Hi everyone, just a quick hello from America’s pearl – Boston! The autumn colours are beginning their flamboyant show although the weather is clear, sunny and warm and we have loved every minute of our time in this unique city.

We’re enjoying our last morning in our studio condo in Back Bay’s Marlborough Street, before continuing our journey to Big Island Hawaii. We’ve explored a good slice of Boston from Cambridge to the North End, and we both agree Marlborough Street is the loveliest … tranquil, tree-lined with gorgeous small gardens still in full bloom fronting the bay-windowed row houses. So a ten out of ten on the accommodation score! (Many thanks to Fodorites for all the tips and assistance in organising this leg of our trip.)

Amongst so many other things, we’ve posed with duckling sculptures, cooled down with icecreams on the Long Wharf, strolled the Charles River esplanade, rubbed the shoe of John Havard’s statue, craned our necks at church steeples, nearly sprained an ankle on the cobblestones of old Acorn Street in Beacon Hill, immersed ourselves in the amazing aromas of the North End Italian restaurants, foot tapped to buskers’ music at various T stations, scurried away from the hectic pace of the downtown Financial District, strolled the beautiful C’wealth Av mall, critiqued the statues of horses’ rearviews bearing George Washington in the Public Gardens and Paul Revere’s in North End.

We’ve found Bostonians to be very friendly and outgoing, and offering assistance almost every time we stopped to check our guidebook. The exception here seems to be service staff in the food industry and a singular experience with 2 electricians checking faulty wiring in the condo.

Will attempt a more detailed Trip Report after dejetlagging on arrival home – will divvy it up into sections on the various branches as it will include Beijing, Stockholm, Gastrickland, Boston and Big Island. And oh yeah, Heathrow ….

Greetings from Boston and aloha Kona!

Jackie

Actually, Boston's nickname is not America's Pearl -- its The Hub of the Universe.

I'm glad you had a great visit!

here's a cute thread on Boston's nicknames that I gave to some relatives visiting recently from the west coast - it gives a run down on Boston's most famous nicknames - including Caph, your Hub of the Universe one !

http://www.boston.com/travel/boston/boston_nicknames/

Saving this wonderful info on renting for future visits to DD in college!

Glad you're having a good trip this far!

Hawaii will be even better, I hope...

What a lovely posting from someone who knows how to say thank you...Furrytiles, your description of our beloved city captures all of the things we all love and never experience in a few days time. You have sampled our best and, with one exception, we have given you good weather to boot.

Glad the condo rental worked out well...I remember all of the conversation about that back in June.

Have a fabulous time in Hawaii. And thanks for reminding us that there are good people in every city :)

Many thanks for all the positive feedback!

Capxxx, America’s Pearl was our own portrayal of Boston – we felt both Beantown or the Hub not worthy of such a historically-rich, delightful city.

Lcuy, Big Island was just amazing! Flew out of Honolulu on the 19th Sept., so just missed the fun, laughter, dancing and dining of the gtg! Love reading about it, though.

Ccrosner, thanks for your lovely comments. Indeed, there are good people everywhere in the world, which makes travel such a joy.

Have done a full review of our lodging in Marlborough Street on a separate thread,
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35072143

Cheers,
Jackie