Hi everybody!
The people in my room really don't know how to hostel. They had the lights on fill blast and talking loudly for ages. Luckily I scored myself a blanket and made it like a curtain so the light wasn't an issue. My earplugs blocked them out and once I slept I managed over eight hours uninterrupted - yay!
This morning I walked into the breakfast room and it was snowing outside. Not only that, but snow from during the night was all over the ground - so exciting! I had a quick bite to eat and then set off.
Today's adventure was the Freedom trail, a 3-4 mile path around the city of Boston that is really clearly set out with a red brick line in the middle of the concrete footpath leading you everywhere you need to go. It's so well signed! Must be choccers in the summer though. I went to a few of the places from yesterday, obviously I won't be explaining all the history like I did then. If you're after a breakdown of the revolution see yesterday's post (or novel!).
I started off in Boston Common again which today was absolutely covered in snow. I made my way up the hill to the New State House and was able to go in for free. I saw the Hall of Flags, the House of Reps and the Senate. The building was beautiful and had lots of very patriotic murals, stained glass and lovely marble staircases etc.
Next up was the Granary Burying Ground once again, but today it was covered in snow! I had to brush heavy snow off of the signs to read them. The cemetery opened in 1660 and it is estimated between 5000-10000 people are buried there. The oldest headstone is apparently from 1667 but the oldest I could find was 1713. Crazy to think that was laid there over 300 years ago! I once again visited the graves of James Otis, John Hancock, Paul Revere and Sam Adams.
Then was Kings Chapel. A man inside was playing the organ beautifully! There were box pews inside and apparently people used to buy them for their families as 'reserved seats'. George Washington attended a concert there once too. I passed the Old City Hall again around the corner and this time found out that Ben Franklin went to school there.
Then it was onto the exterior of the Old Corner Book Store, the oldest commercial building in Boston from the 1600s. Authors such as Mark Twain were published here. Over the road, I went inside the Old South Meeting House. Sam Adams ran many a revolutionary meeting here. The lady asked me if I was a student and I said "no, I'm actually a teacher!" Being a teacher got me more of a discount than a student - glad I spoke up!! The beautiful building was thankfully saved from demolition, but unfortunately was under renovation so while the exhibit was good, I couldn't enjoy the apparently beautiful ceiling.
I then arrived again at the Old State House (the Boston Massacre occurred out the front of here). I made sure to mention I was a teacher just in case, and this time the man said it was free because I was a teacher! Usually $10! Why haven't I been mentioning it from the start?!? I'm glad I brought my VIT registration card with me!
I explored the exhibit which was mostly about events I wrote about yesterday. I joined a free museum tour which talked about the Boston Massacre and how Paul Revere's depiction of it was possibly inaccurate and over the top so as to create unrest amongst the people of Boston towards the British soldiers. We also went upstairs to the old government rooms and saw the balcony from which the Declaration of Independence was first read to the people of Boston on the 18th of July 1776. Apparently the governor also shouted at the mob to disperse during the Massacre from here, and amazingly it worked! This building was also marked for demolition but was luckily saved.
Next was Faneuil Hall, where the tour I did yesterday finished. The rooms upstairs were closed as the mayor was using them today, so I kept moving on. Luckily for me the path lead me to an amazing fruit market in the street where I bought a gigantic punnet of blueberries and three bananas for $1.50. I wanted to buy more but didn't want to carry them all day!
After a little bit of a walk the 'red brick road' of the Freedom Trail led me to the North End, an Italian neighbourhood home to Paul a Revere's house. Paul owned this house between 1770 and 1800, and during that time he had two wives and 16 children (eight to each wife - stuff that!). After he sold it it became a boarding house and then shops, but luckily a descendant of his bought it and restored it and in 1908 it opened as a house and museum. It is the last remaining structure from 17th century Boston and is where Paul departed for his Midnight Ride. The house consisted of four rooms (I've no idea how all the kids fitted!) and I got to see a kitchen, dining room and two bedrooms. I laughed when I overheard a cute little girl ask her mum in the dining room "where is the TV?" and when her mum told her they didn't have them back them she said "but what did they watch?" She then proceeded to ask if they didn't have a TV, did they have tablets to watch TV on and looked very confused when her Mum said no. I guess little kids grow up now thinking we've always had those things! I was on the cusp haha.
Paul Revere was a man of many talents. Apart from being a great horse rider he was also good at drawing, silver work, gold work, casting bells and canons and dentistry. He was the first person to suggest identifying bodies using dentist records.
Then it was onto Old North Church, where lanterns were lit to signal the regulars were coming to Lexington and Concord. Close by was Copps Burying Ground, another cemetery which had graves of merchants, artisans and crafts people from the north end. Then I walked across a bridge and was in the Charlestown area. On the way I saw a primary school. Half the kids were outside in shorts. SHORTS! It was NEGATIVE FOUR TODAY! What are their parents doing?!? I was a bit cold in my thermals!
Next up was the USS Constitution, a ship that in the war of 1812 with the British won three battles against them. Unfortunately in winter you can't go aboard, and I decided against the museum as the light was fading and it was getting later by this point. I instead walked further on the trail and reached the final stop - the Bunker a Hill Monument. On the 17th of June 1775 a battle took place here between then Americans and the British. The Americans lost but to commemorate the battle the monument was built and completed in 1843, as it was seen as a battle that spurred on the American spirit even though they lost. It was free to climb the 294 steps to the top and I enjoyed the last sunny view of the day of Boston before the clouds began to descend.
On the way back to the hostel I made two stops, the first being to the Boston Public Market where I enjoyed a pastrami, coleslaw and cheese toasted sandwich. It was warm and delicious!! Then I walked the 15 minutes or so towards the hostel but to the other side of Boston Common where I visited 'Cheers' (formerly the Bull and Finch) which was the inspiration for the show 'Cheers', and parts of it were filmed there. I've personally never watched the show but promised Dad I would go if I had time. I bought him a mug in the gift shop and took some photos. I'll have to watch some time now!!
Now I'm back relaxing in the hostel, and later on I'm taking myself on a hot date to the movies to see 'La La Land'.
It's meant to snow even more heavily overnight tonight and I'm off to Harvard University tomorrow!
Love to all
Claire
Xoxox
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