Fall Canadian Cruise - Day 9

Boston, Massachusetts

Beantown. Boston is one of the oldest cities in the United States, founded on the Shawmut Peninsula in 1630 by Puritan settlers from England.

It was the scene of several key events of the American Revolution, such as the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, the Battle of Bunker Hill, and the Siege of Boston.

The area's many colleges and universities make it an international center of higher education, including law, medicine, engineering, and business.

I used to use the standard toiletry bag, shown in black. The old saying, the bigger the bag the more junk you will justify putting into it.

I have since refined it down to just the essentials and now can put it all in the small water proof flat bag, shown in white. Ladies don't worry I have segregated your medicine, first aid and cosmetics in its own pouches.

Remember we are cruising, and the puny bathroom has less than 2 sq. ft of counter space.  Only enough space for toothbrush , paste, hair dryer, comb and sprays. You have to use the toilet seat to stage the rest of your stuff.

Notice the we have gone electric for our tooth brush and it is battery operated. But I did include our old tooth brush with two types of containers to protect the brush. We will not take this old brush.

Next to the tooth brush are 2 mini pump hair sprays. Do not take full bottles of fluids. The airplane pressure and the weight of another bag sitting on your bag will cause it to leak. You can also put each bottle in its own Ziplock bag.  That is why the water proof bag. You don't want to start you vacation wash out the sticky jell from your bag and the contents. Notice no shampoo and conditioner.

All hotels and ships will supply them. For over 12 years I have been carrying the California Hotel Emergency Sewing Kit. I just notice I am out of black thread and buttons. That means I used it and I suppose it's time to get a new one.

The S hook comes in handy for hanging clothes to dry or to hang another bag on to the door knob or drawer handle. Every room or cabin doesn't have enough shelves to store all your stuff...so hang um. A few cruise ships have a self-laundering machine, that's why the mini pack of Tide.

This draw string mini back pack has been all over the world with me.

Years ago, we were in Bangkok and things were so cheap, I told Wendy she could shop till we dropped.

I must have 4 packages in the bag and another 7 more bags hanging on right and left side on the draw string. I use a carabiners to hook up the packages to the draw string. This leaves me hands free while shopping.

Hands free is not the tip. Here's the tip...when you are carrying something in your hands while shopping, you will eventually put it down to look at something else.

We have all done it more than once and that is we forget to pick it up to continue. Most of the time we remember a few moments later and return to get it. But a few times we completely forget it and it is too late, we've lost it.

All your purchases will be bagged and or hooked to this draw string mini back pack, don't leave home without it.

It took us almost an hour to get into the city from the pier.  There were three ships that came in around the same time. We stood in line in the wind and in 42 degree temperature...cold.  Finally got on the Hop On - Hop Off bus.

Our first stop is Quincy Market. Hundreds of shops and eating establishments.

Just outside Quincy Market is the Freedom Trail and a sign about the red brick line that runs through the old part of town.