Saturday Afternoon: Destination Boston

Hopped on a trolley and drove past the original "Cheers", Aunt Wende said people her age will know about "Cheers".  Then we went past the Boston Public Gardens, a huge park and green space in the middle of the city.  It is known for its "Swan Boats" that are 100 years old this year.

We got close enough to see the famous ducklings in "Make Way for Ducklings", a children's book that was published in 1941 and took place in and around the Boston Public Gardens.

We hopped off our trolley at the Prudential Center - had a quick lunch among all of the amazing shops and then took the elevator to the 50th floor - the Skywalk Observatory.  I got some amazing pictures. 

 You could see all of downtown, the Charles River, sail boats, ships, the Atlantic Ocean, Salem, Massachusettes and on less-hazy days - New Hampshire.

We hopped back on the trolley to get to our next stop - The Old State House.  This building was the center of Boston ’s civic life in the 18th century and the scene of some of the most dramatic chapters in the lead-up to the American Revolution. Within these walls, Samuel Adams, James Otis, John Hancock, and John Adams debated the future of the British colonies. Just outside the building, five men were among the first casualties of the battle for independence, in what would later be known as the Boston Massacre. The Declaration of Independence was proclaimed from the balcony to the citizens of Boston in 1776 - and that was just in the first years of its existence. 

Next stop, Granary Burial Ground.  There are over 5,000 people buried here, but only a little over 2,000 headstones.  Since funerals were expensive in the 1700 and 1800s, many families used one grave and headstone to bury entire families - up to 20 people per grave.

The graveyard is in the middle of the city, surrounded by buildings - yet it is unusually quiet.  The graves are SO old, with unusual carvings on them.

 Apparently, my pre-school teacher lied to me...Mother Goose IS dead.

 We were in Paul Revere's house, we saw where he got his horse for his famous ride, we saw the North Church where the lanterns were hung to tell him if the British were coming by land or sea...and now we see his grave.

Learning lots, seeing lots and loving Boston just a little bit more each minute.