What a Day!

[hyphenate]

Today a friend and I decided to head to downtown to scout out things and see a couple of places we're going on Tuesday night, including the place for the DU meetup (so we won't get lost!) and all that.

When we arrived in Copley Square, there was a demonstration there in front of the Trinity Church for a group called Falun Gong, which is protesting the cruel and inhumane treatment going on in China. I guess they do this on a regular basis, but the overall protest spirit was high in the city. Delegates and many others were arriving from all places around the country, and we saw many registering at their hotels, from the Copley Plaza, to the Park Plaza, and all around. The atmosphere was intense. We gave directions to a few out of towners, and then decided to head over to Faneuil Hall marketplace.

We ate and then outside, there was a hubbub going on there, and found Chris Matthews and MSNBC set up in the middle of Faneuil Hall area. The show was starting in a couple of minutes, and they had someone cueing all the people, many of whom had Kerry-Edwards placards (they were expecting the news, I guess, all day there) and so we might have been briefly "on" TV ourselves. He was interviewing Terry McAuliffe, and Matthews as usual was his usual smarmy self.

We left after that, coming up the steps from Government Center, and who should we run into, but Al Franken!! I got a chance to shake his hand and told him I listened every day (which is close to the truth, but sometimes I don't get the chance!), and he was off again.

The rest of the trip home was uneventful.

The important part of the whole trip was that there is so much going on in Boston over the next week that is peripheral to the convention. I was disenchanted that I couldn't get into the convention, but the events and activities over the next week don't seem to stop! There is a wide range of demonstrations, protests, and lots and lots of other stuff. On Wednesday, we've got tickets for the Pops playing over at UMass with guest star James Taylor, which is tied into the convention. Al Franken did a show someplace today, and Michael Moore is also in town for other things.

If people are close to Boston but aren't able to go to the convention, it's still a great time to check out other events that are going on.

[donco6]

1. How fun! Please keep us updated!

I'm curious as to how things work at a convention. Never been, but would like to be a delegate someday.

PS. Are you a Stargate Fan??

[hyphenate]

3. Yep--big Stargate fan

And yes--depending on what's happening, I'll report back!

[fujiyama]

2. I went to Boston

several years ago on a class trip. I loved the city. I wish I could have gone to the convention. That sounds like it would be a blast.

Oh well, hopefully I'll be able to make it to one in the future.