Boston, Part 1

After my week at Samba Meets Jazz, I took a few extra days to explore Boston.

It gave me a lot to think about.

The afternoon I arrived, I was all set to walk the Freedom Trail.

But I was more tired than I realized; not just from the prior week, but the day of travel from Bar Harbor into Boston, walking to the hostel, not getting lost again, and generally just trying to regain my balance from shifting from one location to another.

So instead I walked around Boston Common, did a small bit of exploration of the downtown crossing and spent the rest of the evening getting some chill time in at the hostel. Catching up on some YouTube videos, examining the map, and listing out what I wanted to do for the next two days.

Me-ow!

Where there is one pigeon...

...there are 600 others! Oh. My. Gawd. 

Pigeon Common, amiright?

The next morning it was raining. My umbrella got a lot of use over the couple days I was in Boston.

A little rain won't stop me though! I am Super Tourist!

The Public Garden and Boston Common are really pretty. I loved the huge old trees in these two parks and the walkways are relaxing to stroll through. Even in the rain.

George Washington

Near the Public Garden was the Bull and Finch, the bar that was the inspiration for the bar in the sitcom Cheers. I remember watching that show with my parents when I was a kid.

 It wasn't even 9am when I found it, so I didn't bother trying to go inside. Still, finding the place was a treat, because sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name.

Walking the piers. After I had found the Liberty Fleet office and dropped off my suitcase and saxophone (for my overnight stay, more on that later), I more or less wandered along the harbor trying to decide what to do next. I had planned for a cruise on one of the clipper ships, but the fog had put a stop to that, so I was basically left without a Plan B. On my map was the Boston Tea Party. It was a short walk, so I made my way over to the museum.

After paying the admission fee, I joined the next available tour group for a trip back in time.

The tour is a re-enactment (of sorts) of the night of the Boston Tea Party.

I was given a speaking role for this re-enactment. I like to think I played my part well and

I look forward to my special mention at the award shows.

Once we were suitably riled up by Samuel Adams, we snuck out under the cover of fog to make our dissatisfaction with the British Empire known.  

We boarded the shipping vessel and tossed all of the British tea into the harbor!

Fie! Take that England! Consider the gauntlet thrown!

This is a revolution! No taxation without representation!

After the tea-tossing, and a guided tour through a really interactive museum, we were led into the cafe where we were given an option to buy snacks, coffees, and a tea tasting.

Some of them were quite tasty. Shame they had to be sacrificed to make a statement.

But that's how it goes. Can't bake a revolution without breaking some tea crates.

This is where Part One ends.

Please go on to Part Two for more Boston fun!