New England Trip, Part Four

We woke up very early Friday to make the most of our limited time in Boston. After breakfast, our first experience was taking the subway into downtown Boston (with three children, two strollers) and buying our GoBoston discount cards. I realized at this point that my camera battery was just about dead, and I'm still kicking myself for it. Fortunately, Kelly had her camera, so most of the pictures from today are hers! 

My first (and last) picture of the day. Waiting for the subway!

We began with the three-hour  Hi-Speed Catamaran Whale Watching Tour. We were on a large catamaran that flew out of the harbor into more open waters. We rode some pretty big swells and several people got sick; others of us just didn’t feel quite well. But once we slowed down and spotted two humpback whales, the boat didn’t rock too much and most of us felt a bit better. We stayed there for some time watching the humpback whales blow steam and flip their tails as they dove. We even got to see one of them breach (jump out of the water)! We also saw several dolphins playing around our boat. The ride back to land was very fast but much smoother. 

Our catamaran for the whale-watching cruise

Chris and Joe (feeling much better) spot land!

We disembarked and headed to Quincy Market, where Joe had been told to try Pizzeria Regina. This place was packed! It was this narrow, old building filled with every kind of restaurant you could hope for, and just about everyone in Boston had decided to be there. We got our pizza and found a spot outside to eat. 

After lunch we bought trolley passes for a hop-on/hop-off trolley tour, and while we waited for the trolley, we walked over to the New England Aquarium’s outdoor tank and watched the harbor seals swimming and playing. We took the trolley through part of Boston, getting off at Public Garden near Boston Common. 

Riding the trolley

The boys on the trolley

It was such a pretty day in the high 70s that there were many Bostonians out sunbathing and enjoying some fresh air. We intended to ride the swan boats around the pond but the line was long and we weren’t sure the kids could sit still on the slow-moving paddle boats.

Instead, we let them run and play and feed the ducks. We then decided to head back and try to get into the aquarium while our passes were still good, stopping along the way at the Granary Burying Ground to view some famous people’s headstones and graves, including Paul Revere’s, John Hancock’s, and Ben Franklin’s parents’, among others. 

Victims of the Boston Massacre

Apparently it is customary to throw a penny on Sam Adams' grave

Kelly and me with Paul Revere's marker

We also got some ice cream at a McDonald’s along the way. Side story: a man in McDonald’s asked Joe for money to buy some food, so Joe gave him a few bucks for a burger or something. We then saw him pick up a large iced coffee that he apparently was drinking, but would set down out of sight before asking for money. You just never know what some of these people are up to. 

The Old State House, where Samuel Adams, James Otis, John Hancock and John Adams debated the future of the British colonies.

Just outside the Old State House is the site of the Boston Massacre

The back of the Old State House contains the balcony from which the Declaration of Independence was read

We arrived at the aquarium just in time to spend about 30-40 minutes there before it closed (it was included on our Go Boston passes), then found an Irish pub at which we ate dinner. It was getting dark, so we took the subway back to the hotel and let the boys take a bath together in our giant whirlpool tub—it was almost as good as a swimming pool, right?

Kiddos relaxing on the couch bed at the hotel