Some Boston History

I'm not sure exactly when, if ever, Boston will start feeling like "home." I definitely feel like an outsider thus far, but taking steps to remedy the situation. Everytime I meet a new patient I ask them what city or neighborhood they are from and then ask them to describe it to me so that I can slowly become informed on New England geography. In addition, we're familiarizing ourselves with the Beantown tourist areas: last Sunday, for instance, Susie and Andrew went with us to finish the Freedom Walk walking trail, which begins at the Boston Common, crosses the Charles River, and ends at the Battle of Bunker Hill Memorial. Some pics, beginning on the right with the Old North Church (the church where the "one if by land, two if by sea" lanterns were hanging).

Next up: the U.S.S. Constitution, built in 1797 and used during the War of 1812, is the oldest active navy boat in the world.
Claire and Sophie amidst some colorful merchandise at Faneuil Hall, a large public marketplace downtown.

The obelisk-shaped Battle of Bunker Hill Monument, commemorating one of the earliest battles of the Revolutionary War. Here's a bit of useless trivia: the Battle of Bunker Hill did not, in fact, take place on Bunker Hill. Most of the fighting was carried out at nearby Breed's Hill. Also, I didn't realize this, but apparently the British won the Battle of Bunker (though at a high cost, which is why the lost battle is nonetheless a celebrated one). Finally, the phrase, "don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes" allegedly came from this battle.

Walking up the 297 steps of the Bunker Hill Monument yields a nice view of the Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge, constructed in 2002 as part of the legendary Big Dig construction project which modernized much of the highway system in Boston.
Finally, we just had to stop and take this picture of Claire flipping the bird to an unenlightened shopowner whose store along the Freedom Trail features a "France Sucks!" T-shirt prominently featured in the display window. Doesn't he know that the French were allies with the U.S. during the very Revolutionary War which his store is celebrating?