We had such an amazing time. I LOVED Boston. It's impossible to share everything in this post. For me, it was a spiritual experience, connecting with the past and honoring the lives of those who have made our freedoms possible. Here are a some of the highlights:
*Staying at the Boston Harbor Hotel, enjoying their swimming pool and jacuzzi each morning, and splurging on room service for breakfast (looking down onto the site of the Boston Tea Party)
*2nd Row tickets to see Topal's very last performance in Fiddler on the Roof at The Boston Opera House *Exploring China Town *Exploring The North End (The Italian Area-delicious food, pastries, gelato-yum!)
Inside the beautiful and ornate Opera House...
*Eating lunch at the top of the Prudential Building and finding the 360 degree view of the city completely fascinating
*Taking a "duck tour" (on a W.W. II style amphibious landing vehicle, which by the way, these were actually built by women during W.W. II) and watching Arian drive us through the tunnel (the Mario tour guide asked for volunteers) on the Charles River
*Reading the Boston Globe newspaper Monday morning, seeing Franz' letter to the editor, and enjoying a wonderful dinner experience with Margaret (Arian's cousin), Franz, and their children in their home that evening
Loved:
*Exploring Harvard Square and Harvard Campus (by the way, it made my heart giddy to see that Harvard is a pro-Mac computer school) *Exploring MIT while Arian attended a Real Estate class there
*Exploring the Christian Science Church, learning about their philosophies, and admiring the pipe organ (2,825 pipes! I had to restrain myself from asking if I could play it for a few minutes) -
We also enjoyed seeing:
*Boston Pops Tanglewood venue *Holocaust Memorial *Faneuil Hall *USS Constitution Mueseum and Navy Yard (could have spent an entire day there-part of the Freedom Trail)
I absolutely LOVED the Freedom Trail, a red bricked pathway set into sidewalks which leads its followers to historic buildings where American resistance to the British Crown was born, the first public school, the Old State House (where the Declaration of Independence was read from the balcony on July 18, 1776-would love to go the re-enactment they do each year), Bunker Hill, Paul Revere's house, Boston Tea Party site, to burying grounds of patriots, and memorials constructed to honor the Spirit of early America, and more.
The Old North Church-
"One, if by land, and two, if by sea"
On the night of April 18, 1775, Robert Nerman, the young church sexton, after being given instruction from Paul Revere, snuck up to the steeple through a passage behind the organ, and quickly lit 2 candles, giving signal to patriots that the British were coming by sea. This took place while Paul Revere was riding to Lexington and Concord...and the rest is history.
We enjoy great freedoms and opportunities today. Regardless of our political philosophies or our view of current war circumstances, the truth remains that there have been many who have sacrificed their lives for the freedoms we all too often take for granted.
Granary Burying Ground
This two-acre plot is the resting place for 3 signers of the Declaration of Independence, 9 governors of MA, victims of the Boston Massacre, Benjamin Franklin's parents, Paul Revere, and even Mother Goose. There are also many infants and women who died in childbirth buried here.
I hope to always remember the feelings I felt on my first experience in Boston. I look forward to visiting again, when Audrey and Kenneth are older. We will spend a day on the Freedom Trail, and I will express to them how much I love America. I will share with them my sincere gratitude for our forefathers' determination and encourage them to embrace the opportunities that will bless them with happiness. Maybe Kenneth will even get to volunteer to drive a duck vehicle and Audrey and I can boutique shop at Harvard Square. Okay, enough daydreaming. For now the little Ms. needs a clean diaper. Back to reality!
