Take Two: Surprise Boston Getaway!

I guess we really wanted to make up for skipping out on our 15-year anniversary.  Lee surprised me with a trip in April!!!  He left these clues all over the house.


I had fun getting ready for the trip!  We had a last minute scramble with the kids and trying to figure stuff out, but it worked.  We also enjoyed Cal's spring concert!


Off to Boston!  Lee found an amazing deal for flights...$60 each, round trip!!! Thanks again to Lois and Jeff for taking us to the airport yet again!


We had an early morning flight leaving our house about 1:30am, and arriving in Boston around 9:00 am or so.  We were able to check into our hotel early which was super nice.  We even were allowed breakfast!  After that we took a nap.








These mini Nutella's are awesome!


Lots of renovations going on at the hotel!


We finally ventured out to the Boston Commons and Back Bay area.  So pretty!










We poked around the library a little bit.










We stopped at a bakery for a treat.


Some bread pudding and Boston Creme Pie.




The tortoise and the hare! A well know story of course and a favorite for Dave Ramsey fans as well!








We ate at this packed restaurant in Chinatown.






And the lovely outdoor market fares.


That night we went to the Blue Man Group.  Over all we really enjoyed it.  Definitely geared more towards kids.  But there were a couple of crude references that make us hesitate to bring our kids. So unless they change a couple of things in their performance, we won't be bringing our kids anytime soon. But they did do amazing tricks and stunts! 


We couldn't take pictures during the performance, but this is just after.  The place was a mess!


The view from our hotel room.


The next day we went on the Freedom Trial.  We walked the whole way down to Bunker Hill and the Boston Harbor.




This guy snapped at me for taking a picture of him and the school kids.  He said it was rude to take pictures without asking.  I was shocked and of course miffed about it.  I never think of good things to say in these situations!  What was ironic though was him stating I was being rude taking pictures on the freedom trail..... First Amendment people.  You can take pictures of people in public spaces without asking. He should be more up on constitutional rights! And on the freedom trail!




We enjoyed seeing graveyards and buildings and such where famous people were/buried.


I think this Chipotle was actually once a publishing house and that Louisa May Alcott frequented this place.


Makes you feel so good about being out and about....rats!




Paul Revere!




The church where Paul Revere came to tell the people how the British were coming!


This little shop was hand making chocolate and offering this free old time hot cocoa.  Wow.  So amazing!  Basically melted dark chocolate in drink form with a hint of cinnamon.


Bunker Hill!  Which technically isn't Bunker Hill, but is known by that name just the same.  And we met a local who goes there three times a week and climbs the stairs to the top I think 7 times.




Amazing view.


We ended at the USS Constitution.  Only Lee could go in that day because I didn't bring my ID with me.


At the USS Constitution there is a public ferry.  We had fun riding on it.


After lots of walking that morning we stopped at the Halal Guys for lunch.  Yummy!


Since we were on vacation we went back to the hotel and took a nap.  We ventured out that night via the "T" and headed towards Cambridge.  We stopped at Flat Patties for dinner.  Such a great burger!  I had to have them re-cook mine as I wanted it well done.  I told them that in the beginning but they didn't follow through.... But once it was well done it was amazing.  And no it wasn't dry. 


We walked around Harvard a little bit which was really cool.


Next stop was to a nearby church where we attended a Boston Early Music Festival concert. The performers were amazing!




The music was all the "same" to us as we are not early music connoisseurs, and we left at the middle break. But like I said, the performers were amazing.  


The church where the concert was held.


We stopped at Lizzy's to get ice cream before heading back on the T to the hotel.




On the walk back to the hotel I saw this engraving...pretty funny.  Ever since that silly video came out with the dinosaurs singing "yee" a couple of my kids have been on a "yee" kick.  I think I should make them memorize this.


The next morning, our last day, we headed to the area of the Boston Tea Party.


The yellow boat is the visitor site for the Tea Party, though it happened closer to the docks in the background.


We took the ferry ride over to the USS Constitution again.  What a great view!




This time I did bring my ID and went on the ship with Lee.  It's free, by the way, but you need ID to enter since it is an active Navy post.








Later we went further into downtown Boston.  This lady was creepy.  If you paid her money for a photo she would dance for you.  And she didn't speak.  Reminded me of something off of Dr. Who.  Also there was an Asian young adult playing live violin music and dancing for money.  Quite a lively afternoon. I am sure there were other street performers as well, but those are the two I remember.


We snagged some fries at Five Guys and frosty's at Wendy's and sat in the Boston Commons park for a little while.  Then we pick up our backpacks from the hotel and headed out to the Somerville area for a murder mystery dinner. I must say, traveling with only backpacks is quite nice!  We did it for our Amsterdam trip, then again for Boston.  The packs are heavy but convenient.  And the hotel let us leave our backpacks there during the day while we were out and about.

We were really excited about the murder mystery and dinner.


They asked us to use an alias on our name tags.  Once we were seated and they started the show there was a point we had to get up, mingle and ask other guests questions.  Some of the people were "planted" as guests and knew things about the upcoming murder.  I figured since I used an alias I would make up a profession as well.  I told people I was a high school English teacher. And it further expanded to teaching specifically 9th grade and that I liked teaching high schoolers more than middle schoolers.  What was even more funny is that they completely believed me and one lady even said I looked like an English Teacher.  Lee told people he was an eye doctor.  One guy asked Lee, "What do you really do?" Lee said: "I'm an eye doctor."  So funny.  Mr. Dibbins and Lillie.



Once the main "performance" started it went downhill.  There was quite a bit of swearing and then the jokes/humor turned very crude and inappropriate.  We hadn't even eaten any food yet when finally there was a break.  Salad was going to be served soon and the room was on "lockdown" unless you had to use the restroom.  Lee walked over to get his jacket of the rack so we could make our escape one at a time.  I saw that the main hosts had both left the room so I grabbed our backpacks and we disappeared.  We were disappointed that the show wasn't more professionally done.  All that was left for the evening was finding a different place to eat, grab an Uber to the airport and fly home.  Taco Loco was delish!




The next day we spent at Lois' and attended church with them.


Luke is a favorite!!!


Darrell and Stacie joined us for dinner which was really fun.  Lois did a little celebration for Shanna and Haley's upcoming birthdays and for Kylie and Lisa's past birthdays.




Thanks again Lois and Jeff for watching our kids!!!  Now I want to take my kids to Boston!