Boston Mass.

 Hello, Boston! 🌧️ It was a rainy one today—the only rainy day of the trip—so we armed ourselves with umbrellas and powered through. I signed up for the "Freedom Walking Tour," a 3.5-hour adventure through history. It kicked off at Boston Common, which is considered the oldest public park in the United States, and wrapped up about a 10-15 minute walk from Quincy Market, which was perfect because we had dinner plans in town and plenty of time to explore (the ship wasn’t leaving until 10:00 PM!). 

The Granary Burying Ground was established in 1660, some of America's most notable citizens rest here. Named for the 12,000 bushel grain storage building that was once next door, the historic burying ground has approximately 2,300 markers. 

Paul Reveres' tombsone. 

Some of the gravestones had Crossbones which represented bodily death and spiritual rebirth. 

Below right is Samuel Adams gravestone. 

Old South Meeting House where the Boston Tea Party began. This hall rang with words from Puritan sermons, public meetings and the tea tax debates. 

Through Massacre, Revolution, and fire, the Old State House stands as the oldest surviving public building in Boston. Built in 1713, the building served as the center of civic, political, and business life. 

Paul Revere House built around 1680, owned by the legendary patriot from 1770-1800, is the oldest remaining structure in downtown Boston. 

Old North Church. Built in 1723, Bostons oldest church is best known for the midnight ride of Paul Revere and "One if by land, two if by sea". 

Copp's Hill Burying Ground. Named after William Copp, this is the final resting place and burying ground of merchants, artisans, and craftspeople who lived in the North End. 

Quincy Market is a food lover’s paradise. Seriously, there are so many options it’s borderline overwhelming! I grabbed a bowl of Clam Chowder from Boston Chowda Co. because, hello, it’s Boston. Once our friends joined us, we wandered down the street to find a sit-down restaurant and ended up at Union Oyster House, established in 1826 and a National Historic Landmark—aka, America’s oldest restaurant!

Faneuil Hall next to Quincy Market, is often referred to as "the home of the free speech" and the "Cradle of Liberty" hosted America's first Town Meeting. 

Confession: I’m the type of person who likes photos on a menu (helps me know what I’m committing to!). I debated trying the lobster roll but stuck with the trusty Clam Chowder. If I were to do the lobster roll, I’d probably go back to Quincy Market—it feels like a safer bet when you can see what you’re getting. Still, the history and vibe of Union Oyster House made it worth it.

After dinner, we strolled over to the nearby Samuel Adams Brewery for a round of beers and some laughs. Then it was back to Quincy Market for a quick shopping spree before making our way to the ship at around 9:00 PM. Pretty sure we were some of the last stragglers onboard! Rain or shine, Boston was an absolute blast. 🌟