Day 8 - Boston

After a peaceful night at the Holiday Inn, we had breakfast first. Then we walked to the subway and then to the Common Park. There we wanted to buy bus tickets for the Hopp On- Hopp Off Tour. Unfortunately, the sales booth was not easy to find. We had to walk all the way through the park. At some point, we found the store and were able to buy our three tickets. The trolley left directly in front of the store.

The first stop was the Bunker Hill Monument. It took about 10 minutes from the bus stop to the monument via the Freedom Trail. The Bunker Hill Monument is a 211 ft (64.3 m) high granite obelisk with 294 steps, which was built between 1827 and 1843 in Charlestown, Boston to honor the Battle of Bunker Hill.

After the visit, we went to the USS Constitution. It is the world's oldest commissioned warship afloat and is managed by the US Navy. The ship is also called Old Ironsides. Its nickname goes back to the battle with the British frigate Guerriere in 1812, as projectiles of this ship are said to have bounced off the strong hull of the Constitution. Three victories of the Constitution against British warships in the War of 1812 established the great national significance of the frigate for the USA.

We were lucky that there weren't too many people on board. It was interesting to take a look below deck. Marcel and I had to bend down hard not to hit our heads on the steel beams. All in all, an interesting trip on the paths of history.

The next stop was the Old State House in the heart of Boston. The State House was the seat of the former colonial government until independence was declared in 1776. You can retrace the course of history towards independence there. Original documents from that time are partially displayed there. For a politically interested person like me, it was exciting to see the whole thing live and not just know it from the history books. After visiting the Old State House, we were hungry. A few hundred meters further was the Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market. There was all sorts of fast food in the hall. Of course, that was interesting for Sabrina's brother. Sabrina and I went to Wagamama. I treated myself to a delicious curry and Sabrina had fried rice. Much to her horror with shrimps and chicken. She didn't want either of these ingredients :D. After the meal, we headed to the harborfront. There we enjoyed the beautiful sun and watched the hustle and bustle there. Since it was already half past 4, we decided to take the bus and go to the current State House. Unfortunately, we got stuck in a traffic jam and the journey was delayed. The State House is located directly at the Common Park and is the seat of the Governor of Massachusetts and the Massachusetts General Court. Unfortunately, we could only take photos from the outside. After that, we walked the Heritage Trail through Beacon Hill.

In Beacon Hill, there are many row houses in the Federal style. The district is known for its narrow streets with gas lighting and brick sidewalks. Today, Beacon Hill is considered one of the most desirable and expensive neighborhoods in Boston. We took some photos and then hoped to catch a bus at the Cheers restaurant bus stop - Marcel still wanted to get an Oreo milkshake at the Cheesecake Factory. Unfortunately, you can only be taken until 5 p.m. Just as we decided to walk, another bus arrived. Sabrina put on her friendliest smile and convinced the bus driver to take us with him. For that, he received a tip of $5 at the end. Wonderful ;D. We drove to the Cheesecake Factory and treated ourselves to a piece of cheesecake. Marcel enjoyed his Oreo milkshake. A beautiful day came to an end. We took the subway back to the hotel and chilled for a bit.

Once again, Sabrina's good preparation was our luck. We would never have seen the city completely on foot and without the bus.

Thanks, my sweetheart! :)