Port of Call: Boston, Massachusetts

Boston is one of our favorite ports of call. We boated here for three years and had many unforgettable adventures. We loved the boating lifestyle so much we quit our jobs and moved to a bigger boat to cruise full time, and now, we've been cruising/living on the boat for the last sixteen years! You know what they say - time flies when you're having fun!

We've returned to Boston many times since we left, albeit not by boat. This week, we happily played tour guides to a friend and her sister who were visiting from Paris. It gave us the opportunity to explore and rediscover our old stomping grounds. The notorious Big Dig megaproject of the 90s had moved the Central Artery (main highway in the heart of the city) underground. With the new space, the city of Boston created an urban park with gardens and walkways connecting many neighborhoods.
So, come along with us as we walked the Rose Kennedy Greenway from Chinatown to Faneuil Hall, stopping to admire artworks and various attractions along the way.

Monkee See by Sante Fe artist Don Kennell in honor of the year of the Monkey

The Dewey Square farmer's market near South Station is opened Tuesdays and Thursdays from May to November.

Farmer's market near South Station

Continuing on Atlantic Avenue, we veered off to Harborwalk (behind the InterContinental Hotel). You can see the Boston Tea Party ships and museum across the water.

Tour guide in action at Harborwalk (Boston Tea Party ship in the background)

We couldn't resist checking out the seafood at James Hook. Too bad we already had dim sum in Chinatown earlier:-(! We had enjoyed a delicious lobster roll the last time we stopped here.

Our favorite place for a lobster roll

Checking out the seafood at James Hook

Yummy lobster roll

At the Rings Fountain, we encountered the Circle of Animals/Zodiac exhibit by Ai Weiwei, undoubtedly the most famous contemporary artist in China.The story behind the zodiac heads is quite intriguing. The original zodiac heads were designed by the Italian Jesuit Giuseppe Castiglione, who served in the Qing Court in the 18th century. They had adorned a water clock-fountain in the Old Summer Palace (圓明園YuanMingYuan) before they were looted by European soldiers who ransacked and burned down the palace during the Opium War of 1860. Of the seven zodiac heads that are known to have survived the pillage, five have been repatriated back to China, while ownership of the remaining two is still being contested.

Bronze sculptures "Circle of Animals/Zodiac" by renowned Chinese artist Ai Weiwei

Heading towards Boston Harbor Hotel at Rowes Wharf

Boston Harbor Hotel

See Boston by land and water via a duck tour (Boston Custom House in the background)

Faneuil Hall, a marketplace and meeting hall since 1743

The Great Hall, where town meeting members discussed issues of the day

Prosperity in Boston resulted in the expansion of  Faneuil Hall - Quincy Market was constructed in 1842

Interested in playing chess outdoors?

Travel and Leisure rated Faneuil Hall Marketplace as the number 8 most-visited tourist attractions in America. Whether it is food, shopping or entertainment, you can find it all here at Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market. And get a dose of some American history at the same time.

A real tour guide in period costume (Old State House on left)

The Granary Burying Ground, where famous patriots like Paul Revere, John Hancock and Sam Adams were buried

The Massachusetts State House, facing the Boston Common

Boston skyline seen from the Boston Common (a park in downtown)

Hope you've enjoyed our tour!  As one of the oldest cities in the United States, Boston has history and culture to please any discerning visitor. Remember to sample some seafood - clam chowda, steamers, fried clams (with bellies, of course), and the quintessential lobster and lobster roll. A harbor cruise to nearby islands, Cape Cod or whale watch is also highly recommended, if you have the time.

What's your favorite port of call?

Update: 10/8/21

Sharing this post on Skywatch Friday

You might also like:

Exploring picturesque Suzhou, China	Fourth of July on the Charles River with the Boston Pops	Falling for New England: Cape Cod, Massachusetts