Oct 26-MMMmmmm good. Boston Baked Beans!

We just finished dinner after a LONG day in Boston. Baked beans (from a can) to go with dinner seemed just right. We rode the "T" into town today from our free parking spot in West Concord. We keep driving right past Concord Academy (one of Catherine's alma mater) every day, but still haven't explored. The train took us to North Station and we managed to wander the city from there. Up Beacon Hill to look at all the old homes, down to the Boston Common only to discover that they put the Swan Boats away for the season! After that disappointment we managed to find the Freedom Trail, a wide red line painted down the sidewalks for the tourists to follow. It was easy from there. We started at the Old Granary Burial Ground--which should have been solemn, but made me laugh more than anything because I remember my Dad trying to convince us that we were descendants of Ben Franklin. He insisted that we have our picture taken in front of Ben's father's monument. Lots of interesting folks buried there once you aren't giggling...including Paul Revere. On to Old City Hall which was beautiful, and Old South Meeting House where lots of important gatherings took place. The Old State House is where the Declaration of Independence was first read, and now the subway goes right under it (which is an odd sensation when the trains pass under). I believe that the Boston Massacre (which WAS in Boston, but wasn't really a massacre) took place on the street outside the front steps. Paul Revere's house is the oldest house in Boston and since he raised 16 children there you wouldn't think it would be in such good shape! Looked pretty authentic to me though, so it was interesting. On to Old North Church where Paul Revere asked the caretaker to hang the lanterns while he snuck across the Charles River to start his ride. It's an impressive church, really called Christ Church, and you can sit in the family boxes and listen to a talk about the big day. We wanted to see the Bunker Hill battlefield so we went speedwalking as it was getting late...across the bridge over the Charles and up the hill. Hustled all the way up to discover that it's under renovation and you can't even get close! Oh, well...back to the "T" station and home to West Concord without a hitch. No Swan Boats, and no Boston Tea Party ship like Mom and I did with the girls. I've got tired feet, but it was a fabulous day.