When someone gives you directions that start off with “you can’t get there from here, ” you know you are in Boston. But aside from the maddening one-way systems and tangle of streets, the city has an extensive public transport system, grand cultural institutions, albion towers of academia and smugly bourgeois brick architecture that are permanently attractive to long-time residents and mini-fridge carrying university students alike.

What is it known for?

In many ways the history of Boston is the history of the United States. Many of the nation’s creation myths were born here, from “the shot heard round the world” that began the American Revolution (in nearby Lexington), to the tea party that has political resonance today. You can walk the Freedom Trail (just follow the red bricks!) that takes you through a tour of downtown Boston, past the Old North Church and the State House to name a few historic spots.

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This article is written by Nisha Jha, who is one of India’s leading lady backpackers with extensive travel experience

Looks like I have a fixation for bizarre burgs. :P
Recently I wrote about an unusual town called Baarle in Europe. And Prague was confusing in a different manner.
In the quiet town of Derby in Vermont, US, there is the Derby Line dividing US and Canada. This is more of a straight line, in contrast to Baarle’s zigzagged ones, but passes through buildings and households.

The Derby Line in Vermont, USA, dividing the USA & Canada

So there are chances you may prepare your food in one country and eat in the other. :P

There have been cases of illegal immigration; hence a tighter security control has been established now. However, on the Derby Line the towns’ people have deliberately constructed a library and an Opera on the border. I am not sure what could be the real reason.

A border town in our own India is Coochbehar. I hope to visit it too sometime. There are pieces of land called Chhit-Mahals or enclaves, where Indian Chhit-Mahals lie completely surrounded by Bangladeshi Chhit-Mahals and vice versa.
Big difference is, that these borders are protected by BSF of India and Bangladesh (you need a visa to go across to the other enclave and no free movement) and probably the enclaves are also much bigger pieces of land than in Baarle.
The Wagah border in India is similar to Derby line. A straight line divides India and Pakistan at Wagah village but through the fields only. A lot of people suggest that there should be a Cricket Stadium exactly at the border.

Some more such places.-

Ceuta is a Spanish town completely encircled by Morocco.
Country of Lesotho is completely landlocked by Republic of South Africa.

Mount Everest is itself on the border of Nepal and Tibet. Summit ridge separates Nepal and Tibet. The more popular southern route is through Nepal and the less used (obviously political reasons) northern route is in Tibet, China.

Mt Everest, Nepal

I am sure there are many more examples and would surely like my readers to add to this list.

Nisha Jha

9 May 2011

Tales of Tangled Towns

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