Day 22 - Boston, Massachusetts

Had a 'Boston Harbour' day with Mieke yesterday! We walked from Government Center across to the harbour (resisting the temptation to go into Faneuil Hall and shop), then all around the harbour to the New England Aquarium, one of the best in the world. Spent a while looking at the denizens of the deep, particularly impressed with the stingrays and Myrtle the Turtle (she is over 70 years old and weighs about 600 pounds).

Then we headed over to take the Whale Watch tour; it takes about an hour to get out to the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary where the whales hang out, but it was a beautiful sunny day (though pretty windy), so I topped up my tan a little (even though everyone else was huddled in their coats). We were lucky enough to see two magnificent humpbacks, one of which breached twice (unfortunately before anyone had their cameras ready). They both did lots of flipper slapping, raising a great deal of spray - and I have lots of pictures of the spray, but only a few of the flippers!

Then we headed back, watching the Boston skyline get bigger and bigger; there are also great views of the airport, and planes taking off and landing. The harbour is full of fascinating old buildings - the Chart House (now a restaurant), several warehouses (now hotels and apartments), and the Custom House (now a hotel), among others. By this time (2.45 pm) we were pretty hungry, and of course just across the road from the Aquarium is ... Legal Sea Foods! See fishes, eat fishes ... The best clam chowder in the world followed by crab cake (which is all crab and no potato) - delicious! Then we wandered around the park created after the completion of the Big Dig, and admired the Old State House. Also we had spotted an odd squat conical spire while coming back into the harbour, and discovered it was the old Grain Exchange building!