All good things come to an end and today is the last day of our Fall Foliage tour. So with bags packed and breakfast with a view of the million dollar marina done, it was time to board the bus for the last time, Boston bound. Felt quite bittersweet going into Boston because it was like returning to an old friend, one that you would like a little more time to see. Still we were having a city tour this morning hosted by local guide Robyn and that would give us a chance to see a few more things that we didn't fit in last week.
We met the guide at the beautiful Trinity Church, and while there was not time for a visit, it was lovely to see Copley Square again and to learn that the tortoise and hare statue there, that I had my pic taken on last week, is actually the symbol of the Boston Marathon, the world's oldest marathon competition. We then headed off for a turn around Boston Common and Boston gardens, past Cheers and the Massachusetts State House and into the historical district, or the Freedom Trail.
Our destination was the Old North Church, the one made famous on the night of Paul Revere's famous ride. The patriots had wanted to circumvent an English raid on gunpowder stores that would prevent their counterattack. To get word to those at Concord where the stores were and Lexington where the Patriot leaders Samuel Adams and John Hancock were in hiding, there was to be a signal lit on the steeple of the old North Church. One light meant that the English would go via land where there was only a path or two lights meant that they would go by boat across the river and the quicker route to Lexington and Concord. Two lights it was and the rest is history as the events of that night - including the English getting bogged in the Back Bay - and a prepared patriot force was the catalyst for the revolutionary war to start where shots were fired in anger by the Brits. The church is large and airy and the box pews are the same as in the Kings Church that we had seen last week, but its fame is certainly for more than "religious reasons." In the square below is a statue of Paul Revere on horseback on Brown Beauty... a fine artwork. We left the church via the "front" side and were fortunate enough to tour the old Copp's Hill cemetery. Graves in this cemetery date back to the mid 1600's and the slate headstones still bear clear images of skulls with wings, ghostly type figures and weeping style angels, all on Puritan gravestones... all terribly Halloweenish, and left us wondering if the Puritans were in some way responsible for the hugeness of Halloween here in the USA. Either way it was really interesting walk and the cemetery has its own resident local black cat called Prince who made an appearance right on cue.
Back at the bus it was a short drive to our last Boston stop: Quincy Market. This is a more ordered version of the Chelsea market where there are literally hundreds of eateries and small stalls. It is a very intriguing place and a good spot to bid farewell to Boston. When we regathered after lunch our destination was Boston Logan airport and a lengthy wait for our flight to Toronto which ended up being more lengthy due to the late arrival of the plane.
But fly we did... and having cleared Canadian customs it was out into a short taxi queue and into downtown Toronto. And waiting at our Doubletree Hilton hotel was the lovely Tess Franze. It was so so good to be able to catch up with Tess, however briefly, in her own home town. We went to the coffee bar in the hotel and had a latte and a long chat about good times and Bethany peeps. It was so lovely that our delay did not prevent us meeting. Thanks for coming Tess... so good to see you. A holiday highlight.
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