Waterfront Area Welcome back, I hope you enjoyed your lunch. As you have probably noticed by now as we travel around the waterfront, there's a lot of construction going on. This is the Central Artery / Tunnel Project otherwise known as the Big Dig. This is the biggest infrastructure improvement ever attempted in a dense urban area. At $10.6 Billion, it has been compared with the building of the Panama Canal and the English Channel Tunnel (Chunnel). When it is completed, the raised central artery will be gone, replaced with an eight to ten lane underground highway. Acres of new open space and parkland will open up where the artery is now and the North End and Waterfront will once again be joined to Downtown Boston. Traffic congestion should be greatly reduced and Boston's carbon dioxide emissions should be cut by 12% enabling everybody to breathe easier. The construction is a very complicated process, digging through residential and commercial districts, having to relocate thousands of utility lines and pipes, and doing all this while the city tries to carry on business as usual. But don't let the construction scare you off, you may have to tip-toe around construction equipment and piles of dirt, but it is very safe, well marked and things are relatively normal considering the enormous scope of the project. Further along the waterfront, near the Fort Point Channel, is the Hood Milk Bottle snack bar, a great place to stop for some ice cream or a frappe (New England-speak for milk shake).   Right next door, is one of Boston's most popular museums. The Boston Children's Museum, is one of the best places to take your kids. Aimed primarily at children aged 1 - 10, there's exhibits that will interest the whole family.       Next, let's head back toward the waterfront and turn onto Northern Avenue. This area of Boston, now called the New Waterfront District, has been under-utilized for too long and is slated for lots of development. With an eye towards mixed-use amenities encompassing commercial, residential and tourist components, the future of this area is exciting.     First, we come to the beautiful, brand new John J. Moakley Federal Courthouse. Some have complained that too much was spent on architectural features, but I think the business of Justice should be conducted in a grand facility.     A little further along, is the Seaport World Trade Center. Boston's World Trade Center is large with lots of exhibition space. Across the street is the new Seaport Hotel and several other new office buildings.       Docked next to the World Trade Center is the Spirit of Boston. This beautiful boat offers dinner cruises and Blues cruises and is a great place to have a party or function.   Further along Northern Avenue, we come to the Fish Pier. This is where most of the fresh fish arrives in Boston from the North Atlantic fishing grounds. It's an area busy with fishing boats coming and going and lots of big truck traffic. There is not much here to see except for the "NO NAME" Restaurant. This small restaurant, buried in the middle of the busy fish pier, serves some of the freshest seafood you will ever taste, fresh off the boats. With it's community seating at picnic tables, and extensive take-out menu, this no frills dining spot offers some of the best seafood you have ever had, and is well worth dodging the big trucks rushing fresh fish to the NorthEast's markets.   From the Fish Pier, if you look Eastward across the water, you will see the dramatic roofline of the Bank of America Pavillion. This waterfront concert venue is an open air, permanent facility with a tent-like roof. A wide variety of national headliners play here each summer. It is a wonderful place to spend a summer evening, listening to great music, and enjoying the gentle harbor breezes and the breath-taking views of the Boston skyline.   A little further along Northern Avenue, we come to the Harpoon Brewery. This small Boston brewery has made a national name for itself with, perhaps, it's best known beer, Harpoon IPA, (India Pale Ale). Most afternoons, at about 4 O'Clock, they host free tastings. (Enter at the Red awning). A knowledgeable bartender, pours samples of their various brews and explains the recepies and history of each one. They also have product and merchandise for sale. It's not unusual to see several brewery employees stopping by for a free after-work pint. How cool would it be to work there!   As we head back down Northern Avenue towards town, if you are interested in a very new type dining experience, you might want to stop in at the Legal Test Kitchen, the newest member of the Legal Seafood Empire. This state-of-the-art-for-the-21st Century restaurant and bar features WiFi access, I-pod docks at each table and waiters who electronically transmit your orders directly from your table. The menu is a work of art, itself.   What has 46 ovens, 22 ice machines and is big enough to accommodate 16 NFL Games simultaneously? If we head South toward Summer Street, you will see the huge arched roof of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Longer than two John Hancock Towers with four levels of exhibition space, this new state-of-the art Convention Center is the largest building in New England.   Adjacent to the Convention Center is the brand new Boston Weston Waterfront Hotel. This AAA Four-Diamond first-class hotel has a long list of amenities in it's 793 suites and rooms, including flat-screen TVs, two-line phones and bathrobes and slippers.         If we head back toward town, on Summer Street, we come to the venerable South Station. In the World War Two years, it was the busiest railroad station in the Country. Now owned by the MBTA, it is a busy transportation hub for Amtrak, the MBTA Commuter rail, local and long distance busses and the Red Line subway. Inside it's massive granite walls, visitors can enjoy a wide array of amenities including Clarks, a Restaurant and Bar, a food court, shops and travelers services.

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