Boston, MA

The Zakim Bridge

Having stayed in Woburn, we crossed the Charles River into Boston by way of the landmark Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge. Currently the world's widest cable-stayed bridge, this eight lane bridge is concurrently I-93 and U.S. Route 1, one of two well-known interstate highways that traverse the East Coast from Maine to Florida (the other is I-95). May I confess that we might just have caused a very minor spot of traffic while we marvelled over this famous piece of the Boston skyline?

Chinatown

For lunch, we visited Boston's Chinatown, where the streets are cleaner than in NYC, but no less crowded or colorful. We also took a walk toward the wharves, where the beer & crabcakes at a nameless pub were stellar.

New England Aquarium at Central Wharf

At first sight, the New England aquarium looks pretty run-of-the-mill. The first floor is divided into three sections, each housing Little Blue, African, and Rockhopper penguins - quite the cliche aquarium actually...until you realize that, as you walk up the ramp, you're actually walking on quite the nifty architectural design. The walkway wraps around a circular 200,000-gallon "Giant Ocean Tank" - a four-story tank of heated seawater straight from the Boston Harbor!

Like the tank itself, what you'll find at the core of the tank is also quite the marvel: a man-made coral reef that is the "most detailed & scientifically accurate recreation" of nature's work. The GOT houses sharks, barracudas, eels, turtles, and tropical fish too numerous to name. As you walk up and around the reef, you will see over 120 species of sea animals through the large panes of glass.

Lobster

For dinner, we visited a Boston wharf, hoping to score some tasty New England lobster, but we missed. Next time, I'll be sure to stick with lobster in Maine! Luckily, we had an early meal and were able to do some shopping at an outdoor market before heading back to Woburn.

And I have to put in a good sidenote for the Friendly's in Woburn, Massachusetts - the staff & dessert were both exemplary!