Breakfast was an on-the-road afffair. We walked 150 feet to Dunkin Donuts and had breakfast sandwiches, then headed for Faneuil Hall, across the street. The Park Ranger suggested we walk the northern part of the Freedom Trail, take the ferry back to Long Wharf and then head for Boston Common. That way we had no back tracking! Excellent plan.
Lots and lots of school kids out and about in tour groups today. Neither of us misses those field trips!!
Paul Revere’s House was our first stop. We had a bit of trouble navigating with Barbara’s downloaded Freedom Trail app only because the Trail had a detour! The House was amazing and larger than I remembered. I was amazed B had never heard of Johnny Tremaine, but then she didn’t grow up in New England and did travel all over with her military Dad. I need to get the movie for the next time she comes to The Burg.
At Old North Church, I spotted the unique memorial to the Iraq-Afghanistan soldiers created by their dog tags. (Well, probably not their real ones, but still a very, very cool idea.)Copp’s Hill Graveyard was windy yet serene. I was fascinated with the tombstone markings and stories behind some of them, especially the one the British soldiers used for target practice...I was unimpressed that it contained only two bullet dents. I always thought the Redcoats were superb marksmen! I can’t wait to show Barbara Wadsworth cemetery on Summer Street!
Walking over the Charlestown Bridge to the see the Navy Yard and Old Ironsides, we spotted this marvelous bit of BeanTown humor adorning the open grate looking down into the river.
The ship was as amazing as I remembered. When I get home I’m going to post a Throw-Back Thursday picture of me in Junior High (I think) standing before her next to the one taken today. I wish I’d had the foresight to scan it into the photos so I’d have it now.)
The ticket taker on the ferry (Nial) struck up a conversation when we tried to get the Senior discount and discovered it only applies to Massachusetts citizens. He’s from DANVERS, used to live on Maple Street until he moved in 2014 because the dry cleaners next to his house had polluted the land so badly both lots were condemned as hazardous. He knew Summer Street and The Prep!!
Lunch has at our hotel patio restaurant was fabulous and reasonable, plus we had time to recharge phones and use a “private” bathroom.
Off to folllow the Trail up State Street, then branch off to Milk and Newberry Yarn. We had a good time shopping there, enhanced by the fact that it exists in the basement of the Old South Meeting House where the Boston Tea Party was generated after the meetings grew so large that the rooms in Faneuil Hall got too small!!! You have got to love those American Revolutionaries!
We faithfully followed the trail to the Common and the Frog Pond with the intent of riding the Swan Boats until at the World War I memorial, I discovered Barbara doesn’t ride Swan Boats due to an unfortunate experience in her childhood on the Disneyland version of them.
A stop bny the Granary Burial Grounds ended the Freedom Trail, so, it being near tea time, we headed back to The Bostonian.
We found the Chelsea v. New England Soccer game was in Foxboro but was not televised, so we decided to plan our Lexington and Concord day tomorrow. Going on-line, I found FaceBook messages from a high school classmate asking me to meet her and a few others saturday morning for breakfast in Danvers! Also, a former student (MHS 1988) wants to meet. I guess this is the good point of FaceBook. It must be fated because I never post my travels on FB!!
It's all about balance: New England lost to Chelsea but the Red Sox won in overtime!!!
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