a road trip! Part 3

My favorite part of our trip was the time we spent in Lexington and Concord. The area is so rich in history and culture. It seems unlikely that such an amazing conglomerate of forward thinkers and revolutionaries could be gathered in the same space continually over the course of several generations but you can still feel the energy and influence years later.

The Minuteman-so called because they could be mustered for battle so quickly

North Bridge in Lexington

Concord grapes

Paul Revere (and others) left Boston on his fateful ride to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock that the British were on the march.  Things came to a head the morning of April 19, 1775 with the "shot heard 'round the world" * fired on the Lexington Green and culminating (the initial battle, not the war, obviously) 7 or so miles away on the North Bridge in Concord.

On the eve of the anniversary of September 11th when so many of our freedoms were tested and shaken it's an interesting contrast to remember the volatile beginnings of this great country. We were born fighting and we've had to fight for everything good ever since.  There's a lot in this world worth fighting for and I'm grateful for those who've risked it all to make things possible for those to come.


*the phrase was coined by Concord native Ralph Waldo Emerson years later in his poem Concord Hymn

a road trip! Part 2

After Rhode Island we went north to Boston. We spent a few days wandering back and forth between the city proper, Salem, Concord, and Plymouth.

We started where it all started, with the Pilgrims in Plymouth.  We saw the Mayflower (replica) and Plymouth Rock (it says 1620 on it, I promise, the sun was shining in such a way that I could never get a good photo.)

We spent some time with the witches in Salem, ate some glass in a lovely little restaurant on the wharf (long story) and toured the house that was the inspiration for Hawthorne's The House of the Seven Gables.

We ended our day by wandering the shores of Marblehead, the perfectly charming coastal town nearby.

One of our evenings in the city included a visit to the north end for Italian, a not-nearly-as-long-as-it-looks wait in line for fabulous cannoli at Mike's, a stroll past the Old North Church and a stop at Fenway.

Another visit took us past the Boston LDS temple and to dinner at Armando's Pizza.  Did I mention we spent a lot of time eating?  And gained several pounds? We did, and we did. And every bite was worth it!

More to come but I'm afraid I have to pause now to drool a little and wish I was eating pizza and cannoli.