Up and at it early in Freeport. Got out for a quick walk about in Freeport to check out the nearby Maine Brewing Company, a local graveyard, Shaw’s for some odds & ends, a java stop at Starbucks and then “gitty-up” on the I-95 South to Boston. We did, however, stop for fuel and, of course, I’d forgotten the “fix” for using my VISA at the pumps (Re: US Zip Code Requirement). The solution… pull the numbers from your Postal Code and add two 0’s (Click Here). Works like a charm!
Travelling through Boston is always an adventure, but Andrew did great! Whether underground, in the “Big Dig”, or one of the many creative intersections that follow the city’s contours, Boston driving requires full attention. We headed for our evening accommodations, the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Boston – Cambridge, to see if we might be able to secure an early Check In! Cha-ching… our South Carolinian desk clerk Cheryl had us checked in to our 5th story rooms in a jiffy! The DoubleTree was a little removed from the downtown and a “T” stop, but rates were decent and not far from Fenway. Nice big suites that could’ve held our whole family. The lobby was just like my work space at DrJHG (NOT)!
All hands got settled quickly, then off via cab to Quincy Market. Our patchwork breakfast was now showing through, and we grabbed the first table we could muster at Ned Devine’s. Perfect for people watching there! We shared a great meal, refreshing ales, a definitively Bostonian vista, and a sunny Thursday afternoon. After lunch we prowled the shops and Faneuil Hall for a bit, picking up a couple of souvenirs (got a hat to keep my head from getting burnt), listening to music that seemed to be on every corner and sampling huge ice creams in the market.
After a quick turnaround at the DoubleTree, we set out at about 3:30 PM on our roughly 50 minute trek to the evening attraction, the Pats vs Jags @ Gillette Stadium in Foxboro (*Cliffy – It’s a little known fact that the town of Foxborough – Original Spelling – was once home to the world’s largest straw hat factory). Andrew decided he’d drive, as the stadium really doesn’t have an efficient, direct link to the city and to commute via public transport looked like a 2 hour journey. I’ve always marveled at why it was built so far outside Boston… but it doesn’t seem to deter patrons! Andrew’s tix covered parking in P-1 / Lot 5 so we waltzed into the stadium having a prime spot for both arriving and leaving! Cool… we sauntered in a couple of hours prior to game time to check out the sights!
So this happened… After a drink at Bar Louie at Patriot Place, Andrew escorted our group to the Gillette Stadium VIP Room (with entry passes secured via his friend Joe in Fredericton). Whoa… talk about spoiled. Drinks, food, TV screens, football junkies… simply over the top. Seafood, prime rib, sandwiches/snacks, desserts… you name it. I found big quart sized bottles of Harpoon at the bar which got me through the stress of it all (lol). Janie / Andrew found shrimp there that were the size of lobster tails (*Cliffy – It’s a little known fact that 1 billion pounds of shrimp are eaten every year by Americans – 1.1 billion when Canadians visit Gillette with VIP passes). Huge thanks to Andrew and Joe for coordinating this.
Before we could blink… Game Day! Pats vs Jags (Exhibition Game – 1st of Season) and all that is NFL fun. What can I say… great seats, passionate crowd, cold beer, and a cool summer evening under the lights! Most of the best players really didn’t see the field… that’s the norm for this kind of preseason game. However, we could see Ol’ Belichick, as surly as ever, eyeing his prospects on the field. In the end, the Pats lost to Jags 31-24. As an event, the NFL (even during exhibition) is a spectacle. We enjoyed the evening to the fullest and felt so lucky to have had the opportunity.
We departed with a couple of minutes on the board, walked to the parking lot, and basically drove away. Good call to get out early and beat the traffic. We were back at the Doubletree within the hour, retracing our drive out and making great time. To finish what had been a huge day, we ended up shutting down the DoubleTree watering hole, the Fusion Lounge, with beers and lies! With Day 1 in Boston in the books we’d already had an awesome trip!