They say there's an obesity epidemic in the USA. Well, after this mornings breakfast in downtown Boston I can understand why.

To start: strawberries on a bed of chocolate and yogurt with nuts and fresh berries.

Next's: Two 1" thick slices of French toast dusted with cinnamon with, Anne - bananas, chocolate and maple syrup. Stuart - same two thick doorsteps of French toast with blueberries, cream and maple syrup. All with enough coffee to float yer boat.

Right now, 21:00 on Sunday, after three long blasts the Queen Mary inches her way out backwards from her berth half a mile away en route for New York. Last time we saw her we were in Alesund Norway two years ago.

Escorted by at least seven police RIB's, a bit worryingly she is reversing towards us presumably to give the guests a closer view of the nighttime Boston skyline and the fireworks that are meant to be appearing shortly.

The cops are chasing off the muppets who roar around the harbour in the pitch black in their powerboats. We just heard one being told to clear off as, they "are entering an exclusion zone". That and, cruising into the unlit fireworks barge which might be more of an issue. "Cap. You are entering a security zone. Turnaround now. No. Do a 180".

Meanwhile, the band plays on!

Hopefully the QM will miss us and the fireworks miss the Virgin Airways flight that Julian is on, about to take off overhead. (Poor Julian. Back to London for a weeks work!)

........what a fireworks display! Just brilliant, lighting up the bay, reflecting light and sound of the skyscrapers. We were going to leave today. Glad we stuck around. Funny thing is, we are so close, perhaps within 200 yards of the fireworks barge and half a mile of the QM, we and Time Bandit are going to be in the background of a thousand photos.

Meanwhile, as she sounds her horns again and slowly pulls away we have another truly weird Boston Harbour experience. One we've had for a couple of nights now.

Somewhere far beneath us the "T", Boston's underground railway, passes, taking its passengers across, or under the bay. We clearly hear the rattles and the vibration seems to gently shake the boat. It's a seriously strange feeling having an underground train pass beneath you as you lie in bed 200 yards offshore. Its like having Led Zep playing Whole Lotta Love. The clickety clack starts in your left ear, goes across your shoulders through your head and out your right ear. All under the boat. Weird and a bit spooky.

Also, the mooring field is just off the end of the Marriot Long Wharf hotel. Beside that is the tour boat dock and from about 07:00 to 23:00 or midnight the tour boats come and go. It can be a bit off putting to climb into the cockpit, eyes screwed up and blinded by the early morning sun to find 500 tourists looking down on you dressed only in your best "Y"'s giving a fine impression of Spike in that scene from Notting Hill.

We've had just a couple of days here as we dash north. Just enough to familiarise ourselves with our old haunts and some new experiences. One of these was a quick haircut in a very traditional barbers complete with old leather chairs, cut throat razors and giant bushy shaving brushes you could hide in.

I always thought Boston was a great city. Now, with the removal of the aerial motorway through its heart its just stunning. Better than New York in my opinion.

Anyway, time to head north for Maine and its frozen wastes.