We stayed in Somerville just across the river from the city in a beautiful old building from the 1800s which was remodelled into rental apartments...
It was only a five minute walk from the metro so we used it every day to get into the city to explore...
The first day we took a trolley tour of the city just to get our bearings and learn a little about the history of Boston...
Boston is Massachusetts’ capital and largest city. Founded in 1630, it’s one of the oldest cities in the U.S and played a key role in the American Revolution. We saw a lot of these sites on our tour and then went back and walked parts of the Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mile walking route of historic sites that tells the story of the nation’s founding.
Some pics of the city from the Trolley tour...
This is a picture of The Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge which is a cable-stayed bridge across the Charles River in Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the widest type of this bridge in the world and looms large on the Boston skyline.
Boston is not a large city, approximately 625,000 population and is quite walkable. In fact we walked over 50 kms. while we were there.( at least that's what my Fitbit told me!)
Some of the historical sights we visited...
The interior of King's Chapel, very fancy seats for some of Boston's most fancier people!
Founded in 1686, King’s Chapel was established as the first Anglican Church in overwhelmingly Puritan Boston, paving the way for religious freedom in America. While many congregants remained loyal to the British Crown during the revolutionary-era, those members of King’s Chapel who remained in Boston following the evacuation of British troops and sympathizers in 1776 were trailblazers in the establishment of the Unitarian Christian faith in America. While the church as an entity dates to 1686, this historic building dates to 1754, when it was constructed by Peter Harrison, dubbed America’s first architect by architectural historians. Over the years, King’s Chapel has seen notable members and attendees including George Washington, Paul Revere, Thomas Hutchinson, Charles Sumner, Charles Bulfinch, Oliver Wendell Holmes, and many more.
Lots of old cemeteries...
This cemetery has the remains of Paul Revere, one of Boston's most famous citizens
Born January 1, 1735, Paul Revere was a silversmith and ardent colonialist. He took part in the Boston Tea Party and was principal rider for Boston's Committee of Safety. In that role, he devised a system of lanterns to warn the minutemen of a British invasion, setting up his famous ride on April 18, 1775.
His statue near North Church...
And of course the site of the Famous Boston Tea which was a protest by American colonists against the British rule in America.It happened on December 16, 1773. To show how angry they were, Samuel Adams and a group of people named the Sons of America dressed up as Native Americans and went onto British ships in the Boston Harbour. They took boxes of tea and dumped them into the water. This made the British government enraged. The British government made even stricter laws for the people of the Massachusetts colony. One of these laws was the Intolerable Acts which closed Boston Harbour until the colonists paid for all the tea they dumped.
The Boston Tea Party was one of the main events that startedthe American Revolutionary War.
We also walked through the Boston Common and Public Gardens which were splendid in the late fall sunshine...
Established in 1634, Boston Common is America’s oldest public park.
This was on our way to the old Cheers bar for a rest stop...
We dropped by Faneuil Hall known as The Cradle of Liberty which for 275 years remains a site of meetings, protests, and debate right up to this very day. Because Revolutionary-era meetings and protests took place so frequently at the hall, successive generations continued to gather at the Hall in their own struggles over the meaning and legacy of American liberty. Abolitionists, women's suffragists, and labor unionists name just the largest of groups who have held protests, meetings, and debates at Faneuil Hall.
Also had lunch there at a very crowded Quincy Market...
A stroll through Chinatown which is one of the largest in the United States...
There is always a game on the go...
And time for a chat...
We stopped at the Gourmet Dumpling House for lunch...
As we walked we saw lots of monuments around the city...
This one dedicated to the Irish Famine...
The great famine which ravaged Ireland between 1845-50 was the major catastrophe of the 19th century. It brought horrific suffering and loss to Ireland's 8.5 million people. Over one million died of starvation and disease. Another two million emigrated, seeking sanctuary in Boston and other North American cities. Those remaining in Ireland suffered poverty, eviction, and the decimation of their culture. This memorial remembers the famine, known in Irish as AN GORTA MOR (THE GREAT HUNGER). It depicts the Irish exodus from their homeland, their arrival in Boston and ultimate triumph over adversity in America. It was dedicated on June 28, 1998, as part of the 150th anniversary of THE GREAT HUNGER."
This one to the Holocaust was particularly moving...
The structure is built primarily of granite and glass, and consists of six luminous towers lit internally to gleam at night. The number six recalls the millions of Jews killed in the Holocaust; a row of memorial candles; the six main death camps; and the six years, 1939-1945, during which the infamous “Final Solution,” the most deadly phase of the Holocaust, took place.
As we walked through the towers to read the inscriptions the mist rose like gas that was very eerie and yet so meaningful as it recalled the horrors of the Holocaust.
Another day we did a Boston harbour cruise that gave us a view of the city from the water and also some history of the waterfront. It was interesting to learn that a lot of Boston was created by landfilling the harbour...
Lots of sailing
The US Constitution is the oldest commissioned warship in the United States. It was launched in Boston in 1797.
Just outside Boston is Cambridge the home of Harvard University, a private Ivy League research university established in 1636, whose history, influence, and wealth have made it one of the world's most prestigious universities.
The campus feels like a small New England town...
And finally the highlight of our weekend the hockey game at the TD Garden with this iconic statue outside, recognize him?
The place was packed with lots of Leafs Fans in attendance as well as a few NL flags!
Had great seats...
All in all, a great weekend which was made better by sunny weather, good friends and lots of laughs!
If you are looking for a getaway from NL then Boston would be a great destination!
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