Boston
Backpackers Youth Hostel
 |
Bostonians are emerging from nearly two decades of
pain and suffering as the “Big Dig,” a colossal
project meant to unsnarl the city by rationalizing
the traffic grid and banishing much of it
underground, at long last draws to a close. As the
noise dies away and the dust settles, trees and
grass have sprung up in areas once barbarized by
elevated highways. Neighborhoods severed for years
by construction are finally being reunited. And the
sigh of relief is as tangible as the northeast wind
that each year brings winter from the Canadian North
Atlantic. Perched on an outstanding natural harbor and snaked by the Charles River with its innumerable bridges, sailboats, and college crew teams, Boston is a city of water. It is a city of trees and parks from the Boston Common to the Public Garden to the Fens. It is a city of exquisite old neighborhoods, each with its own period architecture and distinct modern-day vibe. It is a city of impossibly narrow horse-and-buggy alleys and broad avenues lined with trees and magnificent brownstones. It is by all accounts one of America’s prettiest cities and its pedestrian-friendly character make it a pleasure to experience and enjoy on foot. The metropolitan area’s numerous universities, including Harvard, MIT, Boston University, Boston College, and Northeastern, keep the city young and vibrant. Finding something to do at night is never a problem in one of the city’s many club districts or simply in that fine old institution, the neighborhood bar. The local music scene rivals that of New York or San Francisco. Boston sports fans are as hardcore, and often as die-hard, as they come. In 2004 the Boston Red Sox baseball team won its first World Series title since 1918, but the seats at Fenway Park were packed day in-and-out during the 86 intervening years. Other professional teams include the New England Patriots (Superbowl champions in 2002, 2004, and 2005), the Boston Celtics (basketball), and Boston Bruins (hockey). |
 |