Rafting the Nolichucky

"A river is more than an amenity, it is a treasure." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

If you are ever near western North Carolina or eastern Tennessee, a definite must-do is rafting the whitewater of the Nolichucky River. What an awe-inspiring experience! I did it for the first time this week and loved it. It doesn't matter that the river was high and rising due to challenging amounts of rain or that it was overcast or sprinkling through the whole ride; it was amazing.

The original plan was to raft the upper portion of the river, the Gorge, but plans had to change when there was a concern about the rising water. The lower portion is a "less technical" stretch, and therefore not as popular with the rafting regulars. Our group of novice rafters was excited either way. Due to the rain, although this lower portion was not technically challenging, it did not disappoint in terms of water speed and "waves."

We used USA Raft, located right on the Nolichucky. We stayed overnight in one of their tiny houses and were very pleased. None of the accommodations are equipped with restrooms or running water, but there are several restrooms located around the lodging area. Every building is kept remarkably neat and clean, and prices are very reasonable. I recommend staying here. There are several lodging options. They even have a lodge with a complete kitchen, living area, and dining area. We spent time there playing games at the dining table. They have a small selection of games on site, but I suggest bringing some favorites from home. There is even free wifi available at the lodge for those of you who just can't disconnect for a little while. 😀

We entered the river about 2:00 pm and traveled 13 miles downriver. We had the best guide ever! When you go, request Jonathan Holley. Okay, I may be a little biased since he's my nephew, but he really is a great guide. He stayed focused and did an excellent job of keeping all of us focused and involved on the trip. We weren't just "along for the ride." Although he was disappointed that we didn't get to raft the Gorge, he made the lower trip interesting and exciting for us. We navigated around hanging branches, across dips, around turns, and through some of the most lovely scenery I have viewed. We also got to stop for a rest at a small creek where we viewed a pretty waterfall lost in a jungle of greenery. Gorgeous!

We will be returning, hopefully before the summer is over. I encourage you to make the trip too!

USA Raft

A Whale of a Day

“Is it not curious, that so vast a being as the whale should see the world through so small an eye, and hear the thunder through an ear which is smaller than a hare's?" -- Herman Melville

One of the coolest things to do on a trip to Boston is to go on a whale watching cruise. I have some "Things to Remember" to help you along if you decide to go.

1. Bring a sweatshirt, no matter how the actual temperature may be. It gets cold out on the water especially with the speed of the boat. I had a lightweight jacket and still got cold enough that I had to go inside for a while. The temperature when we left Long Wharf in Boston was about 78 degrees.
2. If you have kids with you (and this is definitely a kid-friendly activity), bring along some books and travel games. The cabin has several booth-type seating areas perfect for families. Snag one of those booths as soon as you board. This a perfect spot for snacking, playing games, and reading/coloring/drawing. It takes over an hour to get to the whale beds, and you know how bored kids get. I loved just watching the waters, but kids need more stimulus.
3. Bring some snacks. They are sold onboard, but it would be much cheaper to have your own. 
4. Your voucher, which you show at the wharf, will state that you need to check in an hour before your cruise. We did not find that to be so. We rushed down to the wharf that morning only to be told that we needed to check in about 15 minutes before our departure time. Plan accordingly.
5. There is a Boston Marriott located at the wharf. This is a perfect place for a final bathroom stop. The bathrooms are located on the outside of the hotel, right behind Starbucks. Of course the boat is bathroom-equipped, it just made sense to make this stop first.
6. Enjoy the experience to the fullest extent. Once you arrive at the whale feeding-grounds, the staff onboard goes into action. They did a great job of pointing out possible/probable whale "footprints" and then turning the boat so that the maximum number of viewers could see. (The whale watching cruise comes with a lifetime guarantee that you will see whales or be able to ride again with no time expiration.) I did not have any trouble viewing several of these gorgeous God-created ocean mammals. It was an experience beyond awesome!!!
7. On the return trip, the staff did a great job of educating the passengers about what was seen. Young aquarium interns moved around with pictures and whale artifacts that passengers, including children, could see and even hold!  How amazing is that!

I hope that this list helps in the planning of your trip and your ultimate enjoyment of whale watching in Boston. Below the accompanying pictures is a link to the cruise line. 🐳

Boston Whale Watch Tours

Boston Trivia

"I'm always trolling for trivia." -- Lynn Abbey

Whenever I travel, the nerd in me collects any interesting information I can soak in about the place I am visiting. Boston was no exception. This post is for all the trivia nerds out there and for those who want to know all they can about Boston.

• Two great children's books set in Boston are Make Way for Ducklings and Johnny Tremain. The first is a Caldecott winner picture book, and the second is a 4th-5th grade level historical fiction classic which was awarded the Newbery Award. Both are wonderful! 
  
  
  
  
• Boston has physically grown by 5,000 acres since 1640. It amazed me to learn how much of Boston is built from/on landfill! And yes, it began as far back as 1640. Logan Airport is built on landfill. I had to keep referring to a topographical map to see if where I was standing wasn't always there!
  
• NASA was originally supposed to be built in Boston. After the death of John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson had the NASA site moved to Dallas. 
• There is a 23 year waiting list for a mooring in Marblehead Harbor.
• Elias Derby (of Salem, MA) was the first millionaire in North America.
• The first lighthouse built in what is now the United States was built on Little Brewster Island in 1716. Little Brewster lies in Boston Harbor. The present lighthouse on the island has been there since 1783 and is the second oldest US lighthouse.
• America's first subway was built in Boston in 1897.
• The oldest public US park is Boston Common. Amazingly, the British army camped and trained here while quartered in Boston after the Boston Tea Party.
• The deepest tunnel in the United States is the Ted Williams Tunnel in Boston, running almost 90 feet under the surface of the earth.

These are some of the facts I collected on my trip. I would love to learn more though. If you have additional Boston trivia, please comment below!

Boston Bits and Pieces

"Just as they were getting ready to start on their way, a strange enormous bird came by. It was pushing a boat full of people, and there was a man sitting on its back." -- Robert McCloskey in Make Way for Ducklings

One of my favorite Boston spots is the Boston Public Garden, and the Swan Boats are a major reason for that. If you are on your first trip to Boston, the Swan Boats should definitely be on your list! The driver sits at the rear of the boat inside a giant swan shaped "box" and pedals the boat around the pond. The passengers sit on benches in the front, enjoying a perfect view of the pond, the bridge, the island, and the park. It is relaxing, rejuvenating, and refreshing.

The Swan Boat season lasts from April to Labor Day. One heads-up is to arrive early because the boats close 5, even earlier before mid-June. The cost is $4 for adults and $2.50 for ages 2-15. The small cost is totally worth it. If you are a fan of Make Way for Ducklings, an added thrill is all the ducks you get to see on your 15 minute ride around the pond. If you take a short walk from the boat pavilion to the edge of the park, you will even get to see those 8 sweet ducklings and their protective mother cast in bronze and immortalized on their journey across the park.  Swan Boats

No visit to Boston is complete without one or several (in my case) trips to Faneuil Hall Marketplace. If the Old North Church is the heart of Boston's history, then Faneuil Hall is the life of Boston's present. It simply bursts with life. You can eat here every day for a week and never eat the same thing twice. You can shop for souvenirs intended for any age recipient. There is also retail shopping for those whose idea of travel is to shop until you drop. People-watching is also a favorite activity of the marketplace, especially when watching the talented street performers, of which there are many. Make sure that this is one of your first stops, and you will not be disappointed! Faaneuil Hall Marketplace

Other interesting stops for your time in Boston are the Prudential Center (for shopping/dining), Copley Place (for upscale shopping), the Mappparium (interesting inverted glass globe), the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (made more interesting by the theft of 13 paintings in 1990), and Chinatown (good, but it's not NYC). 

Boston Restaurants

"One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating." -- Luciano Pavarotti

Part of the fun of traveling is trying new foods and new restaurants! Who doesn't agree with that? Before visiting a new place, I always spend some time online checking out recommended restaurants. I create a list but use it merely as a jumping-off point. Once I arrive in a place, I like to ask the locals for their recommendations. Sometimes I find that their favorites are on my list. There are also times when I just see a place and take a chance; these risks often pay off. In a big city like Boston, I had an additional food goal; I wanted to sample foods from various ethnic groups. Below are the results of research, interviews, and luck. Enjoy!

Tasca Tapas Restaurant
This was a Spanish restaurant on Commonwealth Avenue very near our hotel. We went here based on its proximity to the hotel and by recommendation of the desk staff at the hotel. I have never eaten in a Spanish restaurant before and had no expectations. The food selection was very seafood heavy, which I guess should not have surprised me. The waitress was kind and helpful, assisting me with the menu selections. We ordered patatas bravas, potatoes with a highly seasoned cream sauce, and fideos con mariscos, a seafood stew over pasta. (pictured below) The courses were brought out individually and seemed slow until I realized that I was looking at it from an American viewpoint. I remembered that Europeans eat at a much slower relaxed pace. Overall, I enjoyed the experience. I am not personally crazy about squid, especially when I can see and feel the tentacles. The food was all well-prepared and affordable, and the restaurant staff was attentive. I would recommend it if you are on the west side of town. Tasca Tapas Restaurant

Legal Sea Foods Restaurant
There are several satellites of this restaurant. We ate at a big one on Long Wharf. It was actually on my original list and was recommended by the crew of our whale watch cruise. It was also extremely convenient since we got off the ferry, walked about 100 yards and were at our table. Since it is a type of chain restaurant, (There are 37 in 6 states and Washington, DC.) one might think the food tasted canned. It was actually delicious! We ate at an outside table and had a very attentive waiter. I ordered a cup of clam chowder; he misunderstood and brought me a bowl but only charged me for a cup. The chowder was scrumptious, as was the hot lump crab dip. I also got Caesar salad which was just so-so. Emma ordered fried shrimp which she loved. This was a great place to relax, eat, and watch people in a busy area. This was actually one of my favorite places we ate in Boston. Legal Sea Foods

Warren Tavern
The day we visited the Bunker Hill Monument we had no idea of where we would eat. We were so tired after climbing to the monument's pinnacle that we did not want to walk far before eating lunch, so we asked a park ranger at the monument. He recommended Warren Tavern. This small intimate tavern was the perfect place to have lunch in such a history-rich locale. Named for Dr. Joseph Warren, a Revolutionary hero who died in the Battle of Bunker Hill, it sits a very short walk from the monument. The menu choices are reasonably priced and taste good. The ambience was delightful. I ordered the pretzel stick appetizer (yummy) and the beer steamed pastrami sandwich. I highly recommend this spot, frequented by both tourists and locals. Warren Tavern

La Famiglia Giorgio's
Boston's North End is famous for its Italian food. I know that is true, but I should have been more selective in my particular choice of North End restaurant. We had to wait 30 minutes to get in here on a Tuesday night for dinner which should have been a good sign. Upon being seated and having our order taken, we were kind of forgotten. Also, the food was not that impressive. I got linguini with meatballs, and would have gotten the same thing for a much cheaper price at Olive Garden and gotten salad with it. I felt like this place was over priced, the food unimpressive, and the service mediocre.

Cityside Restaurant
This is an O'Charley's type place with an outside balcony area. (If you are from Meridian, think Weidmann's.) Emma and I just happened upon it for lunch our first day in Boston as we were exploring the area around Boston College and getting our bearings. The atmosphere out on the balcony was fun. We enjoyed people watching and bird watching. The waitress was very sweet and attentive. The food was just okay. We got some good artichoke and spinach dip and also ordered rattlers which turned out to be a fancy name for quesadillas cut into little pieces. Cityside Bar and Grill

Hennessey's Restaurant
In my attempt to sample several ethnic food groups, I had a desire to eat at an Irish Pub. The one on by original list turned out to be the one where we ended up, not exactly intentionally. We had finished up with Paul Revere's House and the Old North Church and then went in search of a pub for lunch. The first one we thought we located turned out to be just a bar, and the bartender sent us to Hennessey's about a block away. We went in and were seated amidst several empty tables, only one other table in the restaurant being occupied. After looking over the menu, I selected the Irish sampler and was told that was no longer being served. (Side note -- it is still on their online menu; I just checked.) I then ordered shepherd's pie. The food was very good, but the service was awful. Our drinks were never refilled, and we had to get someone's attention to finally bring our check when we had clearly been finished for a while. I was extremely disappointed. I mean, there was no one else in the whole place except for two guys at another table! Maybe it was just an off-day for them, or maybe our waitress was having a bad day; I'd like to give them the benefit of the doubt. Let me know if you have had a different experience there. I do have to add again that the food was good. Hennessy's

Quincy Market
For other meals we mostly ate at Quincy Market which I remembered as having amazing choices from my earlier Boston visit 30 plus years ago. My memory did not disappoint me. The choices were myriad and abounding. You can choose an ethnic food and find it at Quincy Market. It's awesome. (It's also the best place to buy souvenirs or t-shirts and to see street performers.) Quincy Market

If you have some other great Boston restaurant recommendations, please leave them for other readers by commenting below.

Boston -- Rich in History

"Listen, my children, and you shall hear of the midnight ride of Paul Revere, on the eighteenth of April, in seventy-five: hardly a man is now alive who remembers that famous day and year..." -- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Boston remembers. I just returned from a week-long visit to the city. It is amazingly rich in history, and even more amazingly, is eager to share that history with every visitor. In this current climate of history-removal, it was refreshing to visit a place and a people so excited about their roots.

I visited several historic sites and will share them below in preferential order, not necessarily in the order of their importance, but in the order of my enjoyment. The list is not conclusive, for even a week is not long enough to visit all of the important places Boston has to offer.

Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum

This was my hands down favorite! The visit begins with participating in a "Town Hall Meeting" in 1773, just prior to the Tea Party. The speakers seek to fire up the crowd by sharing facts about the hated tea tax. Participants are given feathers and then lead to one of the ships. More information is given on board, along with a tour of the ship itself. Visitors then get to "throw the tea into the sea." Following the reenactment, the guide leads visitors through the museum which includes many surprising exhibits! I only thought I knew about the Boston Tea Party!

We had an awesome guide, Gwen Thayer, who even sought me out after the tour to give me educational information because she knew I was a teacher.

*Fun Fact: Nathaniel Greene was a Tea Party "Indian."

**Ticket Note -- If you purchase On/Off Trolley tickets online before your visit (or even after you arrive) you can get into this museum at a discount. Also included with the trolley ticket is free admission into the Old State House and Dreamland Wax Museum.

Bunker Hill Monument

We were lucky enough to visit this site on Bunker Hill Day, June 17. In my pre-visit research, I saw that there was to be a parade commemorating the day. We didn't end up seeing the parade but had an awesome time nevertheless.

When we arrived, re-enactors were marching in formation near and around monument and a wreath was being placed inside. To my surprise, we learned that we could acquire tickets for actually climbing to the top of the monument! What a climb -- 294 steps! But well worth it when you see the view from the top!

After making it back down, we got a recommendation for a restaurant and made our way a couple of blocks to get there. We ate at Warren Tavern, named for Dr. Joseph Warren, and I will review the restaurant on another post. One neat thing though was that the re-enactors were there too -- watching golf. That struck me as SO FUNNY!!! Especially when they yelled, "Huzzah!" at the tv.

Old North Church

My third favorite historical site was the Old North Church. It was one of the few places I actually got to see on a previous visit to Boston 35 years ago. (I know, I'm old.) This visit was so much more informative and comprehensive. I really enjoyed it. There are different ticket options available at the church. We chose the guided tour that included a trip into the belfry and into the crypt. Wow! Imagine walking up the same steps that Robert Newman walked up!! We did not go to the very top but stopped in the belfry itself and were treated to a video and explanation of the bells which are still rung every Sunday. The bells themselves are quite interesting. We also journeyed down into the cellar where we learned of the 37 tombs and also about the columbarium where you can purchase a niche to hold your ashes, for the affordable cost of $3000!

It was hard not to be overwhelmed in this exact space where history took place. The boxes in the church, the steps up to the belfry, the close proximity of buried Revolutionary fighters all took my breath away. It is definitely worth the slightly more expensive ticket to go behind the scenes!

Without going into great detail, I will list the other important historical sites I saw or wished I had seen, accompanied by possibly interesting information.

USS Constitution -- We didn't get to tour this amazing ship because I did not have my license with me, and there is a security process to go through. We did get close enough for a picture and to see the nearby spot where Paul Revere came ashore in his boat on that fateful night. I really regret not getting to go on board.

Old State House -- (included in trolley ticket) This was another good museum. It sits right beside the spot of the Boston Massacre. We toured the museum on our own but were treated to guide-led informational talks at intermittent times throughout our visit. One talk was about the Boston Massacre, and I found it to be extremely interesting and informative.

Paul Revere House -- Just okay. It's on the Freedom Trail and near the Old North Church. It is possible to walk up and purchase a ticket which does not cost a lot, so I would definitely recommend it unless you are in a time crunch.
*Fun Fact: Top 5 non-alcoholic drinks in Colonial times were cider, milk, tea, coffee, and chocolate

Cemeteries -- Several of these were on our agenda, but we just simply ran out of time. There are several in the downtown area, and they are attended by guides in period clothing. Not going into any of them is another of my regrets.

Great Smoky Mountain Railroad

"The mountains are calling, and I must go." -- John Muir

I first noticed the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad several years ago as I made my way across western North Carolina along the Nantahala River. Seeing that steam locomotive chug its way beside the river instilled in me an instant desire to ride that train! It took a couple of years, but finally last fall I climbed on board.

My sister and I took a couple of days off, and had a girls' trip. the whole weekend did not disappoint. We arrived in Bryson City late around dinner time on Friday evening, and strolled around the little town, getting our bearings. After a quiet night in our motel near the river, we were ready for a train ride on Saturday morning!

I mistakenly made reservations on the Moonshine Car. This was quite funny, because neither my sister no I drink. Included in our ticket happened to be several complimentary shots of various flavors of moonshine. Our car was perfect, as we were seated in comfortable rotating seats beside huge picture windows. Besides the moonshine, our ticket included brunch and dessert, both of which were delicious!

The ride itself was so enjoyable as we made our way along through the fall foliage, meandering back and forth across the river and between hills. We made a stop at the Nantahala Outdoor Center and were able to walk around, even exploring a small part of the Appalachian Trail! On returning to the train, we soon were making our way back to Bryson City. On the return trip, we were even treated to some live "hillbilly" music. 

Our train experience ended, we meandered through the Bryson City Train Museum (admission was also part of our ticket cost) and enjoyed this very much. We spent another evening browsing the Bryson City stores, and we both got some great deals on some clothing.

The next day we explored some nature trails and river hikes before heading back to Greensboro. It was one of the most special few days that I've ever had!

Great Smoky Mountain Railroad

Bryson City, North Carolina