Massachusetts Coast Trip, Day 7 - Andey's Interstate Road Trips

Massachusetts Coast Trip - Day 7 (Monday, May 26, 2008)
- Quincy and Boston -

At 7 AM, I woke up and prepared for the day, eating a banana and cereal for breakfast. I left for the T station at Fields Corner, taking the Red Line to Quincy Center. From there, I walked to the visitor center for the Adams National Historic Site. When it opened, I obtained a ticket for touring three historic houses. While awaiting the trolley, I looked at the small amount of exhibits, including scale models of the houses and a video documentary.

On time, I boarded the trolley along with a few other people and got driven to two of the historic houses that neighbor each other. A ranger greeted us and we began the tour of John Adams' birthplace, a house known as a salt box. We entered to find simple accommodations with basic colonial furniture while the ranger gave us the story of the family around the time of the Revolutionary War. When done, we walked over to John Quincy Adams' birthplace next door to look around.

We then boarded the trolley to get us to the relatively large Old House, also known as Peacefield, where generations of the Adams family lived. Inside, we saw rooms richly furnished with the original artifacts owned by the presidential families, including furniture and many portraits. Upstairs, one small section stayed off limits except for family members. Back outside, we visited the Stone Library, containing the collection of John Quincy Adams.

After the trolley dropped us off back at the visitor center, I looked at some nearby statues of the Adams family and then looked outside the United First Parish Church, where the presidents and their wives are buried. I decided not to pay to go in, though, and hopped back on the T, taking the Red Line to the Green Line to Haymarket to look at the six tall glass columns of the Holocaust Memorial densely inscribed with numbers.

I wandered around the area and ended up at North End Park, created by the Big Dig project. Kids played in the water fountains while others relaxed on the grass. I could see the Bunker Hill Bridge nearby. From there, I found Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall and checked out the eateries. I ended up getting a Sicilian pizza and cannoli at the North End Bakery. Outside, a Street Performer Celebration drew some crowds, but I did not stick around.

On my way to Citibank to get cash, I passed through the Government Center, checking out the massive and unique Boston City Hall. After using the ATM, I boarded the Green Line T to the Museum stop and then walked over to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. The exterior did not stand out, but the interior had a beautiful central courtyard surrounded by rooms full of fine art on three levels. I slowly made my way through the exhibits starting from the entrance.

Room after room exibited classic paintings, furniture and artifacts. Even the hallways and stairs had art. Light-sensitive materials hid under dark, heavy cloth that I lifted to view. Blank frames marked the former location of paintings stolen in a 1990 heist. A book by the courtyard identified less obvious objects and a slightly separated room near the restrooms showed a temporary student exhibit. At the end, I briefly looked at the gift shop and then left.

I decided to treat Linda and Rosa to dinner for being generous hosts, so invited them by phone. Awaiting an answer about a meeting time, I explored the Christian Science Plaza, enjoying the fountain and reflecting pool and its surrounding buildings. When we agreed on a time, I went to the Top of the Hub restaurant to make reservations, and then returned to the plaza to write postcards. With time to spare, I went to Copley Square to photograph buildings there.

When done hanging around Copley Square, I walked to the Prudential Center and waited for Linda and Rosa. They showed up slightly late, but our Top of the Hub restaurant reservations remained good. We got a great window table facing downtown Boston during sunset. I ate a native seafood bouillabase while the others tried something else. Rosa also tried a cocktail that she said was made well. We hung around a bit more after eating to enjoy the view.

After dinner, we headed to Rosa's car, but stopped at the Apple Store only to find it just closed. We next drove to Circuit City so they could look at cameras, and then swang by Best Buy, finding it closed. Back at the house, we had some leftover cake, and then I transferred copies of my photos taken the day before onto their laptop computer. I took a shower after that and organized my stuff for packing. I slept in the guest bedroom now that Nag and Duchy had left.