I have only been into the heart of Boston a few times, mostly on class trips where we only went to one destination, spent the day there, and then left. I have seen the tourist spots. Don't get me wrong, Fenway Park, Quincy Market and Fanueil Hall are all important sites that must be seen at least once, but I have never really explored the "real" Beantown. I hoped to do so on this trip.
I met my friend near Fenway Park, where we would go on to tour the oldest and one of the most famous ballparks in the world, arguably. The area around Fenway is on the outskirts of downtown Boston. Straddling an area which includes Boston University and Northeastern, the area has a great mix of college city and big city feeling to it. You know you're in Boston, yet there's a different atmosphere to this part of the city.
A few stops on the subway farther into the city and one enters a much different world. As we walk up the steps from the subway station, a tall, New England-style church shoots up skywards almost right next to the underground entrance, as if the church is a guard to the rest of the area. From the brown of the church, the rest of the view is dominated by green. Across the street is the Boston Public Gardens, home of Paul Revere's famous statue.
It's pretty unfair to compare this to New York's Central Park, but it serves the same purpose. The gardens are a chance for the city folk to get away from the concrete and skyscrapers and relax under a weeping willow on one of several ponds. The multitude of joggers, people watchers, ducks, squirrels and birds create a great, relaxing atmosphere, especially on a day that saw near record-high temperatures through New England and much of the northeastern United States. Here, you definitely forget you are in a major city. Unless, of course, you look up and see the downtown skyline or see the huge tourist groups walking around.
After my friend and I went our separate ways, my mom and I made our way through the city's many tunnels and roads to the suburbs of Boston. The city of Lynn lies just a few towns north along the shore from Boston. It's an industrial town and home to one of the first two General Electric plants ever formed. Early fame, however, came from shoe-making and much of the urban growth came as a result of this in the nineteenth century. Shoe-making would also be somewhat responsible for Lynn's collapse, as fiery infernos spread throughout former factories in the 70's and 80's, burning down quite a bit of Lynn.
Despite the history, crime and poverty, Lynn is still home to baseball. The North Shore Navigators play at Fraser Field, located in a very residential area. The Navs are the defending champions of the New England Collegiate Baseball League, one of the most prestigious collegiate summer leagues along with the Cape Cod League. Another UT friend is a catcher on the Navs, so a visit was necessary. The ballpark is suitable for this level of baseball, but probably not for any higher level anymore. The atmosphere is family-oriented and laid-back, providing an affordable outlet to those that choose not to spend the money and time travelling down to Fenway. The heat seemed to not affect attendance too much. Baseball is the prime focus here. There's one (maybe two) in-between inning promotions, but baseball is the main event. One of the PA announcers sounded like Kermit the Frog a bit. I am not sure if this is the main PA announcer, but it was odd hearing a "normal" voice and then Kermit and then back and forth and back and forth. Overall, it was a great time and it's pretty cool to actually know one of the players.
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