Nothing is as divine as a nights rest on a lumpy small bed. With everyone well rested, Charlie Pass in hand, we headed to the T station -this time knowing exactly what we were doing and which trains would get us right to Copley Square. Nice day - although the weather forecast is rain and thunder. But B did get to use new sunglasses.
Main plan for the day was to ride the Ducks - the ultimate for a super nerd tourist family. Luckily we booked our reservation online for 1:30 Duck Tour departing from the Prudential as they did sell out. This allowed the morning to sight see. We started at Copley Square and the
Boston Public Library (I must admit reason for this choice was that it was free). Walked around Copley Square and saw the tortoise and the hare statues (Boston marathon), our reflection in John Hancock tower (K&A watched reflection while dancing), Fairmont hotel and then on to Boston Public library. Walked around in the library and saw an interesting exhibit of WWI posters - "Buy Bonds" "Support our Troops" "Conserve our Resources"... Interesting how some of these same posters are the images we see today -some different reasons, same messages. After viewing the reflecting pool in the middle of the library courtyard for a bit (A is drawn to water and I was sure she would end up in it) we decided to move on down the road.
We headed to the Prudential - to have some lunch. Same as most downtown malls these days - nothing spectacular - a bunch of over priced stores.
A better food court than most with a chowdah place and a Ben & Jerry's. Had lunch and went to eat
our Ben & Jerry's on the terrace - and low and behold right across the street was the biggest Apple Store we had ever seen-3 floors high. T did some bowing and such - at this point we did not go in, but T of course took some pictures. He takes pictures of the weirdest things!!
On to Ride the Ducks - we rode the "Red Sox Nathan" duck with Captain Foghorn as our driver. The Ducks are old retired amphibious military vehicles, revitalized to be a cheesy, expensive yet quite fun tourist trap. Capt. Foghorn drives around town pointing out historical and interesting sights and telling jokes. Then goes up the Charles River and lets the kids drive the boat - both K & A drove it and looked quite cool doing it!
Here we are (last row) on the Duck reflection in John Hancock tower. Capt. Foghorn tells a story about getting married on the Duck - my pessimistic side wonders if it is true or just created to add intrigue to the whole thing. At any rate it is a funny story to actually get married on a duck boat.
After the Duck - we head - you guessed it to the Apple store - it is the largest one in the US and ...IT'S FREE (do you see a pattern with the free sights?) We went in looked around checked our email, went on Webkinz, kids played with iPods and tried noise canceling headphones. After a while we head out to the street the skies had opened up and it began to rain. Really raining hard not a Seattle rain but an all out downpour. We don our rain coats and head off in search of the T Station. While walking T notices an umbrella in the trash. We collect said umbrella after looking around to see if it's owner was anywhere nearby. The umbrella functions well, is FREE, and keeps the rain off of the girls.
We head towards the T go into the wrong entrance, read sign that says the entrance we need is across street, go across street- into wrong entrance again and end up same place first entrance had taken us. A asks "Are we lost? Why are we walking is circles?" Please note each time A must open and close the broken umbrella. Finally head to entrance on side of Boston Public Library that looks like it has been bombed out and head down to the Green Line towards Haymarket.We finally reach Haymarket and find that it is still pouring down rain but we set off towards Faneuil Hall in the rain. While waiting to cross the street a Boston Police Car pulls up. Puts the left set of wheels up on the curb and parks. Two of Boston's finest get out and head for the Dunkin Donuts nearby. No need for a parking space we are Boston PD.
We had passed the New England Holocaust Memorial on the Duck and were now headed straight towards it. The Holocaust Memorial is made up of six glass pillars each representing one of the Nazi Concentration Camps. Numbers are etched in the glass similar to the numbers that the concentration camp victims were tatooed with. There were quotes from Holocaust survivors etched in each of the glass columns and on stones. The rain falling on us and the ground intensified the steam creating a surreal environment. The memorial made an impression on us all. What the survivors lived through was incredible. No human being should ever experience such inhumane treatment and suffering. K seemed particularly moved.
From the monument we headed on to Faneuil Hall and the shops there. B fell into Tourist Trap mode and got both K&A a grain of rice with their name etched on it. Dinner was at Durgin Park in Boston - a restaurant that proudly proclaims to have been established "Way Before you were Born" it is the 2nd oldest operating dining establishment in Boston. In the entrance is a sort of "Meet your Meat" display of meats in a glass, refrigerated case. K & A both announce - "you do not expect us to eat that do you?"That's disgusting - poor animals"... After Dinner (of course we still ate there - K&A had chicken with pasta) we walked over to towards the site of the Rose Kennedy Green Belt atop the Big Dig.
T again took some unique photos. From there we took the Green Line T back to the Red Line then to North Quincy to the Hotel for a second nights sleep on the lumpy beds. I think we finally have the T figured out!! Just in time to pick up the rental car on day 3!
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