Late night alarms and Freedom trails

Boston, May 23rd

"I'm only here because I need to use google-maps and your free wi-fi"

So, at 3am there was some kind of fire alarm drill going down. And after that I was wide awake, because according to my internal clock, well it was time to get up. But I turned ariund and get some more shut-eye. Didn't work, though, so at 5 I gave up, gave in, got up, and got out to go for a morning run.

This city is frickin' beautiful. And it has pet-able squirrels. And Canada geese. And a bay and a skyline and one of the greatest running trails ever. I just ran where my feet took me and sure thing, got myself lost somewhere around Beacon Hill. But hey, there's a Starbucks, so after using the complementary wi-fi and getting in some caffeine, I made my way home through roads winding up hills with those emergency stairways on old brownstones you, or rather I, only knew from the motion pictures until now. And oh, Boston is so pretty during dawn. I might just be in love.

 We followed the Red Brick Road like Dorothy her yellow one, when we discovered the 4km Freedom Trail for most of today, and went on a few side quests as well. I might just love this city. It's pretty, the people are relaxed, friendly, and down to earth, and...living in a city without clam chowdah seems like a waste. There's so much history here, interwoven with the modern glass and steel skyscrapers, it's fascinating and exhilarating. We stood in places Ben Franklin and Samuel Adams stood, we rode with Paul Revere from his house to the Old North Church, we watched the USS Constitution, we did all the touristy stuff. Market Halls weren't safe and oh, I actually made a cashier at 7Eleven laugh pretty hard, when I told him, I had to get all the sweets I have ever seen in Hollywood movies - and the Gilmore Girls - and couldn't get in Europe. By the way, Twinkies and Ho-hos...so not worth the acid reflux. :D

Our hotel really is located in a really fancy-pants neighborhood, as we got a Tiffany's in the lobby, Hermés, Dolce, Chanel, Cartier, and Burberry right next to us, across the street are the Boston Public Gardens. And a little down the road there's the Prudential Tower. The only bad news today was the fact that you can't get to Foxboro via public transport, except for game days. And I don't have the time to find a car rental and start bargaining. But, yeah, it's been a great day with a lotta laughs and even more sun burn. The Atlantic smells great and the sun was shining most of the time, what more could you wish for on your first real day of vacation? :)