Boston Day 3

9/21/15

Today was another jammed packed day.   We walked a total step count of 21,000 and change - Jack's fitbit says that is 9.08 miles - my feet claim it is more.  Keep in mind my 70 year old mother made every step we did - I want to be that active at 70.  I will say she is starting to loose a bit of her vibrance - hope it is just this thing on her back bothering her, I would hate to see her love of travel dwindle.

We planned to leave the hotel at 9 but Jack and I were moving a little slow so we left closer to 9:30. This caused us to move forward a bit on our itinerary... below is what we saw / explored today.

1) Omni  Parker House - active hotel that is gorgeous on  the inside.   Wood polished and gleaming - one of the old round elevator monitors that tells you the floor it is on.  It's just fabulous.

2)Kings Chapel.  We took a private tour of the bell tower and the crypts.  It was a gorgeous church - stone outside and wood inside.  It is not the oldest church building, but it is the oldest church congregation in Boston.   Not sure of the religion though - Utilitarian but on the biblical side of the doctrine?  I'd have to study up.  The church itself though started in 1686 but in 1749 they built the new stone church around the wood one.  Then they took the wood one down and passed its pieces through the windows... the wood church is now in Nova Scotia - where the shipped it after disassembling it.

There a number of tombs under the church and in fact the church's burial ground was or is part of a much older burial ground that dates back to the beginning of Boston -- the British King that demanded the church be started claimed part of the burial grounds as "emmenient domain" and required the city relocate several of the dead.

Our tour guide was very informed and obviously loved the history.  She is also in charge of ringing the 2000 pound bell and said she has to get a jump to weigh it down enough to ring it, hee.

There was a ladie practicing the pipe organ... it was fabulous!  Plus she had her hair in a bun and was wearing a high collar black shirt - she looked like  a puritan lol :)

The church itself was pretty - not the grandous cathedrials in Europe by any means, but pretty.   The fact the pews have doors is pretty neat to me.

3)  We then visited the Kings Burial site which is right next door.    There is a round thing that looks like a crypt -- when you get close you find it is actually the vent shaft of the subway.   The tombstones are similiar to those we saw yesterday and are in disrepair - guess I would be too if I was hundreds of years old and kept getting moved.

4) We then grabbed lunch... this was an expierence.  Quincy market seemed uncrowded so we figured we would try it.  SOOOO many food choices. I walked down and decided I wanted to go back for Pizza, tried calling Jack to let him know but his phone was off so... I walked back down to inform him - in an irritated fashion.  Well by then Quincy market had exploded with people and everyone wanted what interested me.  I seaprated from the family and ended up ordering a ham / cheese sandwhich...   Sometimes having a problem with crowds really sucks... most of the time it doesn't impact my life, but things like Quincy market or busy subways really suck for me.

Anyway we all got our food, met up outside and ate.  Jack was nice enough despite me  being grumpy to go get me a fresh squeezed lemonade and we just sat and ate and people watched - it was nice.

They have and area where you just borrow a game an play it - give it back when done  There were people playing pool, board games, chess, table tennis - mostly young folks.  It was really cool; a way to connect with others outside of a cell phone / facebook page.

5) Then we walked to Old North Church. We relaxed and waited for the tour. This one was not as good as King's - the guy was interesting, but it just didn't have the same pazaz. The crypt in this church is actually active and they have a new section for cremated remains... the other sections are cleaner than Kings church, but well just not the same pazaz. Old North Church is actually the oldest church building in Boston.

There was a guy on our tour that lived here, just wanted to take the tour - he added some interesting flavor to the tour. The guide couldn't stop pulling his pants up, lol... he was very ... round :)

One interesting thing about the church is that the bells are rung by the MIT bell ringing club, whe knew that existed?

Old North church is where Paul Revere signaled and the lamps were hung to indicate the British were coming. It is a simple church with out a lot of flair - but pretty in it's on right.

6) We were then heading to Paul Revere's house when we saw a walk in clinic. Mama's bandage was due to be checked and this would save us from rushing back to the one near the hotel. So we went in - we were on the North End and you can tell the income difference. This clinic was much cleaner/nicer... Mama had seen Paul Revere's house before so we left her in their capable hands and walked on down.

7) Paul Reveres house is a wood structure and it looks like they either tore part of it down or something because it joins a newer brick building. It was built in 1860 and was neat. They have some actual items in the house that was not a reproduction so that was nice. Some reproductions, but 3 or 4 real pieces...

8) We then meandered back to the clinic to wait on Mama. One thing I noticed is that they didn't need to call people's names - it seemed they knew all of there patients by sight - it was neat. Mama came out not long after and we were on our way.

9) Copp's burying ground - Yes another cemetary. The graves are much the same as the other 2 except these seemed to have 2 or 3 right on top of each other - I'm assuming families buried in the same section of land. We didn't linger long here.

10) Bunker Hill - We walked over a bridge and to Bunker Hill from here. Went through some quiet neighborhoods and other than getting tired we enjoyed the stroll. The monument itself is neat - very very tall and reminded me of Washington Monument due to it's shape. The view is nice and the green space around it is used by locals ... many were walking their dogs after work and enjoying the nice afternoon.

11) We then walked back to Boston and ate at the Union Oyster House. The oldest restaurant in the US. It was neat... relaxing, food was good -- I got clam chowder as an appetizer, yum! Then a seafood plate and some Boston Baked beans. The seafood was good - the baked beans tasted like pork'n'beans, yuk! The ambiance was nice though and I can now say I've eaten at the oldest restaruant in the US.

12) Now we are back tucked safely in our hotel room with our feet up and resting. Tomorrow will be a bit less walking but still a busy day.

Hope everyone is well in blogland - here in Boston we are fabulous and making the most out of our time.