Comments on: The Sheriff of Nottingham in USA – Part Thirteen – Boston to New York http://johnnylyle.co.uk/2009/09/16/the-sheriff-of-nottingham-in-usa-%e2%80%93-part-thirteen-%e2%80%93-boston-to-new-york/ An insight into branding, how it works and why it sometimes doesn't Wed, 21 Jul 2010 10:58:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Michael Kerpan http://johnnylyle.co.uk/2009/09/16/the-sheriff-of-nottingham-in-usa-%e2%80%93-part-thirteen-%e2%80%93-boston-to-new-york/#comment-259 Michael Kerpan Sat, 19 Sep 2009 16:52:47 +0000 http://johnnylyle.co.uk/?p=815#comment-259 My wife and I visited England and Wales 30 years ago -- and couldn't have been treated more kindly. A number of cities and towns had programs where one could meet local people -- which allowed one to get some good advice on what to see and where to eat (assuming one stayed in a place at least a couple of days). As far as I know, no such program exists here (sadly). It is too bad that Boston (and environs) does not distribute free (good quality) maps (and guides), the way most other tourist destinations do. It is too bad that you did not first stop at the Old State House first. The Freedon Trail walk would have been far more interesting if done with a knowledgeable guide. Glad to know you had a (mostly) good time. My wife and I visited England and Wales 30 years ago — and couldn’t have been treated more kindly. A number of cities and towns had programs where one could meet local people — which allowed one to get some good advice on what to see and where to eat (assuming one stayed in a place at least a couple of days). As far as I know, no such program exists here (sadly).

It is too bad that Boston (and environs) does not distribute free (good quality) maps (and guides), the way most other tourist destinations do.

It is too bad that you did not first stop at the Old State House first. The Freedon Trail walk would have been far more interesting if done with a knowledgeable guide.

Glad to know you had a (mostly) good time.

]]> By: christine http://johnnylyle.co.uk/2009/09/16/the-sheriff-of-nottingham-in-usa-%e2%80%93-part-thirteen-%e2%80%93-boston-to-new-york/#comment-254 christine Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:44:28 +0000 http://johnnylyle.co.uk/?p=815#comment-254 hi John, I too am visiting from Uhub (Hello Jo, comment above mine... she's a good friend). I do not disagree with your comments. Boston is sometimes hard to get around, especially with crap maps that just don't show you the way. Signs for walkers AND drivers are infamously bad here in the city. I left the comment on the Uhub entry, but should you ever head back this way -- do drop a line. Would be glad to show you the way around, kind of be your fixer for the day as it were. I work in Salem MA, which you can't walk to from boston but there is a ferry and you can come up and walk this town and see all the crazy history (hawthorne novel settings and witches and other historical subjects abound). Meeting the locals and getting to people who have a clue is much better than relying on shoddy maps. We hope you recognize that and give our fair burgh another chance. We'd steer you away from place like "Cheers" and the Hard Rock Cafe though. No touristy overrated crap on our tours... and no duckboats (although they do save time, they're stupid expensive and aren't as good as a kayak for enjoying the view from the water)... And if you're ever here in the summertime, I work with a shakespeare theatre ... for kids. We do four productions in july and august... and while we're not Stratford, our initials are RSC, just like the real deal in the UK. www.rebelshakespeare.org good to make your acquaintance, sir. hi John,

I too am visiting from Uhub (Hello Jo, comment above mine… she’s a good friend).

I do not disagree with your comments. Boston is sometimes hard to get around, especially with crap maps that just don’t show you the way. Signs for walkers AND drivers are infamously bad here in the city.

I left the comment on the Uhub entry, but should you ever head back this way — do drop a line. Would be glad to show you the way around, kind of be your fixer for the day as it were. I work in Salem MA, which you can’t walk to from boston but there is a ferry and you can come up and walk this town and see all the crazy history (hawthorne novel settings and witches and other historical subjects abound).

Meeting the locals and getting to people who have a clue is much better than relying on shoddy maps. We hope you recognize that and give our fair burgh another chance. We’d steer you away from place like “Cheers” and the Hard Rock Cafe though. No touristy overrated crap on our tours… and no duckboats (although they do save time, they’re stupid expensive and aren’t as good as a kayak for enjoying the view from the water)…

And if you’re ever here in the summertime, I work with a shakespeare theatre … for kids. We do four productions in july and august… and while we’re not Stratford, our initials are RSC, just like the real deal in the UK. http://www.rebelshakespeare.org

good to make your acquaintance, sir.

]]> By: John Lyle http://johnnylyle.co.uk/2009/09/16/the-sheriff-of-nottingham-in-usa-%e2%80%93-part-thirteen-%e2%80%93-boston-to-new-york/#comment-253 John Lyle Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:54:16 +0000 http://johnnylyle.co.uk/?p=815#comment-253 Thanks Adam. I didn't even want to go in, i'm not that into drinking before 10am. My Colleague wanted to see it on the way to the MOS. We saw it, we moved on, job done. Cheers!. John Thanks Adam. I didn’t even want to go in, i’m not that into drinking before 10am. My Colleague wanted to see it on the way to the MOS. We saw it, we moved on, job done. Cheers!. John

]]> By: jo http://johnnylyle.co.uk/2009/09/16/the-sheriff-of-nottingham-in-usa-%e2%80%93-part-thirteen-%e2%80%93-boston-to-new-york/#comment-252 jo Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:49:50 +0000 http://johnnylyle.co.uk/?p=815#comment-252 I too am a native of Boston and i also arrived via universal hub, but being married to a Brit and having been a dozen or so times to almost every fine county in Britain as well as several in Scotland and Wales I feel uniquely qualified to agree or disagree with your commentary. As an addendum, in those 12 years of visits I have only been to London once. In fact, I consider the best of Britain to reside north of Birmingham on either side of the Pennines, with me slanting towards the East, oh Yorkshire how I adore you, and he a native of Chorley, Coppull partial to the West, but I digress. Husband has often since his arrival 12 years ago lamented the incredible lack of signage present in this Commonwealth. Massachusetts in general somehow expects everyone to have learned the navigation of the paved over cow paths by instinct alone. If anyone needed the training the black cab drivers of London receive it is the poor lamentable cab drivers that arrive over here from countries far and wide. Good luck getting in a cab if you can't direct the driver to your location. Having also been to many towns with lovely rivers snaking though the town/village center i can agree that we are more than lacking in direct access to the waterfront. In fact, that lack of access often extends to our oceans as well. If you don't have loads of cash or some private property the access to touching the water is rather limited. Many an afternoon walking along a tow path in towns and villages has made me realise how lacking we are in that department. But lordie. CHEERS! Just say no please. Whenever we go back my goal at all costs is to find the local real pub. The one with good food and no slot machines the pub with the farmer who brought his dog down to have a pint. The one where your B&B proprietress has to ring to get you a seat on Sunday or you can forget having tea. There were many more places that would have been worthy of your time than that tourist trap. Drop me a line next time before you come and I'll tell you what to try. There was, of course, so many things you missed, but a good start for now! jo He, being an mechanical design engineer by trade was impressed with the MOS as well. It is pretty unique and all across the UK I have never found a museum as unique and hands on. I too am a native of Boston and i also arrived via universal hub, but being married to a Brit and having been a dozen or so times to almost every fine county in Britain as well as several in Scotland and Wales I feel uniquely qualified to agree or disagree with your commentary. As an addendum, in those 12 years of visits I have only been to London once. In fact, I consider the best of Britain to reside north of Birmingham on either side of the Pennines, with me slanting towards the East, oh Yorkshire how I adore you, and he a native of Chorley, Coppull partial to the West, but I digress.
Husband has often since his arrival 12 years ago lamented the incredible lack of signage present in this Commonwealth. Massachusetts in general somehow expects everyone to have learned the navigation of the paved over cow paths by instinct alone. If anyone needed the training the black cab drivers of London receive it is the poor lamentable cab drivers that arrive over here from countries far and wide. Good luck getting in a cab if you can’t direct the driver to your location.
Having also been to many towns with lovely rivers snaking though the town/village center i can agree that we are more than lacking in direct access to the waterfront. In fact, that lack of access often extends to our oceans as well. If you don’t have loads of cash or some private property the access to touching the water is rather limited. Many an afternoon walking along a tow path in towns and villages has made me realise how lacking we are in that department.
But lordie. CHEERS! Just say no please. Whenever we go back my goal at all costs is to find the local real pub. The one with good food and no slot machines the pub with the farmer who brought his dog down to have a pint. The one where your B&B proprietress has to ring to get you a seat on Sunday or you can forget having tea. There were many more places that would have been worthy of your time than that tourist trap. Drop me a line next time before you come and I’ll tell you what to try.
There was, of course, so many things you missed, but a good start for now!

jo
He, being an mechanical design engineer by trade was impressed with the MOS as well. It is pretty unique and all across the UK I have never found a museum as unique and hands on.

]]> By: JonT http://johnnylyle.co.uk/2009/09/16/the-sheriff-of-nottingham-in-usa-%e2%80%93-part-thirteen-%e2%80%93-boston-to-new-york/#comment-251 JonT Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:46:10 +0000 http://johnnylyle.co.uk/?p=815#comment-251 Oops. That should be "Fiedler", not "Fielder". Oops. That should be “Fiedler”, not “Fielder”.

]]> By: JonT http://johnnylyle.co.uk/2009/09/16/the-sheriff-of-nottingham-in-usa-%e2%80%93-part-thirteen-%e2%80%93-boston-to-new-york/#comment-250 JonT Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:44:45 +0000 http://johnnylyle.co.uk/?p=815#comment-250 Indeed, right around the corner from Cheers is the Arthur Fielder Footbridge, which takes pedestrians over Storrow Drive (the highway that runs alongside the Charles River), and right into the Esplanade, near the Hatch Shell, which is where the Boston Pops plays its outdoor concerts. You could have had a very pleasant walk from there, along the river, to the museum. Indeed, right around the corner from Cheers is the Arthur Fielder Footbridge, which takes pedestrians over Storrow Drive (the highway that runs alongside the Charles River), and right into the Esplanade, near the Hatch Shell, which is where the Boston Pops plays its outdoor concerts. You could have had a very pleasant walk from there, along the river, to the museum.

]]> By: Jan D - Fibrowitch http://johnnylyle.co.uk/2009/09/16/the-sheriff-of-nottingham-in-usa-%e2%80%93-part-thirteen-%e2%80%93-boston-to-new-york/#comment-249 Jan D - Fibrowitch Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:30:46 +0000 http://johnnylyle.co.uk/?p=815#comment-249 Well guys you got picked up by <a> Universal Hub</a> or home town blog review. So you will be getting lots of hits, and comments from the Boston Community. If your looking for the 'CHEERS' bar, there is one in Haymarket that looks just like the tv show. Complete with cutouts of the different characters for people to pose with. It does not open until 11am. The city and state tourism bureaus don't help private concerns with advertising. As you set up a tourism agency in your own city you might want to do things differently, but in the great scheme of things, pushing a single bar, just because of it's connection to an old tv show would make no sense. Not when Boston is chock a block with real history. Sorry that you missed the Children's Museum, The Old State House (as a geek you would have loved the display on how the subway system impacts the building) I hope you get a chance to visit again, and for more than just a few hours. If you do, please grant me pleasure of showing you around all the sites the Greater Boston area has to share. From the first public school, to the first public beach. Boston has the greatest concentration of college students in the world - okay we don't always enjoy that part. Frederick Law Olmsted created an emerald necklace, you might have loved walking through, there is so much you did not see. So much I wish you had seen. Well guys you got picked up by Universal Hub or home town blog review. So you will be getting lots of hits, and comments from the Boston Community.

If your looking for the ‘CHEERS’ bar, there is one in Haymarket that looks just like the tv show. Complete with cutouts of the different characters for people to pose with. It does not open until 11am.

The city and state tourism bureaus don’t help private concerns with advertising. As you set up a tourism agency in your own city you might want to do things differently, but in the great scheme of things, pushing a single bar, just because of it’s connection to an old tv show would make no sense. Not when Boston is chock a block with real history.

Sorry that you missed the Children’s Museum, The Old State House (as a geek you would have loved the display on how the subway system impacts the building)

I hope you get a chance to visit again, and for more than just a few hours. If you do, please grant me pleasure of showing you around all the sites the Greater Boston area has to share. From the first public school, to the first public beach. Boston has the greatest concentration of college students in the world – okay we don’t always enjoy that part. Frederick Law Olmsted created an emerald necklace, you might have loved walking through, there is so much you did not see. So much I wish you had seen.

]]> By: pierce http://johnnylyle.co.uk/2009/09/16/the-sheriff-of-nottingham-in-usa-%e2%80%93-part-thirteen-%e2%80%93-boston-to-new-york/#comment-248 pierce Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:04:06 +0000 http://johnnylyle.co.uk/?p=815#comment-248 not surprising, it's commonly known among local schoolchildren as "The Boredom Trail." But there is so much more to Boston than old bricks and Paul Revere's underwear. Look us up if you come back! not surprising, it’s commonly known among local schoolchildren as “The Boredom Trail.” But there is so much more to Boston than old bricks and Paul Revere’s underwear. Look us up if you come back!

]]> By: faegirl http://johnnylyle.co.uk/2009/09/16/the-sheriff-of-nottingham-in-usa-%e2%80%93-part-thirteen-%e2%80%93-boston-to-new-york/#comment-247 faegirl Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:01:26 +0000 http://johnnylyle.co.uk/?p=815#comment-247 Next time, come to 15 State Street first...it is a National Park Service Visitor Center and the maps are better in 2 ways, 1) they are logically laid out and marked on the map and 2) they are free. I'm confused as to why they tried to get your money at King's Chapel since it is a free site...any more info you can pass along on that? Next time, come to 15 State Street first…it is a National Park Service Visitor Center and the maps are better in 2 ways, 1) they are logically laid out and marked on the map and 2) they are free.

I’m confused as to why they tried to get your money at King’s Chapel since it is a free site…any more info you can pass along on that?

]]> By: Tim Garratt http://johnnylyle.co.uk/2009/09/16/the-sheriff-of-nottingham-in-usa-%e2%80%93-part-thirteen-%e2%80%93-boston-to-new-york/#comment-246 Tim Garratt Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:42:22 +0000 http://johnnylyle.co.uk/?p=815#comment-246 Hi Wolfshowl, I didn't suggest we got turned around - if we are honest we lost interest! The actual walk is a great idea, the maps are a rip off and not terribly good! Thanks for the comments though! Hi Wolfshowl, I didn’t suggest we got turned around – if we are honest we lost interest! The actual walk is a great idea, the maps are a rip off and not terribly good! Thanks for the comments though!

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