Tourist trapping through Boston

So often in the past, I would plan how I would spend my time in a new destination by doing extensive research about how the locals would spend their free time—an exercise in avoiding the tourist traps and trinket shops. I did not plan this trip to Boston, and it was probably for the better. This very long weekend was spent visiting nearly all of the must-see locations related to the origin story of this country along with some bonus material. For this adventure, I brought along my Omega Speedmaster Professional caliber 1861 on a gray NATO from BandRbands. For those who don’t know, this reference comes with a giant black box of Omega accessories including straps, a loupe, a paperweight, and a spring bar tool. There might be more but I’m drawing a blank as I type this: a very cool presentation box and a very uncool thing to try and find storage space for.

Nothing beats waking the whole family up at 4 am to catch a 6 am flight. All traveling aside, the first day in Boston was a walk-through of Little Italy with the solitary purpose of shoveling at least a couple different kinds of cannoli into my face garnished with an Italian sandwich and Sam Adams lager. Right off the bat, these are some of those “must do-s” in Little Italy. Dinner was at Ristorante Limoncello and it was a nice end to the first day.

The following day was a bit gray and in the 60s (in August!) which was not really ideal for what we had planned. This day was to be spent by first dumping tea into the harbor (as is customary) and then out on Cape Cod whale watching. After the tea party, we found a rooftop bar overlooking the Boston docks and had a bit of quiet time before the oceanic part of the day began. The ferry departs rain or shine so we all boarded and got ready for cold and bumpy seas. The sea was angry that day. Setting off was a choppy existence, especially at the bow of the huge catamaran. I found it hard to imagine navigating a schooner in the 1800s in this weather, but the founders found a way. An example of American perseverance perhaps, much like visiting the moon, as my watch reminded me every time I looked at it. Built for space but barely able to fend off high humidity I would try to avoid falling overboard. The weather cleared up to the point of being pleasant by the time we got to where the whales were. The number of bodies piled into the catamaran limited viewing locations but the whales decided to visit us that day and we were fortunate enough to see them right off the sides of the ship. The trip back was spent mostly in and out of sleep, the heads of all those in the cabin bobbing in unison with the sea.

Boston is a good-looking city. The next day was to be spent at the Boston Public Garden, pub crawling, some sightseeing and then touring Fenway. As a full-blown tourist does, we rode the swan boats in the park. I suppose you almost have to do the Cheers bar if it’s your first time in Boston, so that box was checked off as well. The Fenway Park tour was the highlight of the trip for me. I grew up loving baseball and being able to sit atop the green monster with my son was a memorable moment. The stadium monuments famous homerun balls that have dented its green skin which is a must-see if you are a baseball fan. The Fenway Park tour is a non-negotiable must-do. Although the Boston Red Sox did not win the World Series the year we went to the moon, they did beat the Baltimore Orioles the same day the lunar module touched down. July 20th was a good day for Boston, a good day for NASA, and the beginning of a very long Omega marketing campaign.

In the spirit of celebrating America and Boston specifically, a small Sam Adams brewery was visited. It was not the main brewery but there was outside seating so that was good enough for me. I even managed some time to myself and took the moment to take a good look at the BandRbands XTREME nylon band. We can all agree that Omega produces the best NATO straps in the business but these are right there in terms of quality. Soft, strong, and the sharply angled brushed loops are small details that add up to make this my go-to strap and I will be getting more.

There are many sides to the Moonwatch collection. There is the “Dark” side, the “Gray” side, the “White” side, the “Blue” side, and I might be missing some. There is only one “Old Ironsides” (USS Constitution) however, and she was responsible for sinking 5 British ships during the War of 1812. Getting her nickname due to the thick wood used in her construction, she was resistant to enemy firepower. Serving the country until 1881 when she was retired, she now serves as a memoir of our naval supremacy in the revolutionary era. Exploring below deck it is impressive to see how tight the living quarters were for the crews, with little protection from the outside elements living aboard would have been less than pleasant. Ironically, juxtaposed next to a slightly more modern warship (WWII) Old Ironsides seemed almost luxurious when comparing the amounts of usable space. Not suffering from claustrophobia myself, I could imagine the sinking feeling one would feel having joined the NAVY with the condition.

Everyone should visit Boston. See Paul Revere’s left as it was back then, walk the Freedom Trail, and stand where the Boston Massacre took place. Knowing history is one thing but being able to surround yourself with it is something else entirely.

Old Ironside of the Moon

Bars & Ross