July 9, 2006

Gutten taag! Quack Quack!

Whenever we visit a new city, my husband and I like to engage in exactly one extremely cheesy tourist activity. In Boston, that activity was the Boston Duck Boat Tour, the “original” duck boat tour. We boarded our bright lavender duck boat and awaited the arrival of our host. A few moments later “Sven” climbed on board and we were off for the Boston Duck Boat Tour of a lifetime. Sven was about 55 years old, had curly blond hair down his back and a handlebar mustache to die for. He was wearing a kilt, strappy leather boots, a sheepskin vest, and a Viking helmet. As we drove throughout the city streets, Sven informed us that Bostonians absolutely LOVE it when tourists on the duck boats shouted “Quack! Quack!” at them. He encouraged us to endear ourselves to the local population by being the loudest duck boat they had ever heard. Our cue to quack was Sven shouting “Gutten taag!” Which of course made perfect sense. “Gutten taag!” Sven shouted. “Quack quack!” we shouted back every time we saw a Bostonian who appeared to be in a less than sunny mood. By the time we drove the boat into the St. Charles River the city was ready for a Boston Tourist Tea Party.