Off to Boston!

Up early, only to discover that the Fitness Centre was closed for refurbishment! Plan B was a walk downtown and then through the Hudson Riverside Park. Despite grey beginnings, the morning was warm and the sky soon cleared. The riverside walk is a welcome contrast to Broadway and the Interstate which run in parallel, the tranquillity of the drifting Hudson River being almost magnetic. A waymarker explained that Albany had once been the centre for the movement of goods (particularly timber) between Canada and New York, but the introduction of road transportation superseded the need for the river. and Albany. This explained a lot! Once checked-out of the hotel, we headed for the State Capitol Building on foot and took the excellent free guided tour of this magnificent building. Apparently, it is the most expensive building ever built in America (based on present day values). Part of the Senate room is lined with solid gold panelling.

Roosevelt's wheelchair is on display here and amongst the portraits of past Governors, a picture of Mr Van Buren (aka Old Kinderhook) hangs ..... he signed papers with his adopted initials 'OK', which became pretty popular across the planet!! Midday and time to pull away from Albany, heading east on I90 / I95 to our next base .... the familiar and very smart Hilton Boston, at Dedham. We had dinner at the nearby mall, where Pat discovered 'Z Crackers' in the Wholefoods store!

Hard pressed to think of a musical thought for today's post, I stumbled on the track 'Boogie Woogie' by the Tommy Dorsey Band, a reminder of Albany's better times!