Boston

Our walking tour really began when we left the hostel and made our way up to Faneuil Hall and the Quincy Market. We walked the length of Washington Street which is the main retail area of the less exclusive shops. We were early so had the opportunity to explore the huge market area which occupies three buildings built in the early 1900's. We also observed the formation of a Police Parade to honour the funeral of a collegue complete with pipers.
Due to some misdirection by a woman at the information counter we ended up on a paid walking tour rather than the National Parks free one. However it was not expensive and the tour guide was a real "actor" who covered the history of fhe Freedom Trail with a humerous bent yet was very enlightening.
Afterwards we walked down to the piers and found information about the ferry trips out to the
Bay islands deciding to take a ride the next day. After eating a sandwich that we took down to Boston Common we met up with Isaac. We strolled through the Common and the beautiful Public Gardens with him then back to the hostel to collect the presents that I had for Sally, Lucy and Isaac. From the hostel was an  easy bus trip out to Sally and Isaac's apartment. We collected Lucy from her day care which  looked like an excellant one catering for toddlers only at that site and well staffed. When Sally arrived home from work we caught up on news and then had an excellant Thai meal. Catching the bus home was a doddle because we had earlier engaged Isaac to unravel the mysteries of purchasing tickets for the Boston Transport System. They have a one price system for the whole metro area and you need to buy the tickets in set amounts , eg $5 or $10  and just use it to cover the standard fare until it runs out. Simple really but there is nothing on the purchase screen to clarify this unlike other systems we had encountered.
Thursday morning we walked back to the piers and caught the National Parks ferry out to Georges Island. This was a fortified island developed prior to the War of Independance to protect the main chanel into Boston Harbour. The fort is a massive structure built of ganite blocks and an interesting place to walk around. It was used to house Confederate prisoners during and after the Civil War but otherwise was mainly underutilised serving only as a training facility. The ride over and back was in perfect conditions with the ocean breeze making the temperature very pleasant.
Afterwards I managed to explore TJ Max enroute to the hostel which was my first venture into retail therapy. The luggage restrictions on the flight back to Dallas from Chicago have meant that I have had to be restained so far.
Dinner that night was close to the hostel because I had caught Bob's cold and that meant we couldn't go near Lucy again. We found a pub which offered music and food and opted for that as it was comparable to most others in the area. The main attraction Jazz group were very good when they came on and finally started but by then our stamina was waning. Unfortunately the quality of the food was compromised by the provision of the entertainment as is often the case.
Yesterday we drove around US 1 along the coastal route to Maine. When we stopped at the Maine Visitor Centre we discovered why there was very little reasonable accommodation and crowds at each of the towns along the way. It is the last weekend before school resumes here on Monday and the fine weather has brought out everyone intent on making the most of the last weekend. Parking anywhere was virtually impossible so we drove slowly through Olgonquin and Portland gawking as we went. The crowds on the beach at Olgonquin were like Scarborough on a Saturday. Portland has redeveloped it's port area into a tourist mecca. After that we headed for the hills. We had booked accommodation in Augusta, the small Capitol of Maine in Quality Suites Motel which is luxurious after the hostel's basic accommodation. Last night we walked across rhe road to the Texas Steakhouse recommended by the motel staff and had delicious steaks at a very reasonable price. I think this must be because they are competing with the lobster and seafood dinners which are the main attraction in Maine.
Today we have a relaxing day planned exploring the lakeside communities that are a feature of the area.