The Freedom Trail

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Geo: 42.3585, -71.0596

Today we went into the City of Boston, using the subway system which is very efficient. We emerged onto Tremont street and started to follow the Freedon Trail. This is marked by a redbrick line which continues along the footpath. Our first stop was the King's Church burial ground which contained graves from the late 1600s.
From there we went to the Old South Meeting House. This was where the meeting was held that determined the strategy of the Boston Tea Party. It has been a centre of political and religious gatherings since the settlement of Boston. It was interesting to see the enclosed pews which could be rented by families by the year.
From there it was not far to the Old State House. From the balcont of this building the Declaration of Independence was first read to the people of Boston in 1776. This has been restored well and gives an idea of the original use of the building for government administration under the British.
In front of this was the spot where the Boston "Massacre" took place. This incident was a precursor to the Revolution. Five people were killed by British soldiers but Paul Revere's depiction of it was blatant propaganda aimed at inciting people against the British.
We stopped at Faneuil Hall and market place which was another meeting place for the public, the markets behind this are very busy and popular today.
We then went into the North End district where many Italian migrants made their homes. Paul Revere's house was worth the visit. It is one of the oldest buildings in Boston and has been restored to what it would have been like when he lived there. The Old North Church was the next stop.This was where the lanterns were hung which signalled to the rebels that the British were coming by sea. This is the oldest church in Boston.
The trail took us through Copp's Hill burying ground then across the Charles Bridge to the USS Constitution, nicknamed "Old Ironsides". We looked at this from the outside and then took photos from afar of the Bunker Hill Monument which was a fair walk from there.
We caught the Ferry back across the bay and had a late lunch at Legal Sea Foods which my Lonely Planet guide book told me was the best Seafood Restaurant in the city. Our late lunch proved it so!! Their Chowder has been served at the Inauguration of 7 presidents and I soon found out why.
After a leisurely lunch we caught the train to Beacon Hill and Boston Common. These were interesting areas with great recreational facilities.
Our final destination was Cambridge , home to Harvard University. We strolled through the campus and explored the bookshops. A beautiful place to study!!
All in all we had a great day, relearning our history and experiencing Boston.
I must say I am a little disappointed. I expected the "old " areas to be more separate and preserved. Instead it tends to be a hotch-potch of buildings and the ones that remain have been lucky to survive.

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