Boston -- A Dose Of U.S. History
Music and Baseball Too

It doesn't have the Broadway plays and glitzy shopping of New York City down the coast, but this city is steeped in US history... as in the "Boston Tea Party" steeped in history. OK Enough for bad puns.

It is one of the oldest cities in the United States.... founded in 1630 by the pilgrims from England if you really want to know. (Not the pilgrims that come over on the Mayflower to Plymouth, by the way.)

During the U.S. Revolution several major battles took place here... the Battle of Bunker Hill is one of the most famous. The Battles of Lexington and Concord were fought nearby. It was from the Old North Church that Paul Revere took his famous "midnight ride" crying the warning of the approach of the British..... As the poem goes,

"...One if by land, and two if by sea; And I on the opposite shore will be,Ready to ride and spread the alarm Through every Middlesex village and farm....."

Walk the Freedom Trail. This two and a half mile route will help you get acquainted with the city and efficiently visit many of the city's historic landmarks. Allow yourself at least three hours for this tour... a full day to really see everything would be better. If walking isn't for you, there are trolley tours that will let you hop on and hop off at the sites.

Stroll through the historic Public Garden. It is adjacent to the Boston Common and is the nation's oldest botanical garden. Ride one of the famous Swan Boats... Locals and visitors have been riding in them during the summer months since 1877.

See the Faneuil Hall marketplace... also known as Quincy market. For over 250 years, the marketplace has played an integral role in the life of this city's residents. This indoor-outdoor market is still a great place for shopping and dining.

Eat in the Union Oyster House, the city's oldest restaurant. Walk through the "burying grounds", the cemeteries. You can find the graves of several famous early Americans.

Visit the colleges and universities... there are several in the area. Harvard, just across the Charles River in Cambridge might be the most famous. It is the oldest institution of higher learning in the U.S. You can also visit, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Brandeis University among a couple of dozen others nearly as well known.

In the summertime, sit on the green along the Charles River and listen to the Boston Pops play in the Hatch Shell... a wonderful free concert. If you're there for the July 4th concert you'll hear Tschaikovsky's 1812 Overture complete with cannons and fireworks. (You'll need to be there plenty early for that popular concert!)

Boston has great museums, and there are more across the river in Cambridge around Harvard. There are sports teams for baseball, basketball, football and ice hockey fans, and there is always shopping.

It's a great starting point to explore the U.S. New England states. With all it has going for it, give Boston a look when you're making travel plans.

Happy travels... even if you don't travel the world... just remember that life is a journey... embrace and enjoy it!   Judy and Mark

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