Love in Hard Times/El Amor en los Tiempos Duros
Thursday, March 12th, 2009
Text: Martin Pei de la Paz
Photos: Brayan Collazo
Translation: Julie Schwietert Collazo
[vease abajo para la version en espanol]
*
Every couple needs a space that affords them the privacy to share their emotions and physical intimacy, building their connection. Every recently married couple wants their own space, whether it’s an apartment, a room, or a house.
In Cuba, any of these three options is difficult to achieve.
Posadas, temporary hotels that once served couples, have disappeared. These were excellent options for couples in love; cheap, safe, and clean, they were visited by young and old alike who were in search of intimacy, looking for what all people in love around the world are looking for: a place to talk the secret language of love.
Posadas were refuges for Cuban lovers, a place to spend the night or just a few hours. Even well into the Revolution (as recently as 2003!), the posadas continued functioning, whether out of necessity or custom. They were one of the few places that survived profound social changes, more or less intact, functioning as they always had.
But now, the posadas have disappeared. They’ve all been closed, and in their closing, have created worries among thousands of young Cubans who can’t find an intimate place to discharge their sexual energy with their partners.
Wondering about the social impact that the closure of the posadas has had on Cuban youth, I began to collect opinions about the subject. Personally, I thought the closure of the posadas was a loss, but I wanted to confirm that my opinion wasn’t personal, but was, rather, well-founded in larger social concerns and, possibly, with serious irreparable moral and social implications.
I interviewed Pablo, a 30 year old who lives in Havana with his girlfriend.
“How long have you been together,” I asked. “We’ve been together a year and we’ve only had sex twice. There are five of us in my house: my mom and dad, plus my two younger sisters. With the addition of my girlfriend, we’re six. The apartment where we live only has one bedroom, where my sisters and my parents sleep. After 9 PM, I turn the living room into my bedroom. There, my girlfriend and I have sex, but with caution. She tells me her house would be even worse!” Pablo said.
“Do you think your situation is unusual?” I asked Pablo. “No, not at all,” he responded. “In fact, just so you get an idea—in my building, all the apartments are the same as mine, and in all of them three or more people live in the same little space.”
“But you can rent a hotel room, right?” I asked him. “Sure- last year the government passed a law permitting Cubans to rent hotel rooms; before, only tourists could rent them.”
“And so?” I asked, wondering where he was leading. “Are you kidding?” he asked, without stopping to think. “We don’t have money for that!” “What amount are you talking about?” I asked Pablo. “Between 50 and 200 or more a night,” he replied. “In Cuban national currency? Pesos?” I continued. “No! In convertibles. 24 Cuban pesos are equivalent to one convertible peso, or CUC. Cubans can’t pay that—not unless they’re the creme-de-la-crème of society,” he said.
“So, where does that leave you?” I asked Pablo. “There aren’t any hotels where you can pay with Cuban pesos?” “Not that I’m aware of,” Pablo said after a pause. “And look, I’ve walked all around Havana and haven’t found a single one!”
“Before,” Pablo continued, “there were posadas.”
“Posadas?” I asked him. “What’s a posada?”
“They were little motels where you could pay a reasonable sum in Cuban pesos. You could rent a room by the hour and, well… you know…be alone with your girl.”
“So what happened?” I asked him.
“Nothing, they disappeared,” Pablo said with obvious disappointment. “The government turned them into housing. They gave the posadas to families who didn’t have a place to live.”
“Has the government looked for another alternative for the posadas?” I asked. “No!” Pablo said.
This is the Cuban reality. It’s true that if you have a connection, you might be able to rent a room in a “casa particular” (the Cuban equivalent of a bed and breakfast), giving rise to an underground money-making business. Renting a room in a casa particular will cost you $5-10 CUC per hour, depending on the location and the demand. For the average worker, that price is equivalent to one’s monthly salary.
In Havana, plenty of couples are looking for a place to do the 1-2-3 on any given night in any given month. Searching for a safe place, a dark place, couples may find themselves making love in public places at odd hours: in stairways, doorways, parks, and rooftops.
The effect of the closure of the posadas is one of degradation. Young men feel impotent; young women feel hopeless. The lack of a place that’s safe and appropriate for couples to make love is the primary reason why many young people’s relationships end prematurely. Personally, I’ve found that this situation reduces loving relationships to an animalistic, repulsive encounter.
Havana is home to more than 2.5 million Cubans. The diversity of thoughts and tastes is obvious in a city of this size. The voices against the closure of the posadas are growing stronger every day, with the need for a response to this social problem growing in urgency.
*
Para toda relacion amorosa un espacio que le permita a ambos la privacidad emocional, intimidad, y coneccion personal es una necesidad inegociable! Los deseos para todos los recien casados es tener su propio espacio, ya sea un apartamento, una habitacion o una casa independiente. En Cuba, cualquiera de estas tres opciones es un deseo muy dificil de alcanzar.
Las posadas (hoteles de paso) que antes servian a los enamorados, viajeros de paso en ruta de un sitio a otro ya han desaparecidos. Por excelencia eran sitios baratos y seguros. Visitados por parejas jovenes y no muy jovenes en busca de la intimidad, buscando hacer lo que las personas que se aman hacen en todo el mundo: hablar el lenguaje intimo del amor.
Eran los sitios de escape para los amantes, o simplemente un lugar donde pasar una noche o unas horas. Aun hasta bien avanzada la revolucion (2003) estas posadas siguieron funcionado por necesidad o por costumbre social; fueron uno de los pocos lugares que sobrevivieron los profundos cambios sociales, mas o menos intacto, como funcionaron en el pasado.
Estas posadas han desaparecidos. Todas han sido cerradas, creando con su cierre la preocupacion de miles de jovenes Cubanos que no encuentran lugar intimo para descargar esa energia sexual con su pareja. Buscando una respuesta al impacto social que este cierre propino en los jovenes, me di a la tarea de recojer opiniones al respecto. Personalmente tenia mis dudas; queria confrontar mis dudas con los demas, queria confirmar que no era una preocupacion personal sino una bien fundida preocupacion social con posibles danos morales y sociales irreparables.
Pablo, un joven de no mas de 30 anos que reside en la Habana con su pareja:
Cuanto tiempo llevan juntos? –le pregunte- Llevamos 1 ano y solo hemos tenido relaciones sexuales a plenitud en dos ocasiones. En mi casa somos cinco: mi madre y mi padre y mis 2 hermanitas pequenas. Ahora somos 6 con la llegada de mi novia. El apartamento en que vivimos tiene un solo cuarto dormitorio donde duermen mis hermanas y mis padres. Yo convierto la sala de mi casa en mi cuarto despues de las 9 pm, alli es donde con mucha precaucion tengo relaciones sexuales con mi chica. En su casa-me dice al hablar de su novia- es imposible ya que la situacion es peor!
-Crees que tu situacion es algo fuera de lo comun?- No, no del todo- Pablo me responde- de hecho para que tengas una idea. En mi edificio todas las casas son iguales que la mia y en todos ellos viven tres o mas personas en el mismo espacio.
Pero puedes alquilar una habitacion en un hotel?-le pregunto- Si, el ano pasado creo que salio una ley que los Cubanos ya podemos alquilar habitaciones en los hoteles que antes eran solo para turistas.
Entonces?-le digo algo asombrado y dudoso- Nada chico, -me dice casi sin pensar- es que no tenemos el dinero! –De que cantidad hablas? Entre 50 y 200 ……o mas por noche- me dice- Dinero Cubano? Pesos? – No! eso es en monedas convertibles que serian un equivalente de 24 pesos Cubanos por 1 en moneda convertible o cuc. Eso no lo puede pagar los Cubanos, al menos que no seas la elite de la elite.- Entonces donde?-le digo-no hay hoteles que puedas pagar con pesos cubanos?- que yo sepa no, -me dice despues de una pausa- y mira que yo camino toda la Habana y no hay ni uno!
Antes habian posadas. Posadas?-le pregunto para estar seguro-Eso que es? Que eran?
Eran unos motelitos que se podia pagar en pesos cubanos a un precio aceptable para cualquiera que podia rentarlos por hora y tener…tu sabes, estar solo con la jeva (novia).
Y que paso?
Nada, desaparecieron-me dice con resignacion- las convirtieron en casas. Le dieron esas posadas a familias que no tenian donde vivir.
El gobierno ha buscado otra alternativa?
No! –me dijo de manera final.
Esta es la realidad Cubana. Es cierto que si tienes un “contacto” puedes encontrar casas particulares que han ocupado el vacio que estas posadas dejaron, dando paso al lucro clandestino. La renta por hora van desde $5cuc hasta $10 cuc, dependiendo el lugar y la demanda. Para un trabajador normal ese precio es el equivalente al salario mensual.
La discusion al respecto se torna fuerte siempre y cuando un hijo le introduce a su madre su pareja y vice-versa . Es una verdadera odisea tener privacidad en lugares seguros y al alcance del bolsillo.
En La Habana, hay mas de un punado de pareja buscando un sitio para hacer el uno, dos, tres en cualquier noche de cualquier mes. Como lugar seguro, un lugar oscuro, este puede ser la via publica a altas horas de la madrugada, en escaleras, portales, parques y azoteas. Estos encuentros no son productos de una fantasia romantica, aventura erotica, ni producto de una desviacion moral y pervertida. Es un acto clandestino que obedece a la necesidad. El riesgo de ser visto y el miedo de ser arrestado por la policia moral van de mano en mano.
El efecto de esto cierres en las relaciones es desbastador y degradante. El joven se siente impotente y la joven se enfrenta al que diran. La falta de un ambiente sano y decoroso para ambos es factor principal para mucho de los conflictos que terminan en separacion entre pareja. De hecho, personalmente encuentro que esta situacion reduce las relaciones amorasas a un estado animalista y repulsivo.
La Habana es la casa para mas de dos millones y medio de Cubanos. La diversidad de pensamientos y gustos es obvio en una ciudad de esta magnitud. Las voces en contra de estas medidas son cada dia mas altas, las preocupaciones mas constants, y la necesidad de una respuesta a este problema social es de caracter urgente.
Havana in Transition/La Habana en Transicion
Saturday, February 28th, 2009
Text: Martin Pei de la Paz
Photos: Brayan Collazo
English version; vease abajo para la version en espanol
**
Hurry, Havana is changing!
Two things come to mind for most people when they hear the word “Cuba”: old cars and the famous “camellos” (camel buses), the cargo trucks converted into public transportation.
But the end is near for both. With new agreements between the governments of China, countries of the EU, and Russia, Havana has signed the official death certificate for the old, dilapidated cars and buses of the past. The Cuban government is introducing a more modern fleet of buses (called “guaguas” here), which have better emissions standards, are less damaging to the roads, and which will be easier and more comfortable for people to use. These new buses have all the modern amenities lacking in the camellos: clock, radio, microphone to communicate stops to passengers, and other features that make the ride more fun and comfortable.
According to the government, these new buses will offer service with greater frequency and more efficiency than the old buses. During peak hours, buses will run every six minutes, and during regular hours, every nine minutes. In reality, though, the frequency seems to be considerably longer–about 15-20 minutes between buses.
Many people continue to call the new buses camellos, in spite of the changes, as many of the buses maintain the same route numbers, though the corresponding letter– M-for Metrobus, the official name of the camellos– has been replaced with a P.
Articulated buses have also been introduced– these are the buses that have the accordion-like fold in the middle, turning two buses into one. These cost around 40 cents in Cuban national money, the equivalent of about 5 US cents. These articulated buses run the major routes in the city of Havana.
In spite of the new changes, problems have been noted, such as the intentional lack of care of the new fleet, and the attempts of some riders to avoid paying for their rides. Other problems include receiving change in pesos instead of exact change. Finally, the average time it takes to complete a full route is 50-70 minutes.
Now, in Havana, you can see buses from China, Russia, Japan, and Germany rolling down the city’s streets and avenues. Along with the new buses, the government has introduced “rutero” taxis, or minibuses, that have a pre-determined route. These have been introduced in an effort to combat the “particulares” taxis, which are ad hoc taxis driven by independent drivers. The cost of the microbuses is higher– around $5 Cuban pesos for the same route it would cost 40 cents for on the regular bus, but they’re undoubtedly more comfortable and have fewer stops between Point A and Point B. Plus, they still cost less than the $10 Cuban pesos a driver of a particular would charge for the same route.
The camellos won’t disappear entirely though; they’re getting a second life after being transported to the interior of the island. This is obviously an interventionary measure to address the lack of public transportation in the interior of the island, outside the capital, and in the rest of the country’s provinces.
For many, these changes in the transportation system may seem hardly worth note, but they represent an enormous symbolic step when one considers that the Cuban economy has been in tatters for the past decades, particularly after the collapse of the Soviet Union. During this time, bicycles and mule drawn carts were the only alternative to deal with a massive transportation infrastructure disaster. Little by little, Cuba is beginning to benefit from the agreements with other countries.
But there are other changes as well.
With the opening and mutual support being established between Cuba and other countries, and with the election of Obama to the presidency of the United States, the winds of change signal a shift, one in favor of a peaceful dialogue between Havana and Washington, D.C. Such a dialogue could bring still more benefits to both countries, and more profound changes to Cuba. For more than 50 years, a politics of conflict has marked the relationship between the two countries, despite efforts of both to mend the rift, whether through open dialogue or secret operations. All of this came to light recently when the CIA declassified documents about its operations in and about Cuba. Declassified NSA documents, government memoranda, and intelligence reports also provide a window into this subject.
The negotiations with Havana won’t be as easy as some people think. The concerns affecting both nations are marked by a lack of confidence and mutual suspicion. Each side has its doubts. Perhaps the easiest issues to be addressed will be those related to immigration and drug trafficking.
The cards of the big game, though, will involve the repatriation or extradition of fugitives, the issue of Guantanamo Bay, compensation for property of Cubans and US businesses seized during the Revolution, and, equally pressing, the release of the five Cuban security agents from US prisons.
Washington and Havana have danced to different rhythms for a long time. Each side knows its steps perfectly. We have learned that there’s no difficulty that lasts 1,000 years. The enemies of the past now share common borders in Europe—Poland, Germany, and France—and the United States and Russia participate in joint operations. Enemies now work together as allies, indicating that enemies don’t have to stay foes forever.
**
Texto por: Martin Pei de la Paz
Fotos por: Brayan Collazo
*
Apurate, que La Habana esta cambiando!
Para muchos cuando le dices “Cuba” le viene a la mente dos cosas: los carros de los tiempos pre-revolucionarios y los famosos camellos, los camiones de carga convertidos en transporte publico.
Pero el fin ya se acerca para ambos. Con los nuevos tratados de cooperacion entre los gobiernos de China, la Union Europea, y Rusia, La Habana ha firmado el “certificado oficial de muerte” para los dilapilados carros del pasado. El gobierno cubano esta introduciendo una reciente flotilla de omnibuses o guaguas (como alli les llaman), que seran los encargados de reducir la contaminacion ambiental y prevenir la futura deterioracion de sus calles y avenidas, haciendo la vida mas facil para sus habitantes. Estos nuevos omnibuses cuentan con reloj, radio, reproductora de musica, microfonos de intercomunicacion chofer/pasajeros, entre otras comodidades que hacen el viaje mas divertido y comodo.
Segun el gobierno, estos nuevos vehiculos ofreceran servicios con mayor frecuencia y con mas eficiencia que en el pasado. Ellos estipulan que en las horas picos estos se demorarian unos 6 minutos y en horas regular o normal 9 minutos entre uno y otro. Sin embargo, la realidad no es asi, estos vienen con una frecuencia de 15 a 20 minutos entre uno y otros.
Muchas personas siguen llamandoles camellos en ocaciones, apesar de los cambios, ya que muchos mantienen el mismo numero aunque sus letras han cambiado de M-6 (la letra M para metrobuses que era el nombre oficial del camello) que ahora es P-6 para los nuevos omnibus que recorren la misma ruta.
Las articuladas como se les llaman tambien a los omnibus dobles en forman de acordion cuestan alrededor de $0.40 centavos Cubanos o un equivalente cercano a $0.05 U.S. Estas cubren las mayores rutas en la ciudad de La Habana.
Con los nuevos cambios tambien llegan nuevos problemas como la deterioracion intencionada o falta de cuidado de estos nuevos omnibuses, y la falla de algunos consumidores en abonar el costo completo del servicio, o el hecho de no recibir el cambio si se paga con pesos en vez de cambio exacto. El average de tiempo recorrido por esto omnibus es de 50 a 70 minutos.
En estos momentos se pueden ver en La Habana omnibuses de China, Rusia, Japon, y Alemania (Mercedes Benz) recorriendo sus calles y avenidas. Conjuntamente con estos servicios se han incorporado los taxis ruteros o micro buses que tienen una ruta pre-determinada, todo esto en un esfuerzo para contrarestar los taxis particulares, los taxis independientes. Estos taxis ruteros son mas pequenos y modernos que los omnibus nuevos introducidos. A estos no se le permite llevar personas de pie. Su costo es mas elevado, unos $5.00 pesos Cubanos por la misma ruta que podrias viajar a un costo de $0.40 centavos en una transportacion regular, pero mucho menos si consideras que esa misma ruta en un particular te podria costar unos $10.00 en moneda nacional. Indudablemente, los ruteros son mas comodos y con menos paradas entre un punto y otro.
Los camellos tendran una segunda vida. Estos han sido transplantados al interior de la isla. Esto es obviamente una medida de necesidad hasta que la isla completa pueda disfrutar de un servicio uniforme para toda la poblacion dentro y fuera de la capital y en las demas provincias del pais.
Aparentemente para muchos los cambios en el sistema de transporte son pequenos, pero para otros estos simbolizan un paso economico enorme si se tiene en cuenta que la economia cubana estaba grave o mejor dicho en el cementerio durante gran parte de los anos 90 despues de la desintegracion de la Union Sovietica, donde los coches tirados por bestias y las bicicletas eran una alternativa logica para aliviar sus problemas, tanto en la capital como en el campo. Cuba se esta beneficiando poco a poco de los convenios ya establecidos con paises como China, Rusia, y la comunidad Europea, no solo sobre el transporte, pero tambien sobre otros temas.
Con la apertura y el apoyo mutuo entre Cuba y estos otros paises, y con la eleccion de Obama a la presidencia de los Estados Unidos, las corrientes son favorables a favor de un dialogo de paz entre La Habana y Washington. Este dialogo podria traer aun mas beneficios para ambos paises y cambios mas profundos para Cuba y su vecino del norte. Por mas de 50 anos se ha mantenido una politica de desconfianza de ambas partes, aunque en casi todas las administraciones se ha hecho un intento ya sea esta de forma abierta o de manera secretas, todos estos intentos fueron un esfuerzo de establecer un “modus vivendo” entre naciones. Todo esto salio a la luz en la evidencias obtenida atraves de los recientes documentos desclasificados de la CIA, NSA, memorandos del gobierno, e otros reportes de inteligencia.
Las negociaciones con La Habana no serian tan faciles como algunos piensan. Los temas que tratan sobre la Habana y Washington se miran con desconfianza y sospechas. No hay con relacion a Cuba una sola voz que se considere confiable, todas tienen sus dudas. Quizas los temas mas simples de tratar serian los temas de la inmigracion y el trafico de drogas que ya se han dado pasos en el pasado en torno a esto. Las cartas de juego mayor estan en la expatriacion de fugitivos, elementos buscados por terrorismo, Guantanamo, compensacion de las propiedades confiscadas al triunfo de la revolucion y el mas reciente tema, la liberacion de los 5 agentes de la seguridad cubana todavia en carceles norteamericana.
Washington y La Habana han bailado a ritmos diferentes por mucho tiempo, los bailadores se conocen los pasos, giros y movimiento a la perfeccion. Hemos aprendido que no hay mal que dure mil ano ni cuerpo que lo resista. Los enemigos del pasado hoy comparten fronteras comun en Europa: Polonia, Alemania, Francia. Estados Unidos y Rusia participan en operaciones conjuntas. Todo parece indicar que estos son enemigos “temporarios” y no eternos. Naciones que han pasado por etapas oscuras y dolorosas. Cuba es tambien parte de esta historia y no una excepcion de esta regla.
Move to Europe! Now there’s a resolution!
Friday, December 26th, 2008
Guest Post by Sasha Zahn
Every year we all sit down and make New Year’s resolutions.
How many of them do we actually keep?
You know, I think the problem lies within the word itself: Resolutions. Like we need to resolve ourselves, force ourselves, get dirty, and push through.
Who honestly wants to do that?
So I resolve to call them New Year’s missions. That makes it sound infinitely cooler – like you’re James Bond, or part of the CIA. It brings up thoughts of cool gadgets and martinis, and adventure. And I have the perfect mission for us to shoot for this year.
Come live in Europe.
That’s right. I said live.
I know that sounds crazy, but think about it. Isn’t there even a little part of you that would love to live that scene from a movie, the one where you throw open the shutters of a window in Paris, or London, or wherever in Europe, and look down at all the people hustling and bustling below? Have you ever wanted to be able to really be fluent in that language you took in high school? Who ever said that they wished they’d never tried to fulfill their dreams?
You can do it. I know, because I did it a few years ago. I packed my bags and came to Hungary, not knowing a soul, the language, or culture. I did it to go to school. It turned out to be one of the most pivotal points of my life. I would never change it.
You could do it, too.
Most of the people I talk to about coming to Europe think it’s much more complicated than it seems. I myself questioned it. My uncle told me, “Wait, you can go study in Europe, still get student aid, fulfill your dreams to become a doctor, and travel in your spare time? I would have done it yesterday.”
Thinking back on it, it seems like a no brainer.
But what about??
There are tons of excuses you can make. It’s not the right time, or it is too off the wall. The one I hear the most is the economy.
Yes, the economy back home is bad. Yes, the dollar is weak. It seems like a bad time to travel. But really? Is it? There are some parts of Eastern Europe, like Prague and Budapest, that have all the charms of Western European life, but are incredibly affordable if you still earn in dollars. Or try transferring to a country in Western Europe. You’d be earning in the local currency, not the dollar.
Or, if the job market is bad, why not take this opportunity to get a step on the competition with more education? Student loans are still available to US students studying abroad. Many of my friends here and I feel so lucky to be in school right now, and not job hunting.
And hopefully, we’ll graduate at a time when the economy is on the up. No company in this global market is ever going to think of your experience abroad as a negative. You’ll be worldly, experienced outside of your own country, maybe even multilingual. If you do ever return back to the US, you have advantages others won’t.
Take the steps to make it real.
If you do take on this mission, fulfill it. There are plenty of resources to help you. I have decided to make a step by step process to getting you there. Start talking to people about what you plan to do. The sooner you start telling people your idea, the more real it seems. It was a span of 6 months between when I decided and when I moved. Start thinking about your dream destination and imagine yourself there. Buy a book on traveling Europe, and start listening to some great podcasts or subscribe to some invaluable travel sites, like this one. Make it real. Make it happen.
I’ll have a martini waiting for you, – shaken, not stirred.
Sasha Zahn is the author and editor of YankeeInNewWorld.com, a site dedicated to helping Americans living in Europe and still staying connected to home. She is no way affiliated with the CIA, but likes her missions none the less. You can find her on her site, or on Twitter.
Resolution photo: covs97
Map photo: Laughing Squid
What I’ll Miss About Boston… & What You Should Visit
Monday, July 14th, 2008
Today’s post is by Matt Kepnes, world traveler and writer. Matt, who is from Boston, is setting off on his next big adventure this week. In this article, he reflects on what he’ll miss about Boston, and gives you an insider’s look at the must-visit sites in his home city.
*
It’s a matter of days before I leave Boston again. In 2006, I left for a year of adventure. Now, six months after I came home, I’m leaving again- this time for much longer. Except for sporadic visits to see my parents, I doubt I’ll live here again.
I love Boston. It has a lot to offer, to see, and to do. It remains one of my favorite cities in the world. I’ve just outgrown living here. But there are a lot of things I’ll miss:
Eating on Newbury St.
Newbury St. is famous for its luxurious shops and fine dining. In the summer time there is nothing better than pulling up a table outside and eating at one of the many great restaurants as the people go by. From the beginning of summer until its end, you can find me here.
Bar Hopping Allston
Allston is the college, young adult area of Boston and many of my friends live here. Every weekend we go out and bar hop. It won’t be the same without witnessing their crazy antics week after week. Even if the bars sometimes get boring, my friends never do.
Sushi Dinners
I know you can get sushi anywhere, but Boston has some of the best restaurants in the world and I love eating here. More importantly, I love eating with my two friends, Ashley and Fran, who are just as die hard about sushi as I am. I can always count on one of them to go and satisfy a sushi craving with me.
Eating in Faneuil Hall
Boston’s historic Faneuil Hall has been a center for eating and partying since its creation. It’s home to Quincy Market, a long hall filled with dozens of little restaurants. I love to pick up lunch and head outside to watch the crowds and street performers. It’s a good way to enjoy a nice day and watch the tourists stare blankly at their maps.
Legal Seafoods
Legal’s is a Boston institution. Its seafood is amazing and I love eating there. You’ll never get a bad meal at Legal Seafoods. There’s nothing like it in the world- its atmosphere, staff, and great calamari! I’m hungry already. Too bad it’s a little expensive.
Summer in the Commons
Boston Common is the city’s downtown green space. I love just sitting there, reading, taking a nap, or playing some sports. Great way to lazily spend the day.
Relaxing at the beach
The beaches around the city may not be the best in the world, but they are good nonetheless. Great sand, warm water (on a good day) and good restaurants on the boardwalks. I love pigging out on fried clams while getting a nice tan.
Hikes outside the city
Boston is surrounded by parks that provide amazing hiking opportunities. Every summer my friends and I head to Breakheart Reservation or Lynn Woods to spend the day hiking around and swimming in the lakes.
Free Concerts
Every year, the city has a series of free concerts right by the Charles River. Crowds descend on the riverbank bringing food and drink, sit in the sun, and listen to the tunes all day. I’ve seen countless bands there and it’s a great (free) summer activity.
What do you like to do in Boston? Submit your favorite places in the comments!
*
Read more of Matt’s work on his website, www.nomadicmatt.com. In particular, check out his interview with Lonely Planet guidebook writer, Leif Petterson.
Boston skyline photo: Pear Biter (creative commons)
Boston Common photo: Foraggio Fotographic (creative commons)
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