Boston

June 30th

We took the bus shuttle to airport station on the blue line, then got off at Bowdoin Station and walked to the hotel. That evening we dined at the Union Oyster House. It's an ancient place by American standards. In fact, if I remember correctly it's been in operation longer than any other restaurant in the whole country. Unsurprisingly, for its novelty and location, the food has a tourist price tag. I found the vibe to be a bit eerie as well since we could hear the sound of steam billowing up into the six glass containers from the New England Holocaust Memorial next to our outdoor table.

After dinner we walked over by the harbor, and then to Little Italy for some gelato. We passed by the Paul Revere Statue and the Old North Church where lacking historical context (the guided Freedom Walk would't be until later), I contemplated the symbolism of lanterns.

Our ice cream was completed at the Greenbelt Park, where we hung out on some swinging benches. I was impressed by the planning that had allowed for such a nice walkable pedestrian area in the heart of the city, but I'm glad not to have been a resident who would have had to put up with the massive disruptions, cost overruns, and frustrations that must have come with the Big Dig.

July 1st

On the 1st we hopped on the green route of the Old Town Trolley Tour. After a coffee near Boston Commons we transferred to the Orange Line to check out the Back Bay. Eventually we ended up at the Boston Public Library where we attempted to enter the tea room, but it was closed.

Based on a recommendation from one of Alejandra's friend's, dinner was at a Peruvian-Asian fusion place called Ruka in Downtown Crossing. The Wagyu Steak Anticuchos where every bit as delicious as they sound. Yum!

July 2nd

The next morning was spent at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, which was built in the style of a Venetian palace. The way the collection is laid out doesn't follow the traditional manner where pieces are organized by period or style, but is more done in the way an interior decorator might match together works from disparate cultures and times. In the 90s there was a heist where some $500 million worth of paintings were stolen, never to be recovered!

After perusing the exhibits, we had a coffee nearby, and then walked over by Fenway Park to stroll around the stadium, after which we took a commuter rail train to the harbor for some lobster rolls at James Hook. That evening we took in the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum, which walks you through a compressed timeline of the events leading up to, during, and shortly after that iconic moment in American history.

The actual site where the event happened is a bit removed from where the museum is located. The actors do a pretty good job staying in character, and for buy-in you are handed a card of a historical figure of whom you get to role play. We finished the day with dinner at Il Trattoria in Little Italy. Three meat ragu. Gimmie that!

July 3rd

On July 3rd, we took a walking tour of the Freedom Trail starting at Boston Common. It's not the country's oldest park, but started as a common grazing ground for cattle, hence the name. We stopped by the Granary Burial Ground, and saw the graves of John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and Paul Revere. There's a large obelisk with Franklin's name, but Benjamin is buried in Pennsylvania-- this tomb is just for the rest of his family. At the Old State House we learned about the history of the Boston Massacre, which started as a disagreement between a local youth and guardsman. The youth thought he hadn't been paid for making the solider a wig, when in fact he had. Angered, he went and brought some dudes from the local pub for muscle. Then the guard called for reinforcements and it escalated from there. Five people were killed. Other stops included Faneuil Hall, Paul Revere's House, and up the way to the Copps Hill Burial Ground.

After the walking tour, had a slice of pizza, and then went to the Boston Navy Yard to visit the USS Constitution. The Navy officers still on duty took pride in telling us that she is not only America's, but the world's, oldest commissioned warship still afloat! Having seen action in the War of 1812, 'Old Ironsides' as the ship is otherwise known served in the Mediterranean and Africa, circled the world, and served as a training ship in the Civil War before becoming the floating museum it is now.

We took a bus back to the hotel to get out of the heat, and then dined at Elephant Walk, a Cambodian-French fusion place in the South End. You can eat pretty well in this town!

July 4th

For the 4th we got up early and went to the Old State House to the hear the reading of the Declaration of Independence which has been done yearly since July 18th, 1776, (though there may have been an interruption here or there). I could go into some detail how the grievances listed within said venerable document sound very much like modern concerns about the quasi-tyrannical state we seem to find ourselves in now, but I digress.

After the reading, the massive crowd began to disperse, and we made our way to the Boston Aquarium. Look at the penguins! We dined that night at Legal Sea Food where I had a whole lobster. Not sure how it happened, but I somehow managed not to have a single chowder the whole time I was in Boston. This must be remedied at a future date!

That night we again were packed in like sardines along the Esplanade to watch the fireworks. After a long trek to find one of very few entrances down to the water, even though everywhere was standing room only, we ended up with excellent views.

I find it hard to believe that I've waited this long to see this part of the world, but the rich tapestry of the history, culture, and uniqueness of this place definitely beckon me back, kind of like lanterns in a church steeple!