Boston

We got up early yesterday and drove to a nearby motel where we got picked up by a little tour bus. The driver was clearly from Boston and sounded a little like the guys on Car Talk. We then drove into Boston (after picking up others) and began the tour. The tour lasted for 6 1/2 hours and was filled from one end to the next with information on Boston from the historical stuff to bits of our driver's youth. We visited the Old North Church and learned that Paul Revere hadn't actually lit the lamps. We saw downtown, uptown, Havard and MIT, and the Longfellow house. We saw the USS Constitution. We saw very old graveyards and very narrow streets. We saw lots of amazing architecture, both old and new. We had a great lunch - Bob had shepherd's pie and Boston cream pie (two of his favorites) and I had a great lobster something. I cannot begin to recount all that we saw. There was so much that I cannot remember where we were.

Although the traffic in Boston is terrible, they have done a good job of building tunnels and subways to move it around the city without affecting the city. I was very impressed with the public spaces and the sense that the city is for the people even though the entire city is an historical monument. I had no idea what the Freedom Trail was. For those of you who also are in the dark, it is a path that goes from one historical place to another. It is either painted red or is red bricks. Many people walked it. We walked part of it, but generally bussed from spot to spot with some short popouts and some longer stops. It was overwhelming. I am very glad that we decided to come here.

Bob was feeling very tired when we started the trip so he sat in the bus when we stopped. But I jumped out at every opportunity. By the time we started back I was exhausted. I actually fell asleep for a few minutes on the bus trip home. We had a very quick dinner and went to bed early. (I would up with a pretty good size headache. I think that I did not drink enough water. But the headache is gone now so that is good.)

We spent the day in the campground just taking it easy and enjoying the green and the quiet. There is a small animal that looks like a minature squirrel that is running all over the place. I have fun just watching them chase each other.

We talked about whether to go back to Boston and walk around on our own and decided against it. There is so much to see in this area. I really want to see Salem so that is where we are going tomorrow.