Exploring Boston

These are what sidewalks look like in Boston and the city streets aren't much better. I can't go more than 15 mph or my wheels would fall off. For someone as impatient as me it takes a lot of getting use to. I also can't text and drive. It really is risking my life. Back in Las Vegas you only had to worry about someone coming into your lane or stopping in front of you. But here that is only the beginning. Then there are roads that don't go straight and no turning lanes so cars will stop in the middle of the road if they would like to turn. And people make their turns because if you don't there is no going back. The roads aren't wide enough for U-turns and the streets don't go straight so the next turn won't necessarily get you to the same place. And then there is the occational "we are turning this travel lane into a parking lane today". I was driving in a lane and all the sudden there were cars parked in what would have been the shoulder but there wasn't enough space so half the car was in the moving lane. Cars and semi-trucks often swerve into oncoming traffic to avoid someone waiting to turn (in either direction). Then there are my favorite intersection where everyone has the right of way. Three roads come to a point and no one has a stop sign or a yield. Those are my very unfavorite.

The T

Before I moved here I spent a lot of time looking at apartments and rooms to rent. The description always included "close to the T". I had no idea what that meant. Then I saw some clues as I was walking around Harvard Square. This happen to be a bus stop but "The T" includes buses, handicap taxi's, subway trains, and the commuter railroad.

So as I was wondering around Harvard Square I decided to get brave and take the train home. I consider myself a reasonably intelligent person so i walked down the stairs to the hub and told myself I would look at a map and figure it out. This is what I saw:

So not having any idea what any of those machines meant or which one I should go to first I turned my happy little but right around and marched back to the surface. I found a tour starting and I obviously looked lost because the recruiter for the tour asked if he could help me find something. I told him where I needed to go and he told me which bus I should get on and I had to be brave and go back down and look for the sign that had my bus number on it. Very intimidating but success and not to bad for my first time on public transportation.

I do have one horror story about the T that I really should document for posterity. I had met an interpreter through a friend and she invited me to tag along with her when she went shopping for a new outfit to wear as she presented a workshop at RID Region I conference. I got my map out and planned my trip so that I could stop at the Institute building and check it out before jumping back on the train and meeting her at Downtown Crossing. Then in my constant state of brilliance I decided to save a total of $3 by walking to the institute and then taking the train to the designated meeting place. I apparently didn't leave enough time because when I got to the street that forked right for institute and left for the train I didn't have time to make right so I just turned left and on to the train. I made it just fine and we had a lot of fun shopping even though she didn't find anything for the conference. So when we ended at 4 I thought to myself: "cool, there's still time to sneak by the institute. So I go on the green line out to Lechemere but at one of the stops the conductor gets on the intercom and says the train is being taken out of service. So at the next stop everyone gets off the train so I get off the train too. I wait for the next train to come so I get on thinking it will go to the same place the train I just got off was going. Not the case. In fact, I was the only one who got on the train so I smoothly get off the train like I knew exactly what I was doing. Then the next train came and I looked around to see if anyone was getting on. No one moved. Then I started to get frustrated that everyone else knew something I didn't know. How did they know that train was no good??? Well the third train that came had a bunch of people get on so I followed the crowd like cattle and jumped on. Then as we were riding along I was making sure to keep track of where I was because I needed to switch to the red train to get home. Well at the stop before the transfer the guy came on the speaker again and said that anyone getting on the red line to Alewife needed to exit the train and take the shuttle to Kenmore station. So I get off the train and follow the cattle again and have to wait in a giant mob for the third bus to come and get packed on board like sardines and get off the bus with the herd all the time wondering if I'm going to have to pay to get back on the train because it should have been a free transfer but if we walk into the station then it won't be recognized as a transfer. But following the herd never fails because I was with a particular group that went through the service entrance to the train that didn't have to pay. Then I had to wait for the second train before I would fit on board (busses and trains are 15-30 minutes apart so you can see that this trip is taking RIDICULOUSLY longer than it should). And all this because they were doing construction on the little section of the red line that I was trying to get on at. So the moral of the story is that even if you don't use a car you still get stuck in construction traffic.

I am surprised at how... shall we say... "lack of idiot-proof-ness" it is here. Maybe it's because Las Vegas prepares for their pedestrians to be in a constant stooper from alcohol but it seemed so strange that there wasn't a way to protect people from a train whizing by at top speed. People stand right up to and sometimes on top of the yellow line and wait for half a train to pass until it stops to open the doors. I kept thinking to myself that this just wouldn't happen in Vegas. I don't know why but it just didn't seem like it would fly.

This is what happens to your pinky toes when you walk more than 10 miles a day in tennis shoes that are falling apart. Luckily I just got some unexpected funds that I can use to buy new ones...pronto.

City parks are beautiful and not like anything I am use to. The first time I went with Janice to walk the dogs at the park I felt like I was back at girls camp hiking up the mountain. This is the trail from the parking lot to the park... in the middle of the town. Once you get to the actual park it is grass as far as the eyes can see.

Boston is so much different than Las Vegas when it comes to shopping centers and how they are set up. In Las Vegas you can drive down the street and see a CVS and pull into the parking lot and get what you need. If you happen to miss that parking lot then another CVS or store similar to it will be on the next corner. Here the area where you shop is separate from where you live. There are large areas where there are only houses and that is where people live. Even on what would be considered major streets there aren't businesses on every corner. In the areas where you shop are streets that are lined on either side with various stores and these are centers within each city. And everywhere you park has a meter. Mom & Pop stores reign supreme here. CVS is the only drug store/pharmacy that I recognize. There is a Trader Joe's and a Whole foods in the city I live and only one grocery store that is a chain and it doesn't even exist in Vegas. It's called Shaw's. There are not Albertsons. No Smiths. I haven't even seen a 7-11 Since I got here.

Speaking of 7-11 most of the gas stations here will pump your gas. FOR YOU! It's the most awkward thing to get use to. Then I have an overwhelming urge to tip them at the end but Janice said it's weird to do that. Maybe it's because I lived in the biggest tipping town in the world but it's almost uncontrollable. I feel really guilty.