Although it might seem strange for the last day in Boston, I opted to spend the day getting out of the city again and into surrounding Massachusetts. In truth, after spending a week here, Boston city life doesn't really appeal all that much. I suppose my expectations were a little off, expecting a bit more of a quaint, historic town rather than the bustling, urbanised city we find ourselves in. I think I had this somewhat romanticised notion more akin to Boston as it was during the War of Independence - of a newly emergent city full of ideas and innovation. Now it all feels so big and commercialised, with huge concrete freeways full of traffic, and the remaining historical buildings surrounded on all sides by multi-storey parking lots and skyscrapers.
On reflection, as my expectations have begun to move closer to reality, I can appreciate that Boston has a lot of charm in some areas. Some of the neighbourhoods are very pretty and historic and it is set in an attractive harbour. But ultimately it is a large, modern city – an environment which no longer really appeals to me on either side of the Atlantic. Having said that, I am sure with people you love and a job you enjoy in the city, it could be a nice place to live. But it would be that rather than the location itself which would draw me here. Of course, there is a big difference between wanting to live here and wanting to visit, and I can say I have enjoyed the visit. The days I have enjoyed the most, however, have been those spent outside the city limits.
Which brings us back to today, Day 15. Today we decided to travel out to one of the national parks in Massachusetts, called Ashland State Park. I had prepared information on the park and other Boston attractions before I left the UK, but somehow cannot find these anywhere in my carefully-planned holiday folder. And there was I thinking I would be hugely organised (of course, 29 years of evidence to the contrary probably should have taught me otherwise). Ah well, although I do like to plan (and get horrendously mocked for the fact even though I am far less of a plan-geek than my Dad), I'm quite capable of adapting to the situation too! Fortunately we found it listed in the sat-nav, just 40 minutes out of Boston.
Unfortunately, however, when we got there we found it closed and unstaffed. So, back to the drawing board - remembering another park I had researched which I knew was nearby, we set the sat-nav for Hopkinton just 10 minutes down the road. After driving around for a bit we had to stop and ask directions (yes, it really was getting that desperate!) so Dad popped into the local police station, and amazingly came out a few minutes later without having been shot or arrested, and with good directions!
We finally found Hopkinton State Park, which was quite a large, wooded park set around a reservoir. It was very scenic, although lacking in any wheelchair accessible trails which was a little disappointing. However, we decided to sit at the side of the reservoir, watching the canoes and various water activities, including some dogs doing some running jumps off the jetties, chasing toys thrown into the water. Good setting to do a bit of reading, and I think the dogs made my dad miss our own at home. By the end of the afternoon, as we were beginning to get hungry, we bundled back into the car and stopped by a McDonald's on the way back to the hotel - for Marius & Dad to start packing while I carry on reading my book. Yes, I know I have a hard life!
Tonight, it's back to the cheesecake factory for our last meal. And then tomorrow, it's up fairly early to make the trip to New York, for the final US leg of the trip. I'm quite excited, and this time I think my expectations are fairly reasonable, as it seems through the various TV shows and films I've watched I've already spent a lot of time there!
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