Thanks to all those who have responded to my  blog. I have been away all week for a quick holiday in Boston so I am furiously trying to catch up with my journaling! The holiday was great, I was surprised the city of Boston was so small, it has a population of only 600,000. The city center area is mostly quite flat and very compact so it is possible to ramble around all day on foot.

My favourite place to visit was the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. In 1891 Isabella’s father left her his fortune and she began collecting vast ammounts of art work. To display these pieces she bought land in the Fenway district and commissioned a building. The result is a remarkable construction which opened to the public in January 1903. The museum is built in the style of a 15th. century Venetian palace. It has 3 stories of galeries surrounding a beautiful courtyard of flowers. It is a place that needs to be visited again and again as one visit just does not do justice to all that can be seen there. Unfortuanately visitors are asked not to take photographs so I cannot let you see what it is like but you can take a look at their website here.

View from Pat's house

Boston is a calm  and very friendly city to visit and I would recommend a holiday there if you get an opportunity. We were lucky enough to be invited byour friend Pat to have dinner in his house. I think you will agree that the view from his house over the bay towards the city is pretty spectacular.