#TBT: Boston in the Fall

We went to Boston the first weekend in October. It started with an early morning departure accompanied by The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything:

It's a very fun song to sing, and we certainly did. All weekend.

We started the day downtown at Faneuil Hall, signing up for a free tour of the North end of the Freedom Trail with a park ranger named Travis.

It was an amazing tour, in large part because of our guide. It gave me real appreciation for what someone with a history degree can do. He spun stories and our children's imaginations were on fire.

In the weeks to come, as I read Johnny Tremain aloud, we would all say things like, "Remember when we went to the cemetery on Copp's Hill?"   

Wombles: "Yeah! With the stones with skulls and wings!"

Imaginations. On Fire.

Or Paul Revere's House. Upstairs, downstairs…he had sixteen children in all.

Hangin' with Paul Revere

Or Old North Church, where the lanterns were hung to warn "two if by sea."

St. Francis of Assisi
Courtyard, Old North Church
Boston

Most striking to me in the church was this bust of George Washington--mainly because of this plaque that hung near:

After finishing the Freedom Trail (Part 1), it was time for ice cream. And street dancing…

After a good night's sleep at the hotel, we headed back into the city for day two. First we visited the Old Granary Burial Boston Common. After hearing about Paul Revere's use of propaganda following the Boston Massacre (you've all seen this picture, right?) we were primed and ready. I wasn't expecting a carousel, though.

Wombles got his dragon!

 From there, we walked to the public gardens:

We were too late in the season for the swan boats. Next time.

Boston. Fall.

Make Way for Ducklings!

After the Granary Burying Ground, Boston Common, The Public Gardens, and the southern end of the Freedom Trail, we were still not done. We visited the Old South Meeting House, where Sam Adams declared in the midst of a meeting, "This meeting can do nothing more to save our country!" This was the signal for the Boston tea party to go forward that very night. Each year on December 16th, local citizens reenact the meeting with all of the speeches. Sounds like fun!!

Old South Meeting House: Our church in New Jersey reminds me of this. Pews with doors.

So onward we went. We stopped to pick up pizza and then caught a ferry to another part of the harbor. 

Ostensibly, this was a trip to visit the U.S.S. Constitution (which we did). 

Old Ironsides

 But while out on the wharf, we also had a little tea party of our own. It seemed the proper thing to do.

And that capped off our two days in Boston! 40 Hours of Fabulous…from our door and back home.