South Bound

We left Maine on Monday heading south. The first stop was in New Hampshire in Hampton Falls for the night. Nice campground but crowded. On Tuesday morning we headed south again. We didn't really go very far since we wanted to spend a couple of days near Boston, Mass. We stayed the last two nights in Mansfield about 35 miles below Boston.
On Wednesday afternoon we drove down to Cape Cod. Nice area but not a place I'd want to live. Too many people and limited beaches (that we saw).







































Yesterday we went up to Boston. We parked in the Prudential Center underground parking. Hint..don't do that..they have a "validation program" where if you make a purchase and have the parking ticket validated you can park for $10.00. However we found out too late that if you're over 5 hours (we didn't see that fact on their sign) you get to pay $32.00. We were over by 22 minutes. Can you say RIP OFF????
While there we went up to the 50th floor to their Observatory. $11.00 (worth it). They have a small museum, gift shop, and film showing Boston from the air. The best part was the self-guided audio tour explaining the 360* view of Boston. Big windows with awesome views. The audio tape tells what you're looking at with the history associated. It was GREAT!!! You could see the Charles River, Fenway Park(Home of the Red Sox), Cambridge across the river, Logan's International Airport, and much more.










After lunch in their food court, we walked down the street to meet the Duck Tour we had purchased (our validation purchase). For $27.00 you get to ride in a refurbished 1944 or 1945 amphibious DUCK truck/boat. The DUCKS were built to be used in WWII. Many went overseas and were used. The ones used for the tours in the US now never saw any action. The war ended and they sat unused until the 70's when the DUCK tours were started. These colorful vessels (with colorful conDUCKtors) take you around the city. Our conDUCKtor was Sargent Peppers. He looked like John Lennon (note: reason for Sargent Peppers nickname), wore a jacket just like John used to when he sang Sargent Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. Sargent Peppers shared music, stories and highlights of the sights as we went through Boston. We saw the site of the Boston Massacre, where Paul Revere started his famous ride, the steeple of the Old North Church, the house whose address John F Kennedy was using on his Mass driver's license when he was assassinated and the Bunker Hill Memorial. By the way, the BH memorial isn't sitting on Bunker Hill. It sits on Bridge Hill. Slight mis-calculation or something on someone's part.

After a while with a change of gear, engaging of the propeller and a BIG splash off we went into the Charles river.

For about 20 minutes we got a view of Boston and Cambridge from the water. Several folks aboard even got to drive the DUCK. And I shouldn't forget we greeted everyone we saw with a hardy "QUACK"!. Great fun but BOY WAS IT HOT. The refurbishing of the DUCKS did NOT include air conditioning. Or I should say they just used natural AC (he lowered the windshield). I think I lost a couple of pounds (sweat was dripping).







Afterwards we joined everyone else in Boston to head home to Mansfield. Can you say I-93 parking lot? Reminded me of I-40 some days coming home from Chapel Hill. Overall I enjoyed the visit to Boston, but again wouldn't want to live there. Just too many people in not enough space.
Today we're on the road. We have left Massachusetts and stopped for lunch in Southsbury Connecticut. Just got back on the road and have now crossed into New York. We're planning to stop when we get to Pennsylvania for the night. Night all.