Travelogue: Massachusetts

Published August 24, 2024

I think this travelogue is going to take me some time to fully bring to life, but I'm not going to let that stop me from starting where I can and adding to it when I can.

TUESDAY (August 13th, 2024)

Travel to Boston

Boston harbor was my first sight and it was impossible not to fall in love. In our descent the plane had swept over a series of islets, some bearing lonely lighthouses, and mirriads of sailboats. I was actually so enthralled I forgot to take my camera out, which I regret.

Setting foot outside, the sky had a remarkable gradient that went from blue at the horizon to red as it rose. I hadn't seen anything quite like it and was surprised at how well the camera captured the effect, though naturally not quite as vibrant as in-person.

I hailed a water taxi to ferry me Downtown. I was overjoyed to be on the water so soon.

I worked my way past City Hall, a surprisingly brutalist structure, and found myself at the foot of the Massachusetts State House on my way to the hostel. I went to bed early.

But before that: meet my travel buddy, Captain! He'll be in a few of the pictures along the way.

WEDNESDAY (August 14th, 2024)

Private tour at EMK Institute; Research and Jazz at JFK Library

I woke up just as early in order to make my appointment with the Edward M. Kennedy institute for a private tour, something I had unwittingly secured when calling months advance to see if they would even let me in the building. Their website advertised educational tours for groups of 10 or more only, I assume due to pandemic restrictions, and you could imagine my reaction when I was offered an hour-long personal tour for the same per-person cost as a group tour (10 dollars). I was so enthused I wrote them a check.

When given the option for time I selected 9am, on opening, because I knew I wouldn't be able to handle waiting after waking up the day-of. I more or less got out of bed, put on clothes, and rented a bike to take me the roughly 45 minute distance south.

After jamming my rented bike back into one of the designated rental stations I approached my destination from the waterfront, which inadvertently took me past the EMK Institue's neighbor: the imposing JFK Library, which would later be my second and final stop of the day.

There was a flag pole with international maritime signal flags on its "shrouds", one side I recognized to be "JFK". The other had its first two flags wound around the line in such a way that I couldn't make them out, but I could see the last was also "K", so I thought: "it must be 'EMK'!". On later inspection, that doesn't seem to be the case, as judging by the monotone red I can only assume the middle letter is "B".

I still haven't figured out what to make of that.

Moving on, and with only 10 minutes to spare, I slowed to admire a particularly beautiful sloop perched oddly on the lawn next to the building. What a pretty color! And fine construction. I took a couple photos before hustling up the steps to my destination.

(Some may already be anticipating my "discovery" later in the day, when I apparently find wherever I misplaced my brain.)

And there was the EMK Institute, a building I had been anticipating meeting for well over a month. The austere entrance was lined with posts that bore the name of each state and the years of their admission to the union--many hours later I discovered each were individual lamps. Someone inside, I think a security guard, noticed me milling about the posts and taking in the sheer width of the building's own name which had been chiseled into its side, and queried me by name. I certainly felt important; though most likely I was the only person slated to arrive that morning (or that day at all).

The first and largest of the offerings of the EMK Institute: the meticulously accurate senate replica room. I learned more about the Senate in 45 minutes than I expected possible. The man giving the tour clearly had been holding in his Senate Facts (tm) for too long with such slow business and unloaded them onto me rapidfire. I was not complaining.

Aside from the obvious rundowns of placement, purpose, and procedure, I was regaled with some of the more humorous and bizarre events in senate history, including a fistfight that erupted between two Democrats in 1902 and Mitt Romney getting in trouble for drinking chocolate milk on the senate floor. Surprisingly, this was not because of the chocolate milk, but because of the container he was drinking it in: a plastic bottle. Senate rules forbid food (with the exception of the infamous Candy Desk), but you're allowed water and... milk. But ONLY if the milk is in a glass. ...The Senate is nothing if not traditional.

Captain sitting in the replica chair of what would be Ted's lifelong senate seat, along the back row of the left wing.

Ted's name and the name of his brother Jack, who sat there before him, are both carved on the inside of his (real) desk in another example of senate tradition. I asked the staff where Bobby would have sat... they weren't sure! What a shame.

The wide, full view of the senate floor (and all those in it) when seated in Ted's aforementioned seat.

Speaking of tradition: new senators are placed in the backmost desks at first, while long-standing senators are over time granted seats closer and closer to the front. Despite being the

, Ted strategically chose to remain in the back for the above view, as well as the ease of access to his staff. No one is allowed on the senate floor other than senators, so being in reaching distance from the special non-senator seating area lining the back of the room made it easy to be handed documents and speak to his staff without causing a disturbance, as well as catch those coming in and out of the door to his left for quick comments.

Another amusing bit of story and tradition is that of the handleless gavel, which has been replaced twice: most recently due to it's ivory construction (elephant poaching and illegal ivory trade had come into public awareness), the first because Nixon slammed it down so hard it shattered.

Now, the day isn't over yet, but...

THURSDAY (August 15th, 2024)

Travel to Martha's Vineyard

FRIDAY (August 16th, 2024)

Chappaquiddick

SATURDAY (August 17th, 2024)

Nantucket

SUNDAY (August 18th, 2024)

Return to Chappaquiddick

MONDAY (August 19th, 2024)

Return to Boston

TUESDAY (August 20th, 2024)

Return to JFK Library