Boston 2

We’d decided to go north to the Bunker Hill Monument and the remainder of the Freedom Trail north of the river. We walked across and through the Tuft Medical Centre to the T station - actually only about 100yds. Got on the northbound T to Community College in Charlestown. We went to a small shopping Mall and got coffee in a Friendly's

It was just starting to spit with rain on and off as we started to walk towards the Monument a few streets away (but up a steep hill). The houses on the small streets are lovely - all 2 or 3 storeys and clapboard cladding in pastel colours - very New England. We could’ve spent more time just walking around looking at these.

We got to the top and the Monument just as they were doing a demonstration of musket firing with the whole routine of loading, etc to commands which were being barked out by an NP Ranger. The man doing it was dressed in ‘patriot’ uniform - very authentic except that H&S require him to wear goggles and ear defenders. We watched him do the loading and firing routine to commands first in slow motion, and then quick order. Managed to get a few decent photos.

As everyone left we started talking to the demonstrator. Les asked him about the rate of fire compared to the British troops and it turned out that he was an absolute expert on this. He told us that the British were actually superior for various reasons. Les mentioned the Sharpe books and he said that not only did he have them all but he had actually met Bernard Cornwell when he was on a lecture/promotion/research tour of the area. He then asked us where we were from in England. When we said Dorset he said "Ah you’ll be drinking Badger then." It turned out that his father had been stationed around Devon and West Dorset in the run up to D-day and that he’d accompanied his father on a tour of the area. He told us about Thomas Hardy sites and the Lawrence of Arabia connection. Probably the most knowledgeable American we’ve met, in terms of our area.

Leaving him we had a quick look round the adjacent Visitor Centre (the Monument itself - a mini-Washington memorial - was closed for works but we wouldn’t having climbed the 249 steps anyway. It was now starting to rain annoyingly heavily. We went across the road into the Museum and spent about 30 minutes looking round this It was raining really heavily when we came out. This was frustrating as we would’ve loved to have walked around the streets of Charlestown and found somewhere for lunch. Instead we followed the Freedom Trail down to the Dockyard (seeing yet another Segway tour) and went straight into the small cafeteria for lunch.

On this stretch Les wore his bright orange cape that we’d bought in Hill City. $4.50 well spent. Had a quick standard US lunch - veggie burger and fish and chips.

Went into the Visitor Centre in the dockyard and watched a short film about the history and then walked round the exhibition. Decided that we didn’t want to go on the USS Constitution or the more modern ship the USS Cassin Young. Having been on HMS Belfast, HMS Victory and HMS Warrior we didn’t think that there was a great deal new that we would see.

Instead we walked down through the still persisting rain to the ferry terminal and caught the ferry back to the Aquarium (Long Wharf). Good value at $1.75 compared to $2 minimum ride on the bus or subway. Got on the T and went to Downtown Crossing which we’d read was a shopping area. Amazed by the lengthy walk to change between the blue and orange lines at State. The shops weren’t hugely impressive. The big Macy’s was entirely clothes, etc and unlike the NY and San Francisco ones didn’t have a cafe. The adjacent major store, Filenes?, is closed for major redevelopment. Tried Macy’s and two other adjacent shoe stores for Holly’s Uggs but got the same answer in each - they’re winter shoes so they’re not being stocked at the moment.

Still raining so we decided not to explore the rest of the area but went back to the T and came back to the hotel. It shortened our active day by a few hours but it didn’t seem much fun to carry on getting wet.

Dried ourselves out and had a cup of tea. Downloaded photos, did emails etc, etc and had a rest for a while, before eating at Vapiano, a sort of sophisticated self-service Italian restaurant. Back to our room to type this up and to wish Anne Happy Birthday UK time.