Day Twenty One, In Boston, MA, - All Day

Friday, August 27, 2010

Hello again Faithful Few,

Today we caught the hotel shuttle to the Airport Transit Station where we boarded the "T" rapid transit train to Boston Common (downtown park) where we started our walking tour on the Freedom Trail from the Visitor Center. The Freedom Trail is clearly marked throughout the downtown area, North Boston, and harbor sections of the city. If you can follow a red painted or red brick line on the ground, you too could walk the Freedom Trail. The trail extends two and a half miles.

The first stop on the Trail is in fact Boston Common, a lovely central city park, if you don't mind the vagrants curled up in their blankets, and sleeping in for the morning, under the expansive shade trees. The second attraction is a memorial dedicated to the African American Regiment during the civil war. Stop #3 is the Massachusetts State House with its brightly gilded dome. Park Street Church is next on the Trail where gun powder was stored in the basement during the War of 1812. The church was built in 1809. A short walk down the street brought us to the Granary Burying Ground where the first person was interred in 1660. Also buried there are Revolutionary War veterans, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and Robert Paine, all signers of the Declaration of Independence. Paul Revere is also buried there.

Following the red brick line brought us to King's Chapel, the first Anglican church ordered constructed by King James II of England. Adjacent to the church is the King's Chapel Burying Ground dating back to 1630. The Old City hall is next on the walk, constructed in 1864. In the courtyard is a bronze statue of Benjamin Franklin. The Old Corner Book Store became the literary center of old Boston. Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and Harriet Beecher Stowe all gathered there. Diagonally across the street is the Old South Meeting House built in 1729 and home to some heated debates leading to the American Revolution. Following the trail north, one comes to the Old State House, the merchant exchange center of town. Faneuil Hall is next. It witnessed a number of tumultuous debates over Englands constant tax acts on the colonies. The preliminary meetings leading to the Boston Tea Part occurred there.

We strolled through Quincy Market, once the center of retail and wholesale distribution of meat and produce. Today, it's a farmers market with fresh fruit and vegetables, many from California. We passed the Oyster House, one of the oldest restaurants in the country. We particularly enjoyed seeing Paul Revere's house on the Trail. Walking north, we entered the extensive Italian section of town, claiming 109 restaurants within a one square mile area. St. Stephen's Catholic Church is located there. They were celebrating "a feast" there tonight, but we were too bushed to partake. Another highlight along the path is the Old North Church of "One if by land, two if by sea" fame, referring to Paul Revere's lantern warning of the British marching on Concord. MA.

Before concluding our walking tour we met Candy and Glenn, friends and residents of Northbridge, MA, who joined us for the afternoon. Lane and I worked with Candy before her retirement in March. As the lunch hour was approaching we were fortunate enough to get a recommendation for "the best pizza in Boston," at Ernesto's in the Italian section of town just down the street. I have to say it was probably one of the best pizzas in town, if not the best. In the midst of our continuing walking tour, Lane and Steve decided it was the perfect time for a haircut (???), so we ducked in to a barber shop for the quickest haircuts I've ever seen. Lane offered the barber $20 to shave Steve's head, but Steve wasn't going for it.

Continuing our tour we crossed a bridge over a harbor channel and entered the Charleston Navy Yard, now a National Park, and toured the USS Constitution, "Old Ironsides," a 212 year old 44 gun frigate, restored to perfection from its initial launching in 1797. It's a true national treasure. The tours are conducted by active naval personnel.

Following our walking tour we took a water taxi to the closest "T" station and caught the train back to the Airport Station, where we waited over an hour for the hotel shuttle to pick us up. The shuttle dropped us off at the Harley-Davidson dealer where we retrieved our motorcycles after being serviced.

We returned to the hotel and ate supper again at the nearby Italian restaurant. It must have been the influence from spending so much time in the Italian section of Boston today. We all agreed today that one could easily spend a week in Boston seeing all of the sights that "Bean Town" has to offer. Overall, it was a great day with perfect weather. Tomorrow we're headed for Rochester, NY, and Niagara Falls.