Boston's Beacons of Hope

Not since 1987 have the Boston Celtics made it to the NBA Finals. Tonight they take on Kobe's Los Angeles Lakers in home game 6 at the Fleet Center in downtown Beantown. Not being a basketball fan how do I know this? Thousands of screaming fans sporting green t-shirts that read "Beat LA" told me so as I videotaped exteriors of the "Gahden" tonight.

Navigating the city streets is not easy with mobs of basketball fanatics pouring out of pubs and waving pennants and banners. Traditional scalpers haggle with fans hoping for a seat with a view even if that means shelling out hundreds of dollars. Tow trucks sit idling waiting for someone to break the rules. The local television network stations park their Satellite trucks and jimmy jibs in clear view of the mayhem and action. I can literally smell team spirit from all the tailgate parties grilling burgers and dogs and cracking open Sam Adams.

Earlier a short burst of rain and fog helped drop the temps and clear the skies for a glorious sunset over the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge. A unique cable-stayed bridge that crosses Charles River and quickly became a famous icon in Boston. Not surprising, I conveniently got lost and drove back and forth between the North End and Charleston just to nab every vantage point of this architectural gem.


Speaking of architecture, earlier today I made a pit stop at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. Time was essential so I skipped the tour and stood briefly in quiet reflection under the glass pavilion overlooking Boston Harbor. Surrounded by famous JFK quotes, a hanging flag and the coveted sterling-silver lantern called the "Profile in Courage Award", I felt the legacy and memory of a President that many political pundits today are comparing Obama to. It's one of Boston's most popular tourist attractions and busiest archives and research facilities in the world.