Day 1 – Boston Freedom Trail
On our first morning in Boston, we joined a walking tour of the Boston Freedom trail. This is a walking tour telling the story of the start of the American Warr of Independence. Our guide was suitable dressed in a late 18th century outfit,
Freedom Trail Guide
The walk starts on Boston Common and visits several locations of significance at the start of the American War of Independence. The trail is marked by a red brick inlay in the pavement, and can be followed with a guide, or independently. One of the most famous individuals at the start of the war was Paul Revere, whose midnight ride to alert the local militia was commemorated in the poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The walk took us past both Paul Revere’s grave and his house.
Paul Revere’s Tombstone
Paul Revere’s House
Also of significance was the Old State House, where the Declaration of Independence was first read out. The building still stands today, but is now dwarfed by the surrounding skyscrapers.
The Old State House
Another important building dating from the revolutionary period is Faneuil Hall, which was used as a meeting house by the early revolutionaries.
Faneuil Hall
The Freedom Trail continues for about 2.5 miles, but our tour was very leisurely, so we took all morning just to cover the first half of the trail. In the afternoon, we wandered through some of the older parts of the city, in part continuing on the trail, which took us past the statue of Paul Revere.
Statue of Paul Revere
We then visited the Charles River Reservation, which is a green space along the river front, where we spotted some squirrels.
Boston Squirrel
I was quite pleased with my squirrel photography, having never really tried photographing any wildlife before.
Boston Squirrel
In the evening we ate out in South Market Street – a pleasant area with lots of outdoor cafes and restaurants, where the trees were lit up at night.
South Market Street
On the way back to the hotel we walked through the Boston Public Gardens and managed some night time shots of the Boston sky-line. Overall it felt very safe walking through the gardens at night, as there were plenty of other people about.
George Washington Statue at Night
Boston Skyline at Night
All New England 2016 Pages
