2nd Day in Boston

We all drove to the train station and get rode the train into Boston. I had already downloaded tickets for a different Trolley than we used yesterday. It went around a little more of the Boston area including Cambridge. I had some issues printing but our luck held again and we just made the train.

We caught the trolley and drove around for awhile and got off near Fenway Park where we had decided to do a tour. Brock and Kristi are big baseball fans.

Our tour guy was a 79 year old who was very funny. Lots of corny but funny jokes and his presentation had everyone laughing. He was also very infomative with the history of Fenway Park and the Red Sox who have played there since April 1912,almost a hundred years ago. The Red Sox  were very successful in the early years. Then the owner wanted to fiance a play on Broadway called No No Nanette. So what did he do to raise the money but sell a number of the players including Babe Ruth. Not a smart move. They didn't do so well in the 20's.
There were a number of changes to the Park. One was in 1936 when a 23 1/2 foot tall screen was added on top of the 37 foot left field wall to protect the windows of buildings on a near by street. When the wall's advertisements were covered by green paint in 1947, Fenway's signature feature, the Green Monster, was born.

We jumped back on the trolley and got off near the Freedom Trail and walked over to see the Paul Revere House. It was built in 1676 and is the oldest buiding still standing in the city of Boston.

Paul Revere House



We walked through the North End of Boston and stopped at one of the many Italian  restaurants in that area. Strega was a very nice one. Small and intimate. Strega means witch and the decore fits that theme. Also there are a number of flat screen tvs showing mafia movies, such as the Godfather movies and Good Fellas. Kristi though some of the Sopranos were sitting near us. HA! Food was delicious. I had seafood risotto which was actually heavier on seafood than rice. I couldn't eat it all though I certainly tried. Kristi and Brock both had pasta dishes and Joe had veal medallions. We had a wonderful gelato that was pistachio with coconut. We all shared that.

We walked back to the train station at the North End that was only a few blocks or so. We had to wait a little while and so bought some donuts for tomorrow at a Dunkin Donuts in the Station. We found out on the tour that there are 3,000 Dunkin Donut shops in Massachussets. There is literallly almost one on every corner in Boston. So we just had to buy some before we left the area.

                                                                        
                                                  

Boston

Everyone says not to drive in Boston if at all possible. You can drive from the campground about 40 minutes and then take the subway, or do as we did, drive about 15 minutes to Lowell and take the drive. We got a little lost when we were almost to the train but finally found where to park. We just made the train by minutes. The last stop on this train is North End and in the train station is one of the entrances to the  TD Garden where both the Celtics and the Boston Bruins play. The team store is in the station. We had decided to travel around the city by Trolley. There are several Trolley companies that have a tour guide. However, you can get off at any of the stops and just jump back on another of the trolleys when you are ready to go to a new stop. Also included is a Ferry ride around the Harbor. This also takes you to the USS Constitution "Old Ironsides". We stayed on the Trolley until we got to the Harbor.

State Capital

On the Trolley listening to Tour Guide who was very funny as well as informitive



Ship we took our cruise on



The cruise was nice thought we ended up standing as it was a full load. The day was just beautiful, a crisp Fall day. WHen we got off, we decided to get a bite to eat and wait until the crowd going to the USS Constitution was down. However, when we got there, there was still an hour wait to be able to take the tour of the ship.    USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world. It was first launched in 1797. George Washington first ordered four ships to be constructed to protect American's maritime interest. There was no navy at the time. It's greatest glory was during the war of 1812. IT defeated 4 Bristish frigates and earned the name "Old Ironsides" because their cannon balls just bounced off its thick hull. There were a number of guides aboard giving information on the ship and what life was like on the ship.

We got the trolley and as it was already late afternoon decided to head back and get some rest as we have been doing a lot of sight seeing these last days. Got back to the Train Station and took this picture of Bobby Orr, famous Hockey player induced in Hockey Fall of Fame in 1983.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Salem

Saturday we headed for Salem, home of the infamous witch trials of 1692. where some young girls fell ill and blamed some of the town people for their afflictions. Hundreds of people were blamed and called witches during the hysteria that followed and 19 were convicted and hanged. We went to the Salem Witch Museum.
There was also a street fair going on selling both witch and non witch related items. We ate at The Old Spot, an English pub.  I had the old spot meat pie with guiness beef and lamb, with corn and topped with mashed potatoes, which was very good. Ruben and Fish and Chips were some of the dishes Joe, Kristi and Brock had.



Kristi and Nikki(note new scarf from the street faire) with Samantha of Bewitched fame



We strolled on down to the Marina area where we planned to take a tour of the House of the 7 Gables. It is a historical house build in the 1600's and was the inspiration for Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel of the same name. It is the oldest surviving wooden house in New England. The guided tour was very interesting and included a mysterious secret staircase where you would least expect it. The original boyhood home of Hawthorne was also moved right next to the 7 Gables House and can be toured on your own. No taking of pictures of the 7 Gable House was allowed but below are pictures of the outside, including the gardens and some of Hawthorne's home.



7 Gable House on the left



Room in Hawthorne's home

                                                               

On to Boston Area

Friday we all left for Boston Minuteman Campground in Littleton, MA. It is about 40 miles from Boston. Brock and Kristi followed us in their rental car. I didn't mention before but we are doing our sight seeing in their rental car as our Jeep doesn't have a backseat and needless to say wouldn't be to comfortable for anyone to sit in the back. It only took us about 3 hours to get there. We got set up and decided to take a drive and check out the Concord and Lexington historic area. This is where a 10 year long feud between the Bristish and the Colonists climaxed into a bloody battle that was the start of the war of independence.

This area is also a home to many writers such as Louisa May Alcott, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry David Thoreau. Ralph Emerson also lived in the area and was the one who wrote of the "shot heard around the world" referring to the battle of Livingston and Concord.

Childhood home of Lousia May Alcott, author of Little Women

Another structure near the Orchard House(home of the Alcotts)

                

Some fall colors on walk to Vistor Center in Lexington

More fall colors

Example of houses in the area

Buildings in Lexington


We had a bite to eat in Lexington and then headed home for the night.

                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Plymouth

Wednesday was rainy and we just took a drive, did some shopping, had some linner(lunch/dinner) at a local restaurant and played uno during the evening hours.
Thursday was a sunny day. Hoorah!! We went to Plimouth Planation . Through its  living history exhibits, the 1627 English Village and the Wampanoag (Wampanoag) Homesite, Plimoth Plantation seeks to re-create the people, time and place of 17th-century Plymouth. The staff wears period costumes and will tell you what their life is like. You can also ask them questions.

There are also recreated houses from that period as well.

As part of the tour, we also toured the Mayflower II, a reproduction of the original Mayflower that brought the pilgrims to New England. There are exhibitions on navigation, what it was like for the passengers and crew during the crossing and demonstrations on maritime trades.

                                                                                                                               
   After the tours we walked around the area and stopped for a snack. The boys had hot dogs and Kristi and I had some clam strips.