A Visit from Italy Pg 2: Boston

July 2011

All Pages of This Report

Francesco came back with Paul to Massachusetts and stayed at our house for the weekend. On Saturday, we went in to Boston. Luckily, although it was hot, it was not AS hot as what they experienced in NYC. After parking at Sargent's Wharf in the North End, we took a short walk along part of the Boston Harborwalk (where the 1st picture was taken) and by the Marriott's Custom House Tower hotel. This looks like a pretty neat hotel to stay in!

Francesco and Paul standing on a dock in Boston

Looking up the length of the Custom House Tower

We walked through Quincy Market and by Faneuil Hall, picking up the Freedom Trail on the far side, leading to the Old State House. This is where the Declaration of Independence was read in Boston. There is a T station in the building.

Francesco and Paul standing outside in Quincy Market

The top of the Faneuil Hall building

We walked by the Old South Meeting House (explaining it's significance to Francesco, with liberal help from the sign on the building), and looked at the Irish Famine Memorial. Some pigeons were decorating the statues for us.

A pigeons on each of 2 statues of people

A statue of a very thin woman with a live bird on her hand

Francesco and Paul standing next to the famine statue

In the courtyard of the Old City Hall was a cute donkey statue. It represents the Democratic party. I recently read it became a symbol for the party as far back as 1828 because Andrew Jackson used it after some people called him a 'jackass' (instead of Jackson - get it?). Next to the donkey were a couple of footprints standing 'in opposition', with the elephant symbol in them.

A statue of a donkey

The Massachusetts State House is on the Freedom Trail, across from the Boston Commons. It is always eye-catching with the bright gold dome.

Paul and Francesco on a boston sidewalk

From there, we walked through the Boston Commons and down Boylston Street to see Trinity Church. The Trinity Church was one of the spots mentioned in Francesco's Italian language US tour book. On the way we saw one of the Duck Tour boats.

A bright yellow Duckboat Tour vehicle

Trinity CHurch, and large stone building, with a gleaming glass sky scraper behind it

Trinity Church is a lovely building, opened in 1877. The use of different colored stones and many other Romanesque design features were copied extensively during the rest of the 19th Century. It is still an active Episcopalian Church as well as being a tourist destination. The interior is striking, with deep red walls and beautiful stained glass windows. The windows depict various scenes from the Bible.

stained glass windows