Baby Boomer Going Like Sixty

Browsing the web looking for stuff to do in Boston lead me to London.
Not actually to visit London, but to this website that seems to have everything you need to know about the city and it’s offerings.
I wish Boston would have had such a comprehensive site. Many sites try to give a complete overview of a city, but hardly any are as complete as Qype.

This is an amazing site.

At first glance you might feel overwhelmed by how busy the page is. But take a deep breath and dive in because everything is easily organized.

I’m not planning a trip to London in the near future, but I have bookmarked this site.

For example, if you want to know about restaurants, you’ll find a very in depth listing of restaurants. You can browse your choices by neighborhood, cuisine, or do a search of restaurants London and get a complete rundown on the restaurant, where it is located, what other people think, etc.

Are there other places that offer this type of information? Yes. Do they marry this London restaurant information with loads of other information a tourist would find appealing? No.

Prefer a pub crawl? Qype.co.uk has that too. Use the keywords pubs London in the search box .

Do a Google search on U.S. cities and you’ll be overwhelmed by the sheer number of results. All seem to be exactly what you are looking for until you click through and find out that the site is just a bunch of average content surrounded by ads.

Tourism spam blogs are rampant.

That’s why I was so surprised to find this site the site that gives information about London Restaurants, Bars, Hotels, Events and more, all in one location. Qype.co.uk also covers shopping, eating / drinking, arts, entertainment, or anything else that you are interested in.

Do you have an idea of the area of London you want to explore in depth. Look at this listing of London boroughs. It’s amazing. (You have to register.)

I’m not a hater of ads. Even the ads on Qype seem to be high quality.

I needed a second opinion in Qype, so I asked my London blogging friend Cakehead to take a look from an insiders perspective and I think she gave it a rave review. I’m never quite sure, because of the language barrier.

Saw the sunrise over Nashvegas International Airport – 6:15 a.m departure meant leaving home at 4:00 a.m.
Did a 360 on the runway at Reagan National – connecting to Boston, we started to roll for take off, slowed, did a 360 and stopped because there was bad weather in D.C.
Stayed in a Dee-luxe Apartment in the Sky – Hotwire.com got us a room at the Hotel Intercontinental for $125 a night, right on the waterfront, close to everything. Five stars, highly recommended. Our room overlooked the Big Dig Ventilation station, and the conversion of the former Russian Mink and Sable Wharf to condos. We didn’t care. We were never there except to crash.
Rode a water taxi from airport to Rowe’s Wharf. Could have gotten closer if we took the City Water Taxi, but I screwed up so we had to schlep our bags a couple of big city blocks.
Ate a $17 softshell crab Po’Boy from Barking Crab. What a friggin’ rip off. Go there if you must, but order a coke or beer and leave.
Walked most of the Freedom Trail (we ended up at Old North Church.) The first day. In the afternoon, because we arrived at noon. This was not in the plan. But once we got started we just kept moving forward. After all, the next historic site was “just in the next block.”
Called a friend in Texas for directions on how to find Paul Revere’s house. Gotta love cell phones with free long distance. They had just returned from Boston and the Freedom Trail.
Wandered around in front of Paul Revere’s house looking for Paul Revere’s house for thirty minutes. Of all the places on the Freedom Trail, this was the most poorly marked. It was closed which hid the fact that it was a signficant landmark and the sign is painted dark green, the same as the fence and is ten feet off the ground.
Fell for the “I see Old North Church” tourist trick. I saw the New North Church (aka St. Stephen’s) and have a dozen pictures of it. Then I consulted the map and we walked to the Old North Church.
Slept.
Realized I left our Charlie Cards at home. The Metropolitan Transport Authority (Charlie and the MTA ring a bell?) offers the Charlie card for the T. I planned ahead and ordered them online pre-loaded with $10 on each ticket. (T rides are $1.70) I guess Rhea can always use them. Or if you’re planning a vakay to BOS, give me a shout. Yours for the asking.
Watched Nancy hurl at Fenway Park. She has this thing about puking when we travel. I think it’s like a male dog marking his territory. We’re getting ready to enter the Press Box and she says she is going to “throw up.” I immediately looked for the bull pen, but we were closer to Broadcast Booth G, so I opened the door and we stepped inside and she hurled into the wastebasket. No pictures of the hurling, sorry.
Pahked the Cah at Hahvahd Yahd. We didn’t have a cah, but we did go to Harvard Square to see the home of Dewey, Cheetham, and Howe in Cambridge (0ur fair city.) Harvard University is very nice, but Notre Dame University is nicer. But you can’t help but wander among the ivy covered halls and marvel at all the very smart people that have hung out there.
Bought Nancy a $45 lobster at Legal Seafood. Another gigantic rip off. 1 – 1 1/4 pounder the menu said, which in translates to a quarter pound of edible meat. I’m sorry, I couldn’t help but think of the fourteen pounds of BBQ this would have purchased in KY.
Took drugs for burning feet pain and slept.
Ate Dunkin’ Donuts. Everybody was carrying around Mike’s Pastry boxes, but we only saw one Mike’s Pastry store the first day and never again. My theory? If Mike’s Pastry is so great why are people carry it around? Status symbol?
Found a CVS and bought a knee brace.
Looked for the site of the Great Molasses Flood
Walked to the USS Constitution. (more of the Freedom Trail) Old Ironsides is a hassle to tour. Have to pass through security tighter than airport (I had to remove my belt.) Then there was a long wait. But Wow! My favorite part of the whole deal. I love tall ships.
Bought a little brass cannon and anchor souvenir. I think the cannon will hold a tiny firecracker. I intend to find out.
Looked up the hill known as Bunker Hill and decided we were so close… Happy Bunker Hill Day! (6/17) The monument for the Battle of Bunker Hill isn’t on Bunker Hill it’s on some other hill.
Climbed to the Top of the Bunker Hill Monument. I came, I saw, I perspired. It reminded me of the Jefferson Davis Monument just down the road from our house. Same design as the Washington Monument. I guess obelisks are easy to build?
Walk back to Old Ironsides for ferry back to Long Wharf – $1.70 to ride the ferry, 85 cents for Senior Citizens. We became Senior Citizens from then on every place we went.
Went into Paddy O’s Irish Pub because the sign said they had the best Chowdah (yes Boston merchants like to spell things fonnecktickly.)
Left Paddy O’s without ordering. I was in a pissy mood, OK?
Ate someplace else. Probably overpaid.
Took drugs for shin and feet pain. Discovered blister. Watched Lakers win. Slept.
Walked to Super Duck Tour trolley. Took trolley to Navy Yard to catch Ducks, were shown the real site of the Great Molasses Flood on the way. (We were close before…)
Duck Tour. Amphibious vehicles work better in water than land. They have no shock absorbers on land. None. When they enter the water, they go really fast. “Brace yourself!”, Brace yourself? How about “hang on for dear life?” I almost did a nose dive over the seats in front of me. Almost. Boat driver was from Maine, the most pronounced accent of anyone. Foah = four, like mailman in the play On Golden Pond. Ayah.
Watched Bag Pipe Band perform on the street. Twice. Unknown song the first time, Amazing Grace the second. Very kewl.
Ate at Paddy O’s. Nancy had Shepard’s Pie and I had Bangers and Mash. It was delish.
Told waitress that playing constant recorded country music at Paddy O’s was really stupid. Not exactly in those words, actually I was very nice about it, even though Nancy kicked me under the table. The waiter said it was the manager’s choice. What a load of cannon fodder! Especially since this was in a row of Irish Pubs and the bag pipers were playing two doors down.
Froze my butt. The high this day was maybe 58 degrees and cloudy and windy. I couldn’t find anything larger than XXL, which I can wear once. Friction between Nancy, in her warm sweatshirt she bought, and me kept me going.
Walked to No Name Restaurant. “Best seafood in Boston! Unload fresh fish below, serve it upstairs!” Great calamari, average fish platter, Red Lobster has better shrimp. Second most distinctive accent: eighty year old Greek-American waiter that could barely speak or hear English. Nice guy, we had fun with him, the old codger probably owned the joint.
Took drugs for knee, shin and feet pain. Slept.
Took water taxi to airport – flew home via D.C. and had a great view down the mall to the capitol on approach to Reagan National. Camera in bag in overhead.
Happy doggies at home.