We wake this morning in the birthplace of American democracy. The same day the American people elected the biggest threat to democracy, not in in the USA, but around the world.
Boston has such a rich history as the birthplace of a nation. From the revolutionary graveyards with headstones bearing names like Adams and Hancock to Paul Revere’s original house. From the oldest pub and restaurant in America to the USS Constitution, a 220 year old warship still commissioned today. The city bleeds the so called freedom America holds so dearly.
But they just voted for fewer freedoms. Trumps assault on immigrants. On woman. On the poor. Surely they’ve learned from what happened in 2016 to 2020. They just elected a felon. A man who paid to cover up illicit sex acts. A man who incited a siege in their beloved Capitol.
Maybe as an Aussie I don’t really understand the nuance of what a Trump America looks like from inside.
Time will tell. The share market liked the outcome. Waiting 1,000 points in a single days trade.
Anyway. Enough politics. Back to our day in Boston.
Our shuttle bus takes us to the downtown area and drops us adjacent to the aquarium. A popular spot for tours, the trolley bus ride and the Boston duck ride. More on that later.
We decide to walk part of the freedoms trail. The freedom trail is a walking path that goes for around 5 kilometres and passing about 20 key spots in Bostons history. For a full list visit https://www.thefreedomtrail.org
We start at the old south meeting house. The oldest building in Boston. We then travel to Faneuil Hall and Quincey Market. we visit Paul Revere’s house and Cobb Hill burial ground. We then visit the USS Constitution.
It’s hot and hard work walking. Boston was a strategic advantage point in the revolutionary war as it has quite a number of hills and we experience a couple of them today as we work our way down to the harbour.
We sit and rest for a bit. We are due to have lunch with a colleague shortly. We grab an uber back to the aquarium and catch up with David.
He suggests an awesome seafood restaurant for lunch. We are keen to try warm lobster rolled. And David doesn’t disappoint. Legal is the name of the place. We sit and peruse the menu. But we are only after one thing. Warm butter poached lobster roll. Their specialty. We all order one. They are quite delicious. Large pieces of delicious lobster packed tightly inside a brioche bun with perfect French fries. We sit and chat for a while about Boston and its sights.
After lunch we catch a duck. Well a World War Two army duck. Spelt DUWK. It’s a vehicle that bumps along on the road and at some point will dive into the river and take us for a boat ride. Sounds fun.
We book tickets and get ready for our 80 minute adventure.
Our tour guide is Ziggy Star-Duck. Apparently we are from a different planet and Ned to explore Boston to learn about earthlings. Ok. This will be an adventure.
Ziggy is fantastic. Her humour is child like but entertaining. And she’s knows Boston. We pass many of the freedom trail spots wrarya missed earlier in the day. She describes in great detail the Boston massacre and the key battles of the revolutionary war. She discusses the architecture of Boston and tells us about the reclaimed land that grew the city over the last two hundreds years.
We then go down a ramp and into the river. She encourages kids in the duck to have a drive as we venture up and down. Passing under bridges as Ziggy points out buildings, land marks and historically relevant facts.
As we leave the river Ziggy tells us about the greatest human error ever made in Boston. It’s about Molasses.
Weird. But anyway.
The Great Molasses Flood, also known as the Boston Molasses Disaster, occurred on January 15, 1919, in Boston, Massachusetts. A large storage tank filled with over 2 million gallons of molasses burst, releasing a massive wave of molasses that inundated the streets of the North End.
The incident happened around 12:30 PM on a warm winter day, when the temperature rose above freezing, causing the thick molasses to expand. The wave of molasses, estimated to be 25 feet high at its peak, swept through the streets at an estimated speed of 35 miles per hour.
The flooding resulted in significant destruction, killing 21 people and injuring about 150 others. Homes, vehicles, and even some structures were damaged or destroyed by the viscous wave. The cleanup took weeks, as workers used salt and sawdust to absorb the molasses, but some of it remained in the area for years.
In the aftermath, investigations revealed the tank had been poorly constructed and not properly maintained. This led to a lawsuit against the United States Industrial Alcohol Company, which owned the tank. The case highlighted issues of safety regulations and accountability in industrial practices, contributing to changes in safety standards and practices.
The Great Molasses Flood remains a unique and tragic event in Boston’s history, often remembered for its unusual nature and impact on the community.
We are transfixed with the way Ziggy tells this story. Both funny and tragic at the same time. Before we know it we conclude our tour. We bid Ziggy farewell and exit the duck.
We decide to head back to the ship. It’s still warm but getting late and we’ve been on the go all day.
we are in a bit of a routine now as the trip nears its end. Hot chocolates on our return, followed by trivia. We score 12 out of q7 today, our equal best score and come second. Then a few drinks as we do our Mensa quiz then dinner. We’ve found the dining room to be the best. New choices each night. Tonight’s offering includes caviar, beef Wellington, chicken Kiev and of course lobster bisque. We enjoy our dinners. Mardi has champagne and me a whiskey as we chat about our day and what lies ahead.
A nice pot of tea in our room as Mardi reads the news and Currents. We sleep with the door open tonight, it’s a balmy 21 degrees still so we enjoy the warm evening. Tomorrow Newport Rhode Island. .
