Boston

OK, so its cold in Boston.  REALLY cold... in the 20's with the wind chill.  We drove to the T station, only to find out they weren't running all the trains into Boston because of the Easter Holiday.  So we took a bus to a different station where the T was running and went into Boston.  We arrived at Boston Common and were instantly miserable... we were freezing.  We were all covered up in coats and scarves and mittens and hats and yet when the wind blew our faces hurt.  So after standing around trying to work up the courage to walk the Freedom Trail, we finally became cheesy tourists and bought tickets for a trolley tour (translation: heated bus). 

 

We road around Boston and got to see some parts of the city we wouldn't have otherwise.  We got off at the Aquarium and went over to Quincy Market to have lunch and to look around the shops.  Then we got back on our trolley and went up to the USS Constitution (Ol' Ironsides).  The tour guide pointed out where Paul Revere was waiting and watching the Old North Church Steeple for the signal (1 if by land 2 if by sea) before his famous ride to Lexington and Concord.  We took a guided tour of the ship that was lots of fun, and heard all about the ship's role in the newly founded country.

 

Not being used to keeping track of hats and mittens, we had multiple losses and just kept buying new ones at the sidewalk vendors.  Aislinn lost a pink "Boston" hat on the first trolly ride and was really upset about it.  The Trolley manager felt so bad he went and got her a couple of pink hats to choose from, from one of his vendor friends.  She picked a New England Patriot's hat, and so we snapped a picture of Gillette Stadium on the way home.

 

On Monday, we decided to go back into Boston again.  We had thought maybe we'd head out to Plimouth Plantation, but the weather was warmer (in the 40's) and we wanted to walk the Freedom Trail and shop.  So back to the T station we went.  More trains were running, but they don't necessarily go as far as they say they will, I don't know how people figure out that system.  In DC and NYC, the trains follow the printed schedule and route.  In Boston, the train may go all the way the Govt Square like the schedule says, or it may stop at Park Station and one just crosses their fingers, I guess and gets off and waits for the next train if one must.  Whatever.

 

So walked the Freedom Trail and that was a big hit with the girls, they liked following the red brick line.  We saw the Old Meeting House where the colonists decided to dump all the tea overboard.  The Tea Party Ship and museum were closed while they redeveloped the docks there, so we didn't get to see that.  Then we went up to Paul Revere's house and were able to tour it.  Then up a few more blocks through little Italy to the Old North Church.  There are no pews, but only boxes, and the colonists were required to purchase their box, and furnish it themselves.  These days the church is still in use by the Episcopal Church and seating in the boxes is first come first served.

 

Then we got some advice from a local shopkeeper about a good Italian restaurant in Little Italy and ended up at Familia Georgios and had a great lunch.  Then we headed to the T station to take the train up to Cambridge.  Aislinn and Abby really wanted to see where Robby went to school and so we went and checked out the Coop (the MIT book store) and the twins are some proud owners of some MIT t-shirts.  Then we took the T back into Boston and went to Filene's Basement.  THAT was fun, and would have been a lot funner, if I didn't have whiney children and a whiney husband with me.  The whiney husband did find himself some shoes, to his credit.

 

Our 2cnd day in Boston it was so much warmer, that we were all wearing too many clothes and were having to haul around our jackets and trying to shove extra sweaters in Daddy's backpack.  Oh well. 

 

On our way back to the campground we saw a Mercedes 230 with the license plate "Larsen."  I was sure they were my real family, but Dad wouldn't follow them.  Whatever.