Starting Location: Boston, MA
Destination: Boston, MA
Dining Locations: The Salty Dog, Boston, MA; Cinderella’s Restaurante, Cambridge, MA
Travel Time: 30 minutes in a shuttle to Boston
Today we woke up in sunny Boston, MA, ready to hit the Freedom Trail with vigor. Hunter got a full night of sleep which is one of the ingredients to a successful day. We enjoyed some breakfast in our hotel room and made our way to the hotel lobby to catch the 10:00 shuttle into the city. The trip took about 15 minutes which, for those of you who know me and my rock solid stomach, is just about my limit to keep me from tossing my breakfast like a relief pitcher. When we made it to our stop, I said “thank you,” and jumped out the window. We had arrived in historic Boston, MA. With my steep interest in everything history I declared our first stop needed to be Cheers. Couldn’t tell you who Paul Revere was but ask me to name the characters from that wonderful TV show and I am all over it. We took a bunch of photos and bought one of everything at the gift shop and headed out.
On our way to the start of the Freedom Trail the nice lady at the Cheers gift shop (who admired Hunter’s themed shirt and offered him stickers and “nanas”) informed us that Hunter would love to see the ducks in the pond at the Boston Public Gardens. Boy, she could not have been more right, and wrong. Hunter immediately wanted to get “down” which is his new word for, “I want to do everything that I am not supposed to do.” He pointed at the ducks and made it clear he wanted to swim with them. It took all of Emily’s strength to keep him from taking the plunge. Hunter made sure to let us know for the next 20 minutes on our way to the Freedom Trail that his vote was to stay with his duck friends. We offered more “nanas,” milk, and toys, but he was not to be assuaged. His beloved “bobber” made the first of many appearances at that point. Sorry H… the monuments weren’t coming to us, so we had to be on our way.
The Freedom Trail is conveniently marked by a red line on the ground that goes past 16 sites that were very significant in the American Revolution. Clearly we should have studied a bit more before heading out. Thankfully we had a little guidebook to assist in our severe lack of historical knowledge, which we stared at dumbly each time the red line led us to a different, obviously ancient, building. Before making it to the well-known, tourist-friendly Fanueil Hall for lunch, we managed to see The State House (the capitol of Massachusetts which used to be John Hancock’s cow pasture), Park Street Church, Granary Burying Grounds, King’s Chapel and Burying Grounds (uplifting tour, what with all the tombstones), Old Corner Bookstore, and Old South Meeting House. Here we actually coughed up the entry fee and had a look inside. The photo you see to your right is a photo of the postcard we had to buy to remember our experience… no photos, please. Apparently the flash might decay the wood benches. No, really, I don’t know why we couldn’t photograph an empty room. This was where they actually decided to protest the tax on tea and started the Boston Tea Party. After one more site, the Old State House Museum, we arrived at the oddly juxtaposed mix of past and present, Faneuil Hall.
I mentioned trying to get to Faneuil for lunch. Yet another of our splendid dining experiences. Maybe next time we won’t stop at the first place we lay eyes on. The place looked promising… outdoor seating, seafood menu, great view of the action… and that was where we should have left it. I had the fish and chips and Emily had a clam sandwich. Just typing that makes me a little nauseous. Hunter had was ordered fish and chips also…. what he actually ate was a slice of lemon (he would bite off the rind and then spit it into his bib pocket) and four 1/2 french fries. The fish and chips were nothing to write home about, but Emily said the clam strips were evidently the “whole belly” clams, which she had never had. After a few bites of clam belly, she pushed her basket aside and got to work on Hunter’s mediocre fish and chips. Well, at least someone ate his lunch!
After lunch we spent some time studying the history of money. Well, what I meant to say is we went shopping and our money was history. Emily bobbed in and out of a bunch of stores all around the square and picked up some fun Boston memorabilia. After the spree ended we continued on the Freedom Trail.
Along the red line, we discovered something we feel should be on the next revised edition of the Freedom Trail. The Modern Pastry Shop in the Little Italy section was chock full of interesting looking pastries. Emily almost busted the glass in the case when she saw the cupcakes. She might have injured Hunter in the process, though, as his nose was pressed against the case while he shouted “NA NA” for anyone and everyone to hear. We purchased our baked goods and continued on to the Paul Revere section of the Trail.
The last few stops were Paul Revere’s House (which we walked past on the way and had to come back to… the Trail is not without its ambiguities) and The Old North Church. This was where they lit the lights after Revere gave the signal and started the American Revolution. With two sites left on the way other side of town, we decided we’d done enough walking and decided to head back to the Aquarium where the shuttle would pick us up.
We ended the day in the hotel room where we ordered Cinderella’s Pizza and stuffed our faces. Hunter could not get enough pizza. I think he realized that the slice of lemon he had for lunch did not quench his hunger. After a late nap, Hunter was finally ready for bed around 8:30 and went down without much of a fight.
All-in-all today was a very good day, but we are pooped and I can’t think of anything else to say. Goodnight.
