Supposedly the site of the Boston Massacre (conveniently located on a traffic island rather than in the middle of the street where the actual site was). Sadly, the 5 deaths that day don’t compare to the massacres of modern day.
I’ve been meaning to post photos and a short recap from my Boston trip last weekend so forgive the slight delay. The trip was great and in hindsight, I wished I’d overnighted there. The flight out was pretty uneventful, although I walked away from a $300 “bump” due to my PDX>LAX leg being oversold. The only option they had was to take a flight the next morning, but if I chose to do that I would have zero time in the city since it arrived in Boston 1 hour before my flight back to PDX.
When we were descending over the city with the sun rising, I looked out the window and immediately thought, “what a great looking city!” Something about all that water and the smaller footprint was really inviting. Because my plane landed shortly after 6am and I figured the city wasn’t awake yet, I headed to the American Admirals lounge for a bit more sleep (comfy chairs, but no full recliners), a light breakfast, and most welcome: a shower! Closer to 9am I took the 20 minute free Silver Line into the city and from the South station walked less then 15 minutes until I reached Boston Commons. It was beautiful sunny, but crisp and cold day!
My aptly dressed guide. He’s a history professor at “the school they make fun of in Good Will Hunting”
People were everywhere and I knew there was a walking tour of the Freedom Trail handled by the small visitor center building. I read online the first walking tour was at 10:30am. The lady behind the counter told me it was 11am and suggested I grab some coffee and a snack nearby at a local coffee shop.
It was so nice to walk up and see Portland’s Stumptown coffee being served!
I won’t bore you with all I learned on my 90 minute tour, but let me say that the entire time I felt awed and woefully underinformed. As it was wrapping up I kept thinking: I need to quit my job, apply to Harvard and come study American History. Truly fascinating stuff!
Street performers, a “food court” and a few restaurants … one of the nicest looking quasi-malls out there.
The tour ended at Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market and I decided it was a great time and place to grab lunch before making my way back towards the airport. What to eat? Seafood of course! I had some delicious raw oysters and good – although not great – clam chowda and started my walk back towards the rail station. A short ride back to the airport and I was on my way back to the Pacific NW just like that.
This copper building was gorgeous.
Other than those crazy cold winters, Boston is a city that really appealed to me from the moment I saw it. History, educated population, pride of community, food, so many great things … I’ll definitely be going back!
Paul Revere’s grave(s). On the right: original. On the left: post-Longfellow’s epic poem. Lesson? The power of good PR.
Even the hotels have great histories. Not only for dignitaries and rock stars, a bus boy named Malcolm Little worked there along with a pastry chef from Vietnam. One went on to be known as Malcolm X, the other was the catalyst for the Vietnam war – Ho Chi Minh – cake maker.
Thanks for the interesting visit to Boston! I think I will have to put that American city on my list.