A better picture of the church:
No lanterns today, fortunately:
It's quite a tall structure. Around the front side:
The weather is holding. It's not warm, but if it stays this way for the rest of the day, I'll be fine.
I'm following that line slavishly, now across the
Charlestown bridge to the last two sites:
The
USS Constitution, also known as "Old Ironsides," is moored here. I had no idea that this boat, which originally put to sea in 1797, is still afloat. It still has an officer, a crew, and it is maintained by the US Navy. It last sailed in 1997 under its own power. From what I gather, this "super-frigate" could outgun and outrun just about anything, and cannonballs bounced off its sides (hence its nickname).
I suppose that makes this boat something like the 18th-century colonial equivalent of the Death Star:
Flying on one of the masts:
The last stop on the Freedom Trail is
Bunker Hill, the site of a British bombardment on June 17, 1775. The obelisk here looks like a small version of the Washington Monument in Washington DC:
Three thousand redcoats advanced on the US militia established near here, and although victory went to the British, the British sustained very heavy losses and proved that Colonial forces could fight effectively against British forces. It was also here that the order
don't shoot until you see the whites of their eyes was issued to conserve ammunition which was in short supply.
I'm hungry and beat. Time for lunch at Warren Tavern, which Paul Revere called
my favorite place: 
It's cozy inside and the Boston accents are very thick:
Fish and chips, buddy says the barman as I'm served at the counter:
Back on the subway...
...to
Beacon Hill, back near the start of the Freedom Trail. Beacon Hill is a quaint residential village in Boston that is something of an architectural time capsule. This enclave was constructed in the early 1800's and seems to fit the New England neighborhood archetype:
Lots of gas street lanterns and brick row houses here. This is some of the most exclusive and expensive real estate in the city, housing much of Boston's elite.
John Kerry and his wife
Teresa Heinz Kerry live in one of the houses lining
Louisburg Square, below.
Louisa May Alcott, author of
Little Women, also once lived along this street:
My favorite street was Acorn Street, a narrow residential alley paved with cobblestones:
Again:
On the subway again...
...and over to
Harvard University. It turns out you cannot pahk the cah in Hahvahd Yahd because it's closed to traffic:
I was curious to know what was going on in the cordoned section to the left of the picture above:
Apparently it's an archaeology project:
Harvard is the country's oldest university, dating back to 1636, and I'm in the very oldest part of campus in
Harvard Yard. I guess it's old enough to warrant an archaeological dig, the first such sort of thing I have encountered on any school anywhere.
The oldest building currently standing is
Massachusetts Hall, built in 1720:
Widener Library, named after a graduate who perished on the
Titanic: 
Sever Hall, which is a 19th century architectural masterpiece. I'm guessing that the building's color, which is evident on many other buildings, is why crimson is the school's color:
Memorial Hall, which dwarfs Whitman's Memorial Hall:
Across the street is
William James Hall, which I recognize as housing Harvard's department of psychology:
After returning to Harvard Yard and asking a very helpful freshman for directions, I now find myself in Harvard's bookstore (known colloquially as
the Coop) and reaching a critical saturation point for the day. I'm wandering around aimlessly, wondering how it's possible that so many people could be crammed in a bookstore on a Sunday evening at 4 pm.
Even the men's restroom had a line. I bought a book for the plane tomorrow, then left to enjoy a street performer and the waning light of the day on
Harvard Square:
On the subway yet again:
Popped in to
Daddy's Junky Music to say hello to Brad, a fellow Crafty that I met on our first
Guitar Craft course together earlier this year. Nice to see a familiar face in today's sea of unfamiliar people.
Dinner at Arirang House, a Korean restaurant across the street:
The all-you-can-eat buffet was $11.95:
And now, back to the hotel to have a beer and review this information-rich day.
Have you ever been to Boston? If you have travel stories or places you love, make sure to submit a
post!
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Comments (2)
Can i just say this, thank you for making me realize how beautifull the place is that i live in..Its so nice to see a post and see all the beautiful PLACES that i normally dont think to much of when i am passing these places but u have made me see how beautiful of a place boston is...again thank u very much. Great post and again glad u liked BOSTON MASS!!!!!!!
i luuurve harvard sq ive lived near it my whole life, glad you liked it!