It’s no secret that I love to travel and I’m guessing you share my interest as well since you’re reading this blog post. Unfortunately, now is not the time to hop on a plane or even jump in our car to enjoy a simple road trip. But someday (soon we hope) this will all be behind us and we’ll once again take to the skies to explore this wonderful world of ours. In the interim, I’ll continue to share some stories with you about trips I’ve taken in days gone by so, at the very least, we can all be “armchair travelers.” This post will chronicle one of my ongoing visits made to one of our Presidential Libraries and Museums. I hope you enjoy it.
After several months it was time for me to travel to Boston in order to visit the Presidential #JFKLibrary and Museum, the next chronological stop on my quest to visit each one. I booked a mid-afternoon Wednesday departure on one of #Delta Airlines’ nonstop flights from Raleigh's #RDUAirport. It was an easy trip through the security checkpoint thanks to #TSAPRECHCECK_ and I had time to visit the #DeltaSkyClub across from Gate C3 on the second level of Terminal 2. I don’t have a membership in the Club but was permitted same-day access using my Platinum Card from #AmericanExpress.
This club was expanded and refurbished in July of '19 and now features nearly double the former seating capacity, additional accessible power charging stations and a new food and beverage area. Natural slate and granite tile finishes are evident throughout the lounge along with contemporary furnishings from UK-based furniture manufacturer Boss Design. THE BAR offers a variety of complimentary beverage options, including locally-brewed craft beer from the Carolina Brewing Company, premium wines curated by Delta’s Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson and well-mixed, seasonal cocktails. This lounge also shows off local artwork from North Carolina-based artist Jeff Cohen, including a series of paintings he’s titled “Tarheel Tastes” which represents 5 popular food products that originated in our state, such as Krispy Creme Doughnuts and Texas Pete Hot Sauce. There was plenty of space for me to sit comfortably and peacefully while enjoying a snack and a beverage as I waited for my flight to depart.
Boarding was on time and proceeded smoothly. We traveled on a Bombardier CRJ-900 operated by #EndeavorAir for Delta. The First Class cabin featured 12 seats, including 4 rows of single seats on the port side of the aircraft separated by a single aisle and 4 rows of double seats on the starboard side. The seat width was just shy of 20” with a pitch of about 35” and power ports were also readily available at each seat. We took off on time and, after passing through 10,000 feet, passengers were advised of the flight’s Wi-fi connection and streaming entertainment options. Our flight attendant did a fine job of serving snacks and beverages for the quick, 2 hour trip to the #Loganairports in Boston. On arrival during rush hour at 4:30pm, my #Uber ride took nearly 45 minutes to make the 12-mile journey to the Boston Marriott Copley Place Hotel on Huntington Avenue.
This hotel is conveniently located in the Back Bay area close to many of the city’s main attractions. Check in was quick and efficient. I somehow snagged an upgrde to a Corner, King-Bedded room. It measured over 300 square feet in size and featured an in-room safe, a large work desk, a mini refrigerator and a comfortable chaise lounger to enjoy the nice city view. As a Platinum member of the #MarriottBonvoy Program, I was given enhanced, in-room Wi-fi and was also granted access to the Concierge Lounge. Complimentary continental breakfast was served here each morning and hors d’oeuvres were offered every evening with alcoholic drinks available for purchase. The hotel is connected to #CopleyPlaceMA, one of Boston’s most distinctive shopping destinations with 75 stores including anchors #neimanmarcus and a #saks 5th Avenue Men’s Store. The upscale center includes 2 levels of shopping, a multitude of restaurants and 4 office buildings. The #Westin Hotel (also owned by Marriott) rounds out the offerings in this high-end luxury multi-purpose location.
Thursday was devoted to visiting the Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, the nation’s official memorial to our 35th President, The Kennedy family chose Columbia Point as the site for the late President’s Library, as it overlooks the sea that he loved and the city that launched his political career. To capture the breathtaking view, Jacqueline Kennedy selected I.M. Pei as the architect. Although he was relatively young, unknown and obscure at the time, the former First Lady viewed him as filled with promise and imagination. Indeed he was, and he went on to design many award-winning structures in the US and abroad, including the Louvre Pyramid in Paris and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. For this project, he envisioned a triangular, 9-story tower housing archival, educational and administrative functions, a 2-story base containing exhibition space and a 115-foot high glass memorial pavilion. The result is dramatic and functional. One is almost transported back to the1960s as the museum uses high definition, large-screen projections and interactive displays to bring this much-beloved President’s legacy to life for succeeding generations.
The first museum exhibit is titled “Young Jack” and highlights JFK’s life before politics, covering his childhood, education, military service in the US Navy and his brief stint as a journalist. After viewing an introductory film about the President's early life, visitors exit the theatre and descend into linked exhibition areas highlighting his 1960 campaign, his administration and his legacy. The film is drawn from the television program titled “Longines Chronoscope,” a weekly public affairs interview program that ran on the CBS Television Network. It's comprised of a series of interviews with JFK. In the initial interview, he discusses the publication of his first book titled “Why England Slept” while others find him talking about his wartime record, his service as a Congressman, a Senator and finally after he secured the nomination from the Democratic Party as its candidate in the Presidential Election of 1960.
Multiple displays highlight this important presidential campaign, including historic news and film footage of he and then Vice President Richard Nixon taking their case to the American people. Excerpts are also shown of the now-famous Kennedy-Nixon debate, the first televised presidential debate in American history. A special area has also been set aside for visitors to watch President Kennedy deliver his stirring Inaugural Address which eloquently laid out the blueprint for his forthcoming administration. After a quick lunch at the Museum cafe, I toured exhibits focused on JFK’s establishment of the Peace Corps, one of the hallmarks of his Presidency that saw Americans sent to developing countries to volunteer in their struggle against poverty, disease hunger and illiteracy. The space program is another display for visitors to enjoy. Here, we learn that In 1961, Kennedy began a dramatic expansion of the US space program and committed the nation to the ambitious goal of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth by the close of the decade. This area of the museum chronicles the course charted by the President to make the US the world leader in space exploration.
Film footage, photographs and artifacts next bring to life Kennedy’s epic trip to Berlin in June of 1963. Standing at the Berlin Wall before a sympathetic, flag-waving and enthusiastic crowd of more than 400,000 people, he delivered one of his most celebrated speeches that paid tribute to the spirit of Berliners and their yearning for freedom. He then left for a visit to Ireland, his ancestral homeland, where he was welcomed in an outpouring of emotion from the populace like a returning son. The Museum also features a replica of the Oval Office as it appeared during his Administration and another area showcasing the work of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, including her contributions to the field of historic preservation, advocacy for the arts and innovation in White House entertaining. The tragedy of the Kennedy assassination on November 22, 1963 is dealt with through archival film footage of CBS newsman Walter Cronkite’s announcement to the world of his death that afternoon and through subsequent, somber but mesmerizing scenes of JFK’s funeral in the nation’s capital in Washington just 3 days later.
Visiting the Kennedy Library and Museum was a moving experience for me and well worth my time and effort. I gained a better understanding of the life and times of one of our most extraordinary Presidents who exemplified the importance and relevance of public service. After returning to the Marriott, I spent another comfortable night there before catching a non stop Delta flight home to Raleigh the following afternoon.
Until next time…stay safe.
Very interesting George and it sounds like a great venue to visit in Boston [but not in rush hour!]