R. Craig Collins > Web Page Design > Portfolio > Boston, July 2002

Boston, July 2002 © R. Craig Collins, 2000/2007

More updates soon.

Saturday

• Breakfast at Shipley Donuts
  
• Drive to DFW, Park in Outer Mongolia
  
• Lunch at Au Bon Pain in airport
  
• Stop over in Pittsburgh
  
• Take subway ('T') from Logan to old State House T station, lugging suitcases up and down stairs (no escalators or elevators in these old stations, as they have in Washington DC)
  
  
• Unpack in a great room in the Omni Parker House (Irish check-in person was very nice)
  
  
• Walked Past King's Chapel and the 'new' State House to Boston Common, then over to Bull and Finch (Cheers TV show inspiration) for burgers and root-beer
  
  
  Sunday
  
• Breakfast at McDonalds across from the old South Meeting House
  
• Trolley ride with guide Winger around Long Wharf, North End, Charlestown, old State House, Boston Common and Public Garden, Copley Square and Prudential Center, Cambridge, and back to the Wharf
  
  
• Lunch at the Jazz club in Quincy Market, near Faneuil Hall
  
• Took the Harbor cruise
  
• Got back on the trolley and rode up to the north end, and walked up to Paul Revere's house and took a tour, saw a parade for St. Dominic where money was taped to a statue that followed a marching band, then visited Copp's burial ground and got a guided tour from a lady in period costume before returning for a lecture at the Old North Church.
  
• Hopped the trolley to Public Garden, and rode the swan boats
  
• Returned by way of Boston Common and the South Park Street Church
  
• Cleaned up in the hotel, then took the subway to Prudential Center for dinner at Marché, a Mediterranean style market with 10 different food stations
  
  Monday
  
• Breakfast at Brugger's Bagels, close to the Potato Famine Memorial and the Old Book Store
  
• Rode the trolley to Charlestown, walked to Bunker Hill monument and climbed the 294 steps to the top of the obelisk, then limped to the USS Constitution. Boarded after extensive security check
  
  
• Rode the trolley to State 'T' station, took the subway to Prudential Center, and had lunch at the Cheesecake factory.
  
• Rode up to the 50th floor, and took the Skywalk tour, seeing Fenway park, Copley Square, Cambridge, and downtown and the harbor
  
  
• Took the 'T' to the Aquarium, and saw penguins, sea lions, otters, and tons of neat sea life
  
• Dinner at Quincy Market, at 1826 Durgin Park, where we had Yankee Pot Roast and Fish and Chips
  
  
• Strolled Quincy Market and saw the buskers
  
  Tuesday
  
• Breakfast at Dunkin Donuts
  
• Walked past the Granary Burial Grounds to the Park 'T' station, and rode past Haymarket to North Station, where we took a train to Salem.
  
• Took the trolley tour and saw the seafaring (376 years of history) and the Witch stops (9 months is all that really involved)
  
• Ate Pad Thai and Satay at a Thai restaurant
  
• Went to the Peabody Essex museum, toured the sea captain's collections, viewed the French museum's Naval collection, and visited 16th, 17th, and 18th century houses that have been restored and furnished to period appearance.
  
• Got SOAKED as we ran to the train station.
  
• Dried off at the hotel for a bit, bought an umbrella, then headed back to Quincy Market, and at food from various vendors in the great hall (corn dogs to Shepard's pie)
  
• Visited Faneuil Hall again, and started taking different routes back to the hotel
  
  Wednesday
  
• Breakfast at Burger King
  
• Took a few minutes to actually look inside of the old State House
  
• Toured the "New" State house (1795), including Doric hall, Nurses Hall, the New Great Hall, House and Senate Chambers to officially completed the last piece of the freedom trail (much easier to handle in 90' heat if taken in chunks)
  
• Went on a final souvenir run
  
• Stopped by the Old City Hall and the marker for the first school in Boston (across the street from the hotel, so we never went on that side)
  
• Took a Taxi to Logan (no dragging luggage, and we actually got past the traffic)
  
• Lunch at Sbarro's Italian
  
• 'Dinner' on the plane after leaving Pittsburgh
  
• Circled Dallas due to storms before landing, collecting luggage, taking bus to car, and drove back home, arriving about 11:00 pm
  
  Great vacation!