Boston

In our homeschool years, we've read and learned a lot of history that took place in and around Boston. The Pirates who Don't do Anything sing an epic song about Boston in the fall, and I'm pretty sure some of the National Treasure movies pop in and out of the brick-laden town, too. So, to join the history party, we intentionally booked our Inn within a day-trip's drive of this unique, historic city. Only, we didn't know it was going to be the only hot day of our vacation, with temps well into the 90s--sweltering!! (Those singing vegetables didn't mention that possibility in their lyrics).

With not a lot of time to see the sights and a little spendin' money from Buck's mom as an anniversary gift, we decided to book a TWO HOUR segway tour! Why *two hour* all in caps? Well, your feet fall asleep on these fun little machines in about two minutes . . . so two hours was a feat! (for our feet :) The tour guide promised he'd take lots of great photos--his camera looked like one of those plastic toy ones you buy kids at Target. I would say his pics were not great, but at least we were in them, ha!

In the background of the first is the U.S.S. Constitution--Old Ironsides, perhaps? I should look that up. Well, anyway, I don't know more because we didn't have time to go see it up close . . . or to see Boston Harbor where the famous Tea Party of the Revolutionary War took place. But, we've got to save some big items for the next trip, right? :) Okay, I looked it up :) Built in 1797 this ship is the world's oldest ship of any type still afloat! Used in the War of 1812 the enemy declared the ship must be made of iron, because their cannons couldn't pierce the thick oak hull. Darn, now I wish we would have gone on the tour of it! Next time, next time (it's also apparently a National Park--eek, get G$ a Jr. Ranger badge!)

On our segways we zipped all around the city and saw far more than we could have on foot. Including the Boston skyline (picture 2, we rode across that crazy bridge in the background on our segways--with semi trucks and eeeeeeek, all the things), Boston Garden (which is not a garden, but a sportsing arena that Buck was SUPER excited to see in person), the Cheers bar where the show was based (although it doesn't look like the tv show. I guess there is a tv set built into the building above it or something that you can book for private events), Boston Commons (where the swan boats float), these two big trees across from the important building that John Hancock himself planted (I forget the details, but VERY historic :), we saw the oldest pub in the city (which has been around since those Revolutionaries were making their plans by candlelight), and lots of other buildings. I'll pause there, because we walked back along a portion of the Freedom Trail (which is built into the sidewalk, but ironically is not that easy to follow :)

After having lunch, by the windows, at what our tour guide claimed was "the best fish and chips in the country" (maybe he said world, but probably not, because we ate fish and chips in Ireland and they were legit way better, but these were still good in massive portions), we set out on foot (no wheels) on the Freedom Trail. We also went to Starbucks a couple of times, because we could find them here and needed constant hydration on the hot day. Also, I thought frappuccinos were all coffee drinks, but it turns out they are NOT, and they are basically like smoothies, and now there are more than two things I like to drink at Starbucks, who knew?! (probably everyone but me, including my children who order frappuccinos all the time).

Okay, first big stop, the Old North Church--do you get Buck's reference one if by land, two if by sea? :) We couldn't go inside, but walking through Boston was like dropping into movie sets in other countries. The guys moving heavy furniture, talking loudly in Italian and smoking at the same time from a tiny storefront at the bottom of a three-story brick building. It was wild!

I loved the architecture--so pretty! Below is Paul Revere's house. Yup. That one. He lived here for more than 20 years, had more than a dozen kids here (with more than one wife, but not at the same time), left for his Tea Party meeting from here, and for his famous ride. We didn't know we could go inside, but Masks Up! yes, we could. They had historians on each level describing what we saw and answering questions. The gift shop was underwhelming, but so much is not available due to covid stuff still, that we weren't surprised. We were surprised when Buck's cousin from CO posted a very similar pic to the one below and said, "When were you at Paul Revere's house? Because we were there today!!" So, we were in the same city, seeing the same things, a million miles from home, and didn't bump into each other because neither of us knew the other would be there. So crazy!

Above is one of those continuously operating for more than 200 years businesses and below is the site of the Boston Massacre. Crazy contrast with old architecture and new. I guess Queen Elizabeth read the Declaration of Independence from that balcony when our tour guide was kid. How's that for history!? We couldn't take pictures inside, but it's pretty crazy to be where all the things we've read about and that shaped the early stages of our country becoming our country took place. All those guys of old who did all of the big things (in their tiny bodies--like, they were super small in stature!!)

This is my cleverly angled picture of one of the country's first publishing houses, called the "Old  Corner Bookstore" (now it's a Chipotle--eye roll--you can't see the sign behind the statues, ha!) First editions of books, songs, and poems like The Scarlet Letter, the aforementioned Midnight Ride of Paul Revere, the Battle Hymn of the Republic, and Uncle Tom's Cabin (gasp!) were all printed inside this cute Dutch farmhouse-shaped building. Famous authors who published here include, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Longfellow, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Oliver Wendell Homes, and the first American editions of Charles Dickens's works came from this building--that now makes burritos and hands out salsa. Woe is me!

Here's where lots of famous people, many Declaration of Independence signers, are buried. Paul Revere, John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and Benjamin Franklin's parents all are laid to rest behind this gate. It is a nice quiet cemetery. I suppose they don't mind about the burritos.

After hours of wandering brick and cobblestone streets, we almost nearly took a cab back to our car near the waterfront. I'm glad we kept our keys and found independent parking, rather than turning them over to the iffy fellow who said they didn't have space, but would park the car once they did, just leave us the keys . . . ummmm, no.

On the way back to the Inn we decided to eat ice cream for dinner. They had paper drawings in the window instead of a line-by-line menu. I had no idea when I pointed to a cute little cartoon picture of an ice cream "boat" that I'd be given an ARK! Even with Buck helping, I couldn't finish this monster. It was good though :)

The next morning it was, sadly, time to check out of our quaint Inn. We decided to get breakfast one more time in the trendy downstairs restaurant. I ordered French toast with blueberries, of course :) Buck got some fancy bagels and lox or raw salmon or something. He said it was delicious.

Although we had to check out, we still had several hours before we had to return our rental car and find our plane. The Inn said we could keep our parking space until late in the afternoon, so we loaded up our bags, grabbed some chairs, and headed to the beach. We were slightly overdressed in flying-home clothing--jeans, boots, hoodies (things that also don't fit in a carry on). When we'd breathed deeply of the salty air and started to slightly bake in our un-beachy outfits, we headed to the post office to buy and fill a box. Oh wait, we stopped for blueberry muffins at a local coffee shop on the way.

The airport had rocking chairs near the windows for relaxing waits--phone charging units nearby, too. What a deal! I think it was at our connecting airport, Chicago, that we had to walk three miles to get 45-minute McDonalds (I don't remember the last time I consented to that particular restaurant) because ALL the food shops in our VERY distant wing were shut down. Oh well, salty fries and watching the planes wasn't all that bad either.

Because we arrived home the day before our actual 20th anniversary, we thought we should at least go out together for dessert on the official day. We ended up taking the worst selfies of the whole trip (other than when Buck was taking videos instead of pictures, lol) proving that although we tried and took as many selfies as we could, we're still not very good at it. Maybe by our 25th anniversary we'll figure it out ;)

A couple days later, our Maine box arrived like this (forehead slap emoji and big eyes, too). Amazingly, everything was still in the box, and undamaged--so you can see my chicken plate and pitcher in the final picture of our first vacation together (since we welcomed kids into the family). Yay, us!