Five Hours to Freedom

“Do not eat the yellow snow for that is where the huskies go” I kid you not was an adage I was raised on. It was even more important than the “do unto others” expression.

Even at 27, I  remember my dad’s words fondly (that, and “he who pees into the wind…”).

In Boston, where there is plenty of snow, I got to utilize this precious piece of information while walking along the Freedom Trail.

Read on.

The Freedom Trail

Black Heritage Trail, Boston!

The air was brisk and 19 degrees of frigid; a far cry from our 75 degree weather we left back in Los Angeles. This is 75 degrees in the dead of winter. Boston’s “dead-of-winter,” however, are grey skies and snow flurries while trudging in freshly plowed snow.

Our freedom adventures started off in Beacon Hill at the Black Heritage Trail in the oldest part of Boston. The neighborhood is brimming with Federal-style rowhouses and narrow gas-lit streets–some which still remain cobblestoned. The African Meeting House, among the Museum of African American History stands tall along the trail.

The Cheers Bar. They Don’t Know Your Name

After visiting the Black Heritage Trail, we stopped off at the Cheers bar. Having been a fan of the Cheers show since the tender of four, I learned very quickly just how imbibing alcoholism really is. I also realized just how fun alcohol is, especially when I asked for my first shot of whiskey at age five. This was not a good idea, though, as my sip came with a giant jug of milk (a parental attempt to curb my future career as a lush) and furthermore, that shot was Ten High. More importantly, I had the false sense that any bar I walked in to, the bartender would inevitably know your name. They might even shout it (“Norrrr–icole!”).

But, alas, this was not true. Nobody knew my name. And, the real Cheers bar in Boston looks nothing like the Cheers set. There was one quintessentially Boston idea quintessentially dashed. We held high hopes for Boston chowda.

A rose in the snow starting off our Freedom Trail Adventure in Boston.

Before our journey to freedom, we noticed a single rose lying poignantly in the snow, a fitting metaphor for the layers of snow blanketing Boston’s most famous trail. The reddish bricks lining the Freedom Trail have a discordant similarity to the rose, and much like that flower, the Trail holds a passion for historical reciprocity. Roses are not given for extrinsic reasons, rather they are given as a token of appreciation. We are those “travelers,” giving back in the form of reveling and respect for a very important part of American history.

All that wonderful snow in the Boston Public Garden

The Boston Public Garden and Boston Commons, while frozen over at this time of the year, pay homage to important Boston figures with varied statues and monuments. Below is the Ether monument, or in other words “anesthesia.” My mouth and my dentist would like to thank you, good sir. More importantly, our moms would like to give a special thanks: with you, ripping our moms a new one was much less painful.

Ether Monument in Boston Ducks are also waiting for the Boston Commons and Boston Public Garden to unfreeze. Shaw Memorial along the Freedom Trail Massachusetts State House The Park Church Paul Revere’s Grave

Boston wasn’t assembled without the creation and loss of life. Speckling the Freedom Trail are graveyards of historical figures. We found ourselves among the very antiquated tombstones are Paul Revere and John Hancock.

American Flag adorning a Boston Graveyard

I’ve always been “that ‘guy’” that tiptoes through graveyards, not out of respect, but out of fear of being haunted by an eternally pissed-off entity…nope, not my mother-in-law, an actual ghost (I kid, by the way, she’s wonderful).

But, the dynamic myriad of tombstones was intriguing enough that I finagled my way through the graves to get some up-close photos. My plan was going great…until I fell into a small graveyard hole that was six feet deep if it was a foot. I’m not superstitious (I’m very superstitious), so I wasn’t too worried about the hole (I was extremely worried about the hole) and I went on with my day (I’m very concerned I’m being haunted by a deceased James VanHooderMacLeanSmith).

All of the monuments are noticeably fitting along the Freedom Trail…Except for one. If it hadn’t been for my constant need to look down (as a correction for my innate ability to trip on air), while the mister looks up (because he has amazing trekking skills, I mean they’re impeccable!), we would have completely missed the Boston Massacre marker. Our discovery went something like this:

“…wait, what?”

The Boston Massacre Tribute in the Ground. Look down or you will miss it.

The placard is huge and it has a meaningful place in history. But, that’s about as much reaction it received from passerby’s. If anything, it’s just traipsed on daily, a lot like Michael Bolton’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Faneuil Market in Boston

Nevertheless, we made our way to Faneuil Hall and stopped off for some Boston chowda, New England chowda and a lobster sandwich from the Boston Chowda Co. This time, the quintessential Boston chowda was exactly what I expected: warm, filling, clammy and people yelling “chowda! Getch ya’ chowda heah!”

Holocaust Memorial in Boston

Paul Revere’s house is along the Freedom Trail. It’s only $3.00 for college students to get in and $3.50 for adults. The price and the house are about the size of my thumb and we could have saved that money for some more chowda, especially since there are statues of Mr. Revere along the trail. The statues include Mr. Revere taking his famous horse ride and his cubicle at the Old North Church.

Paul Revere Statue along Freedom Trail

After Revere’s House, we treaded onto the USS Constitution, a once mighty boat during the American Revolution and the War of 1812. Old Ironsides now stands in the Charleston Navy Yard. The traditional “Don’t Tread on Me” flag adorns the top of the ship. But, we treaded all over it and learned an interesting fact: When lighting the canons to fire during wartime, fire sparks often landed everywhere, which could have been a fire hazard in the boat’s wooden interior. However, a little bit of water was let in on the floor during war time, making for a fiery wet mess that kept Old Ironsides afloat.

Old Ironsides Bunker Hill Monument in Boston

Our last stop on the Freedom Trail was the Bunker Hill Monument, the last marker of our five hour journey around historical Boston. The prism-shaped building stands noticeably atop a small hill, that fateful location of the beginnings of the Revolutionary War. It was closed due to the weather. As we walked to the monument, we both looked down at the snow. “Did we step in poop?!” I yelled. That’s odd, my dad never mentioned anything about husky brown snow.

Have you walked the Freedom Trail? What’s your favorite part?

WONDERing what’s next? Join us on our next adventure via email! Go nuts!