Sunday 21 February 2016

Freedom!

Today was such a long day. 

So after my cup of tea in a brightly striped mug, I caught the subway (paying the fare and getting change with a dollar coin) and got to Boston Common. A common was a communal area where people would graze cattle, meet, and so on. Boston Common nowadays is an open park, by which I mean there isn't a barrier around it.

Boston Common, from the top (and the North)

It's also the beginning of the Freedom Trail, a red line either painted or inserted in red bricks on the sidewalk. The Trail links monuments and landmarks that trace the beginning of the Independence War. I met a few French tourists looking for it, but I was on my way to a tour bus that would tell me the same -with more commentaries and less walking.

The Freedom Trail at the USS Constitution yard
 
Our driver, Franky, was also the tour guide. He had plenty of anecdotes in addition to the historical and touristic explanations. We would stop and step down from the bus for a few minutes in strategic places: Harvard,  (yes, I went to Harvard), Lexington, Concord, Quincy Market, the USS Constitution (Old Ironside, back on that tomorrow), Fenway Park (baseball, shudders). We also crossed the finish line of the Boston marathon (please insert appropriate bragging). 

Harvard Square
Lexington
Concord
Concord - snow and ice
USS Constitution in dry dock
We ran a bit late, so I had to rush home, by an overpriced USB charger on the way, change,  discover the green subway fork to the Symphony Hall stopped running for the day, find an alternate option, and rush again. 

My seat was extremely comfortable, plenty of legroom, and I had to take my blanket* out partway for the cold. And the music... I'm definitely a fan of Haydn. But I hated Hartmann. Beethoven was good too. So that was the Boston Symphony Orchestra, led by guest conductor Vladimir Jurowski. 

Considering the concert started at 2 AM for my body clock, I'm proud of almost not falling asleep.

And now in bed and sleep...

*kidding. My shawl.

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