Category: Domestic Travel

That’s where Hawaii is. So far the trip has been good. On the flight out, I got bumped up to 1st Class. Nice.
The flight got in 35 minutes early. Better…
I picked up my rental and they had a Monte Carlo for me. I asked for a different car and they gave me a Roadster (MX-5)! No extra charge. Very Nice!
Oahu outside of Waikiki requires wheels. These are nice wheels with 189 miles on the clock. I think there’s going to be a lot of road trips in the next few days. Going topless!! WAHAHAHAH
…
First thing you do after you check into a hostel is find the grocery store. So I walked down and up the hill with brekkie for the next few days. Had dinner, one beer and formed a plan. It involves *gasp* getting up early…
Urgggh…

I didn’t know he had a street??

Some things that are a MUST HAVE while visiting New York City:
Good manners and a no bullshit attitude,
A very robust metabolism to deal with all the food you’ll be eating,
And don’t forget to dress for the weather and do it in a stylish way! You’ll meet more interesting people that way!

The last time I made a trek to THE Museum of Modern Art was in 2003 when it temporarily moved to Queens while its Manhattan digs were being rebuilt. I’ve not been back since the MOMA reopened, so I figured it was time for a visit. Art should be accessible so it can be appreciated, but entry to the MOMA is a steep US$20. Still accessible? I guess that the new building has to be paid by someone…and there were a lot of people there on a Monday morning so they won’t have any worries about paying for it.
Art should be accessible and what’s more accessible than having Starry Night on your HP?

Great wallpaper
Art should make you go “hmmmmm, it DOES work!” Sometimes it’s great to have a guide to walk you through it.

this is how you fly around, by flapping your arms!

Whew. Tired now.

Detail of Water Lilies by Monet
I’ve made some critical comments on the state of “modern art” and what passes for it in past entries. I still stand by what I wrote before. There are some things out there that make you think, “art, how can?” For example:

How is this art? It’s not that unique, nor is it a breakthrough in concept. People do this a lot! Just walk around San Francisco during Clean-Up day and you’ll see lots of “art”. What was the artist trying to convey with three basketballs in a half filled fishtank? How about: “$ucker$$$!”
On the other hand, the MOMA is one of the few museums that showcases Architectural and Industrial Design and many breakthroughs in these fields, we take for granted because we see them in everyday life (such as the first iPod or the tablelamp iMac) are rightfully showcased. The Design section for some reason, feels smaller than it was in the old building.

how about this beeeyoutiful E-Type?

Imagine the size of the desk that this lamp usually sits on!

Good looking mobile phones are very rare in the states. This is a Japan-only model.
It’s good design, but we see it everyday so it’s part of the norm, rather than being seen as outstanding, which they are.
In fact, when I left the MOMA several hours later, I made the trek to accessible design. It’s on W57th next to the FAO Schwarz…

Now THIS is art, even the stuff that they sell inside!

Sometimes the weather here can be pretty nice. It’s been warm (23 degrees or so and DRY) and pleasant for the past few days. Although at nighttime, the wind picks up and it gets kinda chilly.

Sunset over Russian Hill, San Francisco CA. Shot with a Ricoh GR Digital.

…because that’s how you get out of Union Station!

Sunset through the windows of Union Station, Los Angeles

The old ticketing counter (it’s closed to the public, but you can see it)

Check out the counter and the light fixtures. It’s old even behind the counter too!
I would have taken even more photos except my battery died…!

Besides the strip search that all passengers have to endure at US airports, possibly the most stressful part of catching a plane in the US is actually getting to the airport. Where you will be ordered to remove your jacket, empty out your pockets, remove your MacBook from its case, lose your shoes (and beverages) and walk slooooowly through the metal detector.
It’s tough flying these days. But we endure because the world is big, there’s a lot to see, people are generally good (for the most part) and there’s a lot of food to eat!
The US does not put a priority on “getting to the airport” easily. I live in San Francisco and it took 30 years to get BART (regional rail transit) to go directly into SFO. Oakland is even worse! They had the opportunity to build BART directly into OAK (this was in the 1960’s) when there was absolutely NOTHING out there. Instead, they built an half-assed station with a bus connection to the Terminals. Remember that you’ll often spend just as long on your bus journey then the actual ride time on the BART train from downtown SF to the Coliseum/OAK station. In the language of my forebears, CHI SIN!

But enough of the wonkish discussion of the transit gap. I used to work with urban planners.
Getting to Logan is relatively easy. Take the Blue Line to Gov’t Center and transfer to where you need to go. Unless you begin your journey on the Green Line, which does an uncanny impression of MUNI. It goes slow (realllly sloooooow) and stops every 10 feet…IN THE FRICKING TUNNEL!!! Why lidat? It even says in the guidebooks that if your journey involves the Green Line to allow extra time!
Naturally, my hostel was off of, you guessed it, the Green Line (Kenmore Station). But it was a nice day when I had to leave so I decided to take the Water Taxi over to Boston Logan. You catch the water taxi behind the Marriott on Long Wharf. It takes 10 minutes to cross the harbor and another 5 for the shuttle basi that takes you to the terminals. If you’re running early, this is a nice way to get to the airport.

See that tower thingy in the distance? That’s Logan’s Control Tower

There are several water taxis that run back and forth between Logan side and Long Wharf

Some folks heading into town from Boston Logan
It’s a nice farewell to “America’s Walking City” and it’s always good to learn another way to and from Boston Logan. As long as it’s warm outside!

Buh bye Bahston!
Remember this as you’re ordered to shoe-strip at the checkpoint…

Bah-ston was where the Revolution began. There’s a LOT of history here.
This is the Park Street Church next to Boston Common. This is NOT the Old North Church where Paul Revere got the signal for his ride.

Elegant Spire
This is the New State House, brand new since 1797. It’s the home of the Massachusetts State Government.

Looks impressive at night
The New State House is at the top of Beacon Hill, a really posh area that’s like stepping back in time (except for all those horseless carriages and stuff).

It’s lit by gaslamp, has bricks laid streets and NO PARKING to speak of
And when you see this hovering above you, you know you’re near Fenway Park!

Yup, a big oil company sign.

I was puttering around Hah-vahd Square this afternoon when I looked up and saw that my attorney has offices here!

Say the names out loud to get the joke
I didn’t go up to say hello because then it would be considered an office visit with a one hour minimum consultation fee…

I finally made it to the hostel where you can actually see Fenway Park from my window facing Comm Ave.

That’s the park in the middle. The Green Monster must be sleeping…
Getting here was a bit tedious since the T is old and escalators were one of those newfangled inventions that was to be avoided, back in the day. Lots of stairs. Luggage. A guy who just got off the redeye AND the connecting flight. Did I mention that it’s raining here? Priceless.
From BOS, you take a shuttle basi for 10 minutes or so to the T station. There, there was a Massachusetts State Trooper on station. He was armed with an MP5 with a flash suppressor. Serious stuff, so I declined to take a snap.
I took the Blue Line and transferred to the Green Line. The hostel is across the street and down 1/2 block from Kenmore station so it was convenient. And even though check in is at 12 noon, I looked soo knackered that the desk staff found me a room that was ready to go. Nice lah!
The flight in was uneventful. I was actually upgraded! Waaaaaah! So I sat in my big seat, had a cuppa coffee and promptly passed out for the duration of the 1.2 hour flight. So if there WAS anything that happened, I missed it.
I did notice something about people here in Boston. They are FAT. Really fat. As in unhealthy fat. It’s got to do with how they eat. Example: back home, regular coffee means black. Here, it’s tons of cream and sugar. Yeech.
Time for a shower. Got 7+ hours of plane and train on me. Yeech.