So I looked out this morning and the sun was gone, turned on some music to start my day, lost myself in a familiar song, closed my eyes and I slipped awaaaaa… no wait, that’s not right. :-D
On second thought, that WAS how I started my first morning in Boston. Heh. After a hot shower and a quick breakfast at a restaurant next door, it was off to the Boston Commons to begin my walk on the Freedom Trail.
It's beginning to snow at the Boston Commons!
By this time it was already snowing, yet nothing so severe that it would ruin my morning (and the rest of my time here.) I took the T line again and got out at the foot of the famous park, taking a quick walk around to find a few hidden geocaches and then doubling back to start the Freedom Trail.
Seriously, they could have dressed up the beginning of the trail with a bit more fanfare than this.
After a few stops, I eventually found myself at King’s Chapel, and tried to get a shot off at an angle so I could capture the entire steeple of the huge church, when the camera slipped right out of my gloved hands and hit the pavement with a sickening crack.
Bostonians within a block of me all turned their heads in the direction of the girlie shriek they had just heard.
I quickly picked up the camera hoping it was shockproof enough to withstand the impact, but I could see the lens was already cracked. My beloved Canon had just taken what would be its last ever picture.
The last picture my Canon would ever take.
It had to happen RIGHT before getting to Granary Cemetery too, the site of many famous burials, including Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, John Hancock, and so many others. My only option was to use my camphone in the meantime, until I could get back to the parking garage to get my older, backup Olympus camera. Thank goodness I thought to take it with me, even though it was old, bulky and slow. Now it was all I had left to use while I was here.
Grave of Samuel Adams
After the cemetery I stopped by the old South Street House and decided to spend a few minutes there out of the cold and the snow. I’m glad I did too. The building was quiet and homey, so I took some time to sit down in one of the pews and relax, amazed that I was in the very same building where Samuel Adams gave the signal that launched the start of the Boston Tea Party.
Taking a breather inside a famous U.S. landmark.
After getting warmed up again, I decided to leave and visit the old State House before getting back to the garage. The state house was also a museum, which included a gallery of old photos in the basement chronicling Boston’s history. By this time the snow had now turned to hard rain, forcing me to conclude the Freedom Trail for the day. I got to the garage and got out my old camera, testing it to make sure everything still worked fine.
And of course the flash was broken.
Walking through history, even in the rain!
Good grief, this was turning out to be one camera killing trip. I grabbed it anyway and headed out again, running as fast as I could back to the hotel as the rain pelted me mercilessly. I spent the rest of the afternoon vegging out in my room, watching the rain outside and and deciding to order in so I could give my feet a rest. Which I might add is a mistake in Boston. Between the delivery charges and the gratuities and the absurd prices for beverages, I was paying close to $40 for a small dinner. What, does Boston have something against introverts who hate dining out? Yeesh.
By now the full brunt of the storm had descended on Boston, but I had lucked out, either due to being awesomely awesome, or being so hot that I kept the entire city warm, because it had never snowed more than an inch. New York had gotten walloped with over 15 inches of snow, but Boston received but a light dusting. The roads and sidewalks would still be free and clear for me to conclude the Freedom Trail and visit a few other sites for the rest of the week.
But for now, it was time to rest and enjoy my $40 dinner. Oh, and do some research online for a new camera.
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Ouch about the cameras. Best laid plans eh! Aphorisms like that remind us of the foolishness of conspiracy theories and the myopia of narcissism. :). And anyway, misery loves company.
So…it’s amazing to see Samuel Adams gravesite, Paul Revere’s home, King’s Chapel and more. Wouldn’t a history tour of the entire US be great. I once wrote the Lewis & Clark route and history into a drama with additional characters. What a country!
A history tour would be great, as long as it doesn’t involve visiting California.
The camera drama was teh sux, but fortunately I get my new camera in a few days, which promises to be 10 times as better, and hopefully my pictures will be far more vibrant as a result.
I like the photos (at least the ones you were able to get ;)). I have been to Boston about three times on business travel and have had time to sightsee…I love the place. I’d suggest checking out the USS Constitution but I believe it’s being renovated.
Might want to try Durgin Park, good food, local charm, and Samuel Adams on tap (taste better in Boston for some reason)!
Already checked out Old Ironsides, that’s the subject of my next post in fact. I don’t drink beer so I never bothered with Samuel Adams, but I am curious about the taste. Maybe next time!