"We've been here about 75 years," beams Diana Bova. She nods to a
flour-stained youth. "My son
Mike. He's the fourth generation."
Because
Boston is so much about
food, out of sheer professionalism,
we purchase a swollen bag full of samples.
It is impossible to see Boston in two days, but we do our best. The
next morning we wake and have breakfast at Thornton's Restaurant,
which is only a block from the Colonnade, allowing us to return to
the hotel to do what we have long ached to do.
After swimming backstroke with the skyline in our eyes at the
hotel's rooftop pool, we sally forth again, grabbing a noon lunch
at Restaurant Marché Mõvenpick. Modeled after a European market,
there is almost every kind of food offering imaginable, all of it
so fresh it appears to be posing for a still life.
Assuming you steer clear of the city streets - which are frenetic -
Boston is bike friendly. We rent bikes from Back Bay Bikes and ride
along the Charles River. Mile upon mile of bike paths line the
Charles, and they make for lovely riding. A cool wind rustles the
trees and sends the happy white armada of sailboats on the Charles
running. We pass picnickers, joggers, strollers, fishermen, and
contemplators.
We also stop in at
The Museum of Science, which squats just off the
Charles River Dam. The Museum is vast, and fascinating from the
get-go.
"Mom, look!" shouts Graham. "The Naboo Starfighter from Star
Wars!"
We disappear into booths, we peer into telescopes, we pull on
levers. Cullen has me stare at a spinning wheel with black and
white concentric circles, and then look at his face, which suddenly
swells as if he's ingested one too many cannoli.
"Weird, huh?" he says, grinning. "This stuff is cool."