20th Jan: Holy Mackerel

Today there were more glorious make-your-own waffles!!! Oh the joy. Mum and I also ate some yogurt, but it tasted wrong, a little too processed if you know what I mean. The breakfast went off with out a hitch.

We completed the freedom trail today. We started by traversing the Boston Public Gardens, and then the Boston Common where we found the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, the Boston Massacre Monument, Frog Pond and skating grounds, but struggled to find the Great Elm Site. Now I would have figured that such a great elm once used for hanging people would be fairly easy to spot. This was not the case, we wandered and enjoyed, and then didn't enjoy the common for about half an hour, before resigning to asking the information desk about this mysterious elm.
Sophie: We were wondering where the great elm is?
Man: I'm sorry, the elm fell in the 1800's, there is now a plaque on a small hill dedicated to the elm.
Us: Thanks... (suppressed laughter)

So we viewed the elm and all was well. We then began the freedom trail, which involves following a red brick or painted road! First up we saw the Massachusetts State House, where we had a great tour! The lady was so informative, about such trivial matters I loved it. Like Benjamin Franklin wanted America's national bird to be the turkey, and then she pointed out a clock, that was made at the time when the US was undecided about choosing the eagle or the turkey as its bird, so the clock maker made an eagle-turkey to sit atop the clock! There are lucky fish hanging in the senate and the house of reps. Also, Abe Lincoln was an able giant!! He towered over people in his day, and was always self conscious, and never liked to be depicted as standing. But then once he died they made a painting of him standing! How respectful. We then moved on to the the Park Street Church, the Granary Burial ground, where both Mother Goose and Paul Revere were buried. We passed Kings Chapel and Burial ground, the Old City Hall (which has since been turned into a steak house), the Old South Meeting House, the Old State House and the Boston Massacre Site. The trail then led us to Faneuil Hall. We stopped here for lunch at the Quincy Market (home of the Cheers Bar). Boston is famous for its chowder and is lobster. Mum had some chowder and I had some Lobster Bisque! Yay for some local cuisine that I could actually sample. The markets were a gem!

(got lobster - i did!) After lunch we came through Little Italy to Paul Revere house, the Paul Revere Mall, the Old North Church, the Copp's Hill Burial ground. We then crossed the Charlestown Bridge into Charlestown. We tried to see the USS Constitution (which was closed) but we got to see its dockyards and a movie! We walked the last leg to the Bunker-hill Memorial! But could not make it inside the memorial. An unhelpful lady (after some prodding) revealed that it was indeed closed and left it at that! What an anti climax to our once so glorious day!We walked back across the bridge, enjoyed the Harbor and tried to re-enact the Boston Tea Party. We T-ed back home for tea and more amusing candies.