However, he is allowed, once every three years, to request a company paid visit to certain ATC centres to monitor their operations. "Fam visits" (familiarization) as they are called enhance the understanding of process mapping from start to finish of a flight passenger.
Thus, last week we spent three days in Boston. Certainly, not enough time to fully investigate the city and surrounding area (especially not with a pre-schooler in tow). It did give us a flavour for the city though. The city centre is very easy to navigate, especially via transit ($2 per adult fare). There are water taxis crossing the harbour as well, but the price is $10 per adult per direction... talk about overinflation of prices!
Founded by British Puritan colonists in 1630, Boston is one of the larger and older cities along the New England Coast. Of course, the area was already inhabited by Native Americans for thousands of years. Although the roots of the city lie with the UK, today the city very proudly touts itself as the heart of the American revolution in the late 1170s. Apparently 60% of Boston is landfill in a previously existing inlet.
I found it ironically amusing that the Old State House, which was then the seat of British Government, which had its symbols of British monarchy (the Lion and Unicorn rampant) torn down by prostesters 200 years ago, is now a renovated and preserved building on the "Freedom Trail", a "must do" part of Boston tourism. On the Trail its listed instead as the site of the Boston Massacre, where British soldiers fired upon violent angry protesters, killing 5 of them and sensationalized by Paul Revere's engraving of the event (as sited by other souces). Sure, the main level is now an entrance for the underground T train, but it the renovated heraldic symbols probaby look more spiffy than they did in their day! Another interesting point is the level of the road alongside the building, as indicated by the bottom row of windows. The ground level has been raised over the centuries and almost covers the windows completely.
The history of the city is colourfully ripe with propaganda, very much reminding me of modern Americanism. Happenings like The Boston Tea Party are hotly debated. We were told by a historian in Williamsburg Virgina that this event wasn't colonists protesting taxation, but was the organised action of American smugglers (smuggling Dutch tea) whose own tea was being priced out of the market because the price of tea was actually very low, even with the taxes (and kick backs) being applied to the tea of the East India Trading Company. These same smugglers were well known and politically active wealthy merchants. Maybe they are the ones who went in disguise and threw away their shoes so that they couldn't be linked to the property terrorism?
But the teachings of the schools and tour guides, and as adopted for political propaganda, remains that the so-called Boston Tea Party resulted from a spontaneous mob of unhappy colonists going about the Dartmouth and dumping the tea in protest of taxation (without representation finishes the motto... of which some people blantantly ignore the corrollary: "we would pay tax if our governmental representative voted in favour of it"... and then, like Canadians, loudly complain about the taxes imposed by their elected officials?). Renowned and respected Benjamin Franklin, favoured paying the British Government back for the lost taxes. Inevitably, the mob action lead to a cycle of knee-jerk reactions which culminated in the American revoluationary war (which had been brewing for years).
This is why I'd like a time machine and a video camera! To clarify the interpretation of history unequivocally!
As a side note, another skewed version of history is the Ride of Paul Revere, credited with the protection of America by a British invasion in April 1775. He was a silversmith merchant who notified the Colonialists whether the attacking troops were coming by land or by sea (the Charles river). His name is flaunted as the sole protector of Boston in this attack. But without an iphone, how is that possible in the 177os, really. Just a little bit of online digging brought up the name Robert Newman, to whom there is pittance paid. He lit the lamps indicating whether the stationed Redcoats would arrive to capture the armaments in the city by land or sea (being the Charles River). Newman faced armed troops at the door of Old North Church who had seen the brief signal and were investigating its meaning. Insodoing, he simultaneously informed Revere and the city of Charleston of the Redcoat plan. And no one knows for sure who sold out General Gage, who planned the invasion, in the first place!
Likewise, riders Sybil Ludington, a 16 year old girl, and Israel Bissel, a postie (a post rider is the more specific term) participated in notifying Colonists of British attacks in the 1770s. Ludington rode harder and faster than Revere would have had to ride. Bissel rode his first horse to death. But they are not given the same credit and hero worship.
Modern Boston is a hodge podge of architecture. The Big Dig created improved roadways and more land fill. Previously disused wharfs are now expensive condo property. Amdist it all are the vestiges of the 18th Century and the neo development in-between, making for a city of complimentary contrast (at least to my untrained eye). Generally speaking, the locals were quite friendly, with their unmistakeable New England accents.
Torran loved the Children's Museum - so much so that he refused to leave for lunch! We spent most of the morning there whilst Bruce was doing his work related day out. Admission was reasonable. I almost considered spending the entire afternoon there as well, but we met up with Bruce at the sadly lacklustre Boston aquarium instead. Torran was far less impressed with their penguins then he was with the building blocks at the museum.
We managed to tie in a short visit with Bruce's friends from university and their son. It was amusing to watch the two boys interact... and then my pessimist brain started to knock on her cell door. I think I'm going to have to observe Torran at nursery school to see how he is with other kids. Watching him, I could tell he really wasn't sure what to do with young Alexander, or how to dialouge his wants to him - even when they both tripped over each other's feet and fell to down. At least they were both giggling!
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