May 23, 2014

Boston- Part VII - History Come Alive

If you like history at all, Boston is a great vacation spot!!  We went on the Freedom Trail, and paid for a guide.  Most of the guides had large groups, but our guy had just us.  It was a VERY detailed tour.  What took everyone else an hour took us two and a half, but he had a good Bostonian accent, was very knowledgeable, and was a big time history and family history buff.  Plus he was a heck of a nice guy.  I think I have these all labeled correctly, but if not, sorry! 
 
 FYI, no, I am not pregnant.  Apparently I just hold my arms like I do when I'm walking by a colonial actor.
 
Some of the graves in the gravesite were famous people, others just had been buried there during that time.  It was so interesting to walk through and see these very old stones, and realize that these people were real.  Benjamin Franklin's parent's graves had the most touching dedication. 
 
Paul Revere is actually buried right next to this memorial site.  And here's a funny story.  We stood there while our guide told us all about the history of Paul Revere, when we noticed coins on the top of the marker.  Apparently it's a Jewish custom/sign of respect and people put the coins on the top of graves of people they want to thank.  I remembered I had a penny in my pocket, which was weird because I never have money on me.  I held it up and apparently made some sort of mischievous smile because Mike looked at me and with the most shocked face ever said, "Did you TAKE that?!"  I immediately started laughing and said that no, I had gotten it from my pocket.  Then I said, "Why in the world would you think I would steal a penny?"  It was so hilarious.  I told him later that if I HAD taken the penny, he would have been the worst snitch on the face of the planet.  Way to have my back, babe.  :)  Anyway, we laughed about that all week.  And we are still laughing about it.
 
 Mike showing respect to a great American.
 
Me with my "stolen" penny
 
Samuel Adams' grave
 
At the Charlestown Navy Yard, they have an old WWII destroyer called the USS Cassin Young.  You can board her and poke around.  It was pretty cool!
 
The USS Constitution Museum is right by the Cassin Young, and is totally worth going to!!  It was good for all ages, and helped me understand the War of 1812, which I believe is the war that nobody really knows anything about.  We had a lot of fun, and learned a whole lot.  They had a tour of the actual Constitution, but by that point, we were so worn out that we headed back.
No, I'm not trying to look like I'm touching his rump.  We were just trying to take a funny picture.  Because apparently we act like kids when we're on our grownup vacation.  But we're not complaining.  We love it. :)
 
Mike's was better.
 
 
Clockwise:  Mike at a replica of the wheel.  Me pretending to shoot the cannon.  (This was actually really interesting because it taught you how they used to load them, etc)  A real sea biscuit.  And Mike with his hand in a cannon.  Because when he was a kid he got his arm stuck in a cannon at the Smithsonian.  Yep.
 
 
 
 
 
 
We met a guy on the subway who said that when he was a little boy, he and his friends used to get on the Constitution with play swords and play pirates.  How times have changed, huh?  :)
 
We also went to the Paul Revere house.  It was in a neat neighborhood and was pretty from the outside, but don't pay to go inside.  It's really not worth it.  That being said, you never know until you try.  :)
 
We loved all the history in Boston.  These were just a few.  And in case you're wondering when the heck these posts are going to end, never fear!  There's just one more.  :)

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