2011 The Nightingale's Oddessy Our exchange year in Canada.

The Grand Canadian/ American Adventure

Day Two 3rd July 2011 Boston

Start of day two and everyone awoke refreshed, must have been something to do with each having our own beds. After Ryan ate the hotel out of breakfast, we drove into Boston, parking in Cambridge across the river from the city centre amongst the buildings of the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) whilst there we put both kids names down on the waiting list, I guess we can dream.

We jumped on one of the trolley buses that tour all over downtown and set off. I will state right now that I was slightly ambivalent about coming to Boston, it has never been on my list of cities to see. That changed in the first 10 minutes of touring. Downtown Boston is a charming old city with some beautiful old buildings and a great atmosphere, not to mention the history. Our first stop was down on the river front where we jumped off the trolley bus and onto a ferry tour of the river. Jumping off at the Charlestown Navy Yard we got to see where the USS Constitution (Old Ironsides) is birthed. The  USS Constitution is an old three masted cutter that is still currently serving with the US Navy, making her the oldest ship in the fleet, even though she only gets underway once a year to turn around and fire a 21 gun salute, which coincidentally is tomorrow 4^th July. The Constitution’s has a long and distinguished history fighting pirates off the Barbery Coast in Africa and the Caribbean. Just outside of the Navy Yard is Bunker Hill, where the first armed confrontation of the war of Independence took place.

Leaving the Navy Yard we headed to the Boston Gardens, the hallowed turf of the Boston Bruins (go the Bruins) 2011 Stanley Cup winners and the Boston Celtics basketball team. From the Gardens we walked downtown back to the water front past Quincy’s Market and lots more history.

Jumping on another trolley we intended to go to the Boston Seaport but didn’t get past the first stop because we came across the Boston Children’s Museum and spent the rest of the afternoon there. Coming out of the museum we walked out into a summer rain storm, so decided to head back to the car and complete the rest of our tour of Boston tomorrow.