels, but - like you - I don't drink/smoke/gamble. Our house is paid for, I tithe - and there are no pockets in a shroud.

[Sparksy72]

My love of holidays far outweighs my guilt at the cost of Boston Accommodation thankfully! It also means it makes Orlando look positively cheap 😂 or so I keep telling Adam!

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Sparksy72

My love of holidays far outweighs my guilt at the cost of Boston Accommodation thankfully! It also means it makes Orlando look positively cheap 😂 or so I keep telling Adam!

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SO true!

[Bianca]

Are you allowed to read the FT on holiday?

Both hotels look great! Must have been nice to have a bit of mother/daughter time with that many miles usually separating you.

And $19! Wow! Great value.

Also, here's to kind strangers the world over.

I bet the concierge has never been asked about a cheese shop near Harvard before, but why not?! (I'd love to visit Harvard. ) (Actually, I'd love to visit Boston; I've only seen the airport so far!)

Really enjoying your TR. Can't believe I missed it last year.

Long-time Peanuts fan xx (Charles Schultz was a genius!)

ETA: Sorry for the bitty reply.

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Bianca

Are you allowed to read the FT on holiday?

Both hotels look great! Must have been nice to have a bit of mother/daughter time with that many miles usually separating you.

And $19! Wow! Great value.

Also, here's to kind strangers the world over.

I bet the concierge has never been asked about a cheese shop near Harvard before, but why not?! (I'd love to visit Harvard. ) (Actually, I'd love to visit Boston; I've only seen the airport so far!)

Really enjoying your TR. Can't believe I missed it last year.

Long-time Peanuts fan xx (Charles Schultz was a genius!)

ETA: Sorry for the bitty reply.

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Lol, Bianca - I don't want to read the Financial Times ANYWHERE, and DEFINITELY not on holiday. I worked in finance for years - and I do not miss for one moment keeping up with the FT or Barron's.


It was really fun to spend so much time with my mother - we're doing it again this year for the Gymnastics Championships in Montreal. This time I managed to book the hotel in time - and we can all stay in the same building.

Thank you for agreeing with me on the transport prices. I was whining about this earlier in the comments - but we had to go up to London in the rush hour earlier this month - and tickets for the three of us (we live JUST outside London) were £56. My neighbour's season ticket cost £3,000.

But even beyond the cheap transport, Boston was a great city to visit. It's so small and walkable, historic - and much more welcoming than New York (which shh...I don't really like). I think I always compare NY to London - whereas Boston is a completely different creature. I was sorry to miss Harvard - both DH and Poot were really taken with it.

Thank you for your kind words - Poot's reports begin tomorrow, and they are certainly memorable. He made a little book out of them to give to DH for Father's Day.


And please don't apologise for "bitty replies". They mean that I don't have to come up with segues, either!

PS: I LOVE Charles Schulz. I (mostly) grew up in Saint Paul, so I can't help it - and am actually (at age 40+) the proud owner of Snoopy luggage - which I *think* you will get to see later in this report (yes, I've checked - it's in the shopping report) ...