https://www.meetboston.com/ Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Jim Murty’s TravelTravelTravel

Boston Sporty Party for the Celtics

18th June 202418th June 2024 funtime65

Eurocentrics listen up, there is other sport around the world, and the green bunting is up all around Beantown today as fans throw a Boston Sporty Party for the Celtics.

Bostonians rightly beam about their famous basketball team, and rightly so, as they are now inarguably the most successful NBA team of all time.

The Celtics had reluctantly shared that mantle with their greatest of rivals, the LA Lakers, on 17 titles before this week.

But the prospect of the exclusivity of an 18th title drove Jason Taytum, Jaylen Brown and the Celtics to a historic title.

With a 4-1 win over the game Dallas Mavericks.

Bostonians flying high

Now as well as the fanfare and receptions that will last all summer and right through to the resumption of the NBA.

The Celtics will earn an 18th pennant to be draped on the walls of Logan Airport alongside the other winners in New England’s proud history.

This millennium has been particularly kind to New England’s teams.

And not just because of Tom Brady at the Patriots.

Boston’s Big Four sports franchises have now delivered 14 titles this century.

And soon they’ll be needing to build another terminal at Logan.

To hang all their banners which includes the city’s other successes!

Now having been hosted like a Tom Brady or Larry Bird by the good people of Boston in the grand old city.

Back with my Boston buddies

It will be my pleasure to reciprocate this week in my adopted city of Edinburgh.

Where we will celebrate the Celtics’ success and hear what else is going down in New England.

As New Englanders, of course, the sports of the Olde Worlde have a foothold on the north-west coast.

And so the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough will be front and centre in two years’ time for the football World Cup.

With five group matches, a round of 32 match and a quarter-final booked for Boston.

Babe’s base and Tom’s temple

Now if you like your city break doused with history, culture, culinary.

And the best sports teams then Boston is waiting for you.

And following my travel mantra of going where people play and pray then see for yourself their sporting cathedrals.

The TD Garden for the Celtics and the Boston Bruins ice hockey team.

And Fenway Park, where they’ve been coming to watch the best baseball.

From Cy Young, Babe Ruth and Jim Rice through Roger Clemens and Wade Boggs to David Ortiz and beyond.

And Tom Brady’s temple at Foxburgh.

Frequent flier from Dublin

Around for tea: The Boston Tea Party Museum

Now whatever your sporting special is you’ll find it in New England where the action never stops.

And the stadium tours like the Sam Adams tour is always in tap.

As ever with all things transatlantic the best route is through Dublin Airport with pre-clearance and Aer Lingus.

So, if you’re in Beantown lap up the celebrations and the Boston Sporty Party for the Celtics.

And if not find yourself some New Englanders to break bread with and plan your next trip out to Boston Sports City.

Africa, America, Countries, UK

250 years of the Black Bard

4th October 20234th October 2023 funtime65

Back in the day I penned a paean to rap poet Benjamin Zephaniah so it’s time for another, this time for 250 years of the Black Bard, Phillis Wheatley.

Phillis being a traveller like ourselves, entranced by London’s bright lights.

But as a black teenager of her time, Phillis was a slave, from West Africa via Boston, Massachusetts.

The young poet had arrived in Britain’s capital in 1773, the same year as the Boston Tea Party.

As the chattel of Nathaniel Wheatley, the adult son of the family who had bought her in Boston in 1761.

To see her collection, Poems on various subjects, published by Archibald Bell.

All of which came about through the family’s connections with Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon.

A Bostonian abroad

Educated as they were Phillis had clearly learned well her Homer, Horace, Virgil, Pope and Milton.

And had been writing poetry from the age of 12.

With her first published poem appearing in the Rhode Island in 1767.

Although she was unsuccessful in getting her collection published in Boston in 1772 which brought her to London.

That Phillis loved and was inspired by London (and who wouldn’t be?) we know from her letter to a Connecticut acquaintance, Colonel David Wooster, dated October 18, 1773.

Where she goes into some fine and excitable detail about the charms and attractions of London.

Tour of London

‘Grenville Sharp Esqr. Who attended me to the Tower & Show’d the Lions, Panthers, Tigers, &c. the Horse Armoury, small Armoury, the Crowns, Sceptres, Diadems, the Font for christening the Royal Family.

‘Saw Westminster Abbey, British Museum, Coxe’s Museum, Saddler’s wells, Greenwich Hospital, Park and Chapel, The royal Observatory at Greenwich, &c. &c. too many things & Places to trouble you with in a Letter.’

What the humble Phillis didn’t mention though was who she met among the great and good, among them Benjamin Franklin.

While she was beckoned to see King George III, only she was on her way home by then.

Free, free at last

sunset skyline boston dusk — Our cup of tea: Boston Photo by Kristin Vogt on Pexels.com

The said Grenvill Sharp Esqr was an abolitionist who was involved in a test case, the Somersett case.

Where The Lord Chief Justice ruled that enslaved African James Somersett brought to England from Boston by his owner, could not be legally forced to return to the colonies.

All of which helped our heroine and she was freed on her return to Boston.

She went on to marry, but died of chronic asthma at the tender age of 31.

Alas, as is the way with prophets in their own land, Phillis was not published in her adopted city of Boston until the 1830s.

While she remains relatively anonymous, and untaught, in Britain.

As do many black authors as I discovered when I asked in a bookshop if they had any Zepheniah…

All of which sparked me as I prepared for my Forth Stanza poetry show into penning my Ode to Zephaniah.

Ode to Zepheniah

I searched for Zepheniah

I searched lower I searched higher

Along the rows of shelves

Past Wordsworth, Yeats did I delve

Until I reached the Z,

And behind me poets dead,

But it all runs out at Y,

And so deflated, with a sigh,

I went over to reception,

To confront the shop’s deception,

And ask what happened to the Z,

And this is what she said,

‘There’s no-one with that letter,

‘And would you not be better,

‘To try a different author,

‘She didn’t want the bother,

‘Of spelling Zepheniah,

‘And so she did enquire,

‘If I’d read Andrew Motion’

Of him I had no notion.

‘The Poet Laureate I was told.

‘And how many copies has he sold’

‘I’ll check the other store.’

And as she hung on the blower

I thought about the others,

Perhaps Benjamin’s sisters, brothers,

Deleted from the alphabet,

Because poets’ names don’t start with Z.

A word or two from Phillis

On a pedestal: Phillis honoured in Boston

I’d like to think I stand comparison with Phillis… I’d like to.

Judge for yourself with this offering from ‘One Being Brought From Africa to America’.

‘TWAS mercy brought me from my Pagan land,

‘Taught my benighted soul to understand

‘That there’s a God, that there’s a Saviour too:

‘Once I redemption neither sought now knew,

‘Some view our sable race with scornful eye,

‘Their colour is a diabolic die.’

‘Remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain,

‘May be refin’d, and join th’ angelic train.’

So, in this Black History Month, a mark of 250 years of the Black Bard, Phillis Wheatley.

America, Countries, Flying

Seattle’s listening – 30 years of Frasier

16th September 202316th September 2023 funtime65

Most TV spin-offs are forgettable but not so our fave sitcom which is why we say today Seattle’s listening – 30 years of Frasier.

It’s no exaggeration to say that American TV has been our window to the States.

And so the fact that Kojak filmed in my Uncle Petie’s bar in New York filled my childish mind.

With the dream of saving my pocket money to visit one day.

Thankfully my Dear Old Folks stumped up.

And then when we were choosing where to go on our post- university working holiday in America, we had to see Cheers in Boston.

First listening

Of course, all Cheersheads and Frasierphiles know the doc relocated back to Seattle.

And on this day too on September 16, 1993.

Although we had to wait in Europe until 20 April.

Frase has, of course, had some detours over the years.

And is now back in Boston with the next chapter out soon.

But it is Seattle we are celebrating today and Kelsey Grammer’s alter ego has done as much to promote Seattle as anybody.

Whisper it because like Cheers the bulk of the set was in LA.

But aptly they filmed on location for the 1,000th show.

Frasier Crane Day

The plot, as if we need to tell you, surrounds Frasier’s accident-riddled vain attempt.

To attend Frasier Crane Day which marks his 1,000th show in 1997.

And the first we see of Seattle is of course the money shot, Seattle Space Needle.

Which is, of course, where everyone in the Frasier world takes their guests.

The pivotal scene is where Frasier and Niles walk past the Pike Place Fish Market.

And wee bro gets hit by passing seafood and spills his half-caf cappuccino with a dash of cinnamon on Frasier’s suede shoes.

Of course, Frasier’s odyssey to replace his shoes sets in course a hilarious set of events.

Including them getting mugged in a lane, of their money.

The Monorail Thing

All of which means they rob a blind girl’s bowl in Regrade Park for money for the payphone.

And get chased down First Avenue by actual girl scouts from Seattle.

Like so much in the Cranes’ life they get frustratingly close to their destination…

Ground to a halt on the Monorail , looking out onto the Space Needle.

Frasier, or at least Kelsey Grammer, did get to Frasier Crane Day, held in Seattle.

Where he sings Tossed Salad And Scrambled Eggs.

We’re singing it today while watching reruns and we know Seattle’s listening – 30 years of Frasier.

And dreaming of getting out to Seattle and knowing that our friends at Aer Lingus fly out there directly.

With us finding a random October 6-11 round trip from Dublin with pre-clearance from €674.42.

America, Canada, Countries, Cruising

New England and Canada is a cruise

6th July 20236th July 2023 funtime65

What would our Fiftysomething iteration tell our 21-year-old self… well, maybe that New England and Canada is a cruise.

The only bells and whistles though back in 1988 when I took the high road from Boston to Canada were on the bus.

How times and my fortunes have changed in the intervening years.

Embarking then on a scribbling career which 35 years later has afforded me the privilege of swapping buses for cruises.

Where you can take your time to get to your destination and relax when you get there.

Fall on good times

Our old friends at MSC Cruises have released their autumn programme.

And they want to take North Americanophiles up the eastern seaboard on MSC Meraviglia.

You’ll get to disembark from New York and there’s the added bonus of Bermuda on your horizon.

MSC are offering 10 or 11-night cruisings this September and October from £629pp, which, of course, is their famed Fall.

The Fall in Central Bark

New York: And when in NY do like the New Yorkers and kick through the leaves in Central Park.

Imagine… well, you don’t have to. And pay homage too to John Lennon at his shrine within view of his Dakota Building home.

On the right Rhode

Art of the matter: Street art in Rhode island

Newport, Rhode Island: And a chance here to reverse my first views of Newport from the train looking out to the big yachts.

From the sea this time where you can channel your Gilded Age in the US’s smallest state.

Now one of the joys of cruising is a shore excursion or free time.

And memories of being tripped by trolls disguised as stones on our MSC Bergen stop-off come flooding back.

As we’re directed towards the historic Cliff Walk with a walking trail along the beautiful rocky shoreline.

Love of Common people

Boston: And whatever New York does, their historic rival Boston claims to have done it first.

With Bostonians only too happy to tell you that for all Central Park’s appeal, Boston Common is the oldest public park in the US.

While for all that Yankee Stadium may be the House that Ruth built.

The Boston Red Sox had Babe Ruth first making home runs at Fenway Park, the oldest, at 111 years, in the States.

New Scotland

Nova Scotia: And when you’re done with New England then the natural progression is New Scotland.

The new Scotland of olde worlde fishing villages, beautiful beaches and captivating shorelines.

Guests can enjoy a stroll on one of world’s longest continuous waterfront boardwalks in Nova Scotia capital Halifax.

Neuw Brunswick

New Brunswick: And if you were wondering then NB which is billed a maritime province is named after British royalty.

And George III, who was also the Duke of Brunswick.

For all New Brunswick‘s fish, and its inhabitants are mocked as Herring Chokers and there are whales and seals aplenty, look out too for its moose.

Maine event

Portland, Maine: And what goes up must come down so cruisers will sail back via Maine, and New England again.

Make sure too to sample the local beer and try out the world-famous Maine lobster.

Specs appeal

At 315 metres long and 65 metres tall, Meraviglia boasts an impressive 19 decks and up to 5,700 guests.

There are ten different types of cabins to choose from, including solo cabins, popular balcony cabins, and stylish accommodations in the MSC Yacht Club.

A 90-metre promenade lined with shops, restaurants and bars with an LED sky screen… all for the big party.

Indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs, together with a water park and ropes course.

And different theatrical extravaganzas in Meraviglia’s 985-seat theatre.

So much better than bussing it up the eastern seaboard then when we know New England and Canada is a cruise.