Whale meat again

I achieved another first yesterday on another fantastic day in Boston. The temperature was around 88 degrees and Wren and I went out on a trip to see Whales off the Boston coast. I must admit that I was sceptical about whether we would actually get to see any activity, but how wrong could I be. Within an hour and a half of setting sail from the New England Aquarium down at the harbour we came across a Humpback whale, her calf and their escort. It was a thrilling moment, watching them surfacing for air, then diving to the depths, their tails flooking in the air as they did so. I don't know how many pictures I managed to get on my cheapo $7 disposable camera, but I'm confident at least a few will come out. We also saw some minky Whales and by the time we had to leave their feeding grounds there was activity everywhere. Breathtaking.
When we returned to dry land Wren and I went to one of the best recommended sea food restaurants for locals, Legal Sea Foods on the harbour. I had clam chowder to start and Wren had lobster bisque. For main course I had an amazing dish, can't quite remember what it was called but it contained lobster, clams, mussels, squid and a fish called Scrod (not Wanda) in a tomato sauce. Wren had a seafood mixture of tuna, salmon, prawns and scallops woodsmoked with chips and salad. Sensational. The bill worked out at around $80 with drinks etc, so it was well worthwhile.
On a long walk through the City we came across a more salubrious area and were amazed to see the Welsh dragon taking pride of place outside one of the poshest hotels in the city - the Fairmont Park Plaza. I shall endeavour to find out why it was one of only three flags flying from above the entrance.
We were pretty tired by the end of the day but had to go and see the bar where they took the picture of the outside of Cheers at the top of Beacon Street. Not impressed. This place is the typical rip-off joint with boozing coming secondary to souvenir selling. We couldn't have a table unless we ordered food so sat at the bar when we could find a space and had a couple of beers, but it wasn't somewhere I wanted to stay for long. The whole atmosphere was about commercialism, far removed from the original Cheers bar where locals met and "everyone knows your name". Still, it had to be seen.
We far prefer our local bar the Beacon Street just down the road from our hotel and stopped off for a couple of drinks. I knocked back two pints of Herdinger while Wren opted for Jack Daniels and Coke in the true American fashion.
By the time we returned to the hotel we were both tired and, shall I say, merry, but it was a day never to forget. Boston rocks! Tonight, of course, the Stereophonics are in town and it should be another exciting day.

The wonderful Withers no doubt would like to hear about the election activity going on over here. Well, the Republicans have had their convention this week and I am trying to count up the number of times the broadcasters can say the word convention in one sentence. The record is about six.
John McCain has appointed his running mate, the Alaskan senator Sarah Palin, who was immediately surrounded by controversy with the news her unmarried daughter Bristol is pregnant. This goes against the whole Christianity/family values ticket the Republicans try to push so to overcome the obvious own goal they wheeled out Bristol's boyfriend Levi Johnston, who has a tattoo of Bristol on his finger. Never mind, if he gets sick of her perhaps he will become a gashead and add the name Rovers to the finger next to it.
Saw an absolutely sickening McCain campaign promotional video yesterday in which they had old pictures of him recovering in hospital from his wartime efforts, most of his body covered in a cast. The message was John McCain will look after you but quite honestly it was tear-jerking nonsense. The Yanks will undoubtedly fall for it, though, so I think you're probably right Withers in your assumption that he will breeze the election against Obama, more is the pity.
Anyway, that's it for now. As we Americans say: Have a Nice Day!