WONDERFUL Field Trip on Wed.

Hi, everyone,

How are you this week?

I am very glad to have the field trip on Wed. Wednesday is the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival according to the lunar calendar (I think many of you have already heard of it.). Even though we don’t have a day-off to celebrate it, I really think this boat trip is worthwhile not only the beautiful scenery I have seen also the deep-meaning stories told by Prof. Berman.

The economic functions of Boston Harbor nowadays include shipping, industrial manufactory, transportation, tourism and the most profitable one: REAL ESTATE. Owning a villa on such beautiful harbor or a nearby island, I think, must be one of the most people’s dreams.

When we went aboard and began our boat trip from Long Wharf to Quincy, felt the broadness of ocean, I was deeply attracted by the fascinating scene around me. I just cannot imagine that maybe 20 years ago the Boston Harbor is known as “the dirtiest harbor in America”. With the huge expenditure of the clean-up project, Boston Harbor’s beauty now is beyond my description. There are 34 islands which all have their own stories. For example, the Spectacle Island got this name because it has the shape of glasses and Long Island just because it’s quiet long; the Castle Island is not an island any more, and on that island has the cheapest hotdogs, less than $2! I also learned the meaning of signals send from Lighthouse: 1:4:3 stands for I LOVE YOU. What a romantic message to be send to!

When we come back from Quincy Bay and finished our boat trip, Prof. Berman told us some more things about Boston’s history. The prosperity of Boston is owing to three factors: human capital, innovation of companies and the money from dead people. Besides, two significant projects for reconstructing Boston Mr. Berman has mentioned are the Big Dig Project and Boston Harbor Project. Even though the expenditure of the Big Dig is high and some corruption happened during this project, it is worth waiting for that way long time. After the accomplishment of the Big Dig Highway Project, the congestion has been solved, and people can get to the Boston’s Logan Airport through Callahan and Sumner tunnels under Boston Harbor, which is part of Central Artery. The Boston Harbor Project has used about 6 billion dollars to clean up the ocean water and invest in the treatment facilities at Deer Island. This project has been considered as one of the nation’s greatest environmental achievements!

When we took a walk through Quincy Market, I just cannot believe that many years ago here it is still under water. Tide went up and down reaching the road and Market which attracts a large number of tourists today. Looking at the modern Boston and compared it with the old one, I was totally astonished by the tremendous change of the city I will stay for one year.

After class finished, we went to the Quincy Market to have lunch there. Foods were not very cheap but there were so many alternatives from Starbucks snack to Chinese noodles you can pick from.

At last, I’d like to say it was a really great opportunity to know better of Boston as well as its development. This field trip is interesting and educational. Thus, I am looking forward to next field trip!

Hope all of you have a nice weekend (the weather is so terrific for going out)!
See you soon.