More Americana - Doesn't Get Much More American Than This

We continued our trip with a tour of Boston.  One of the highlights was seeing the Science Museum - and the world's first (and largest) Van De Graaff Generator.  Neat! 

That's faith in science

This is a cool movie, showing the different sounds of lightning.

In the hall of mirrors.

I'm all legs.

And I liked the last line of this plaque.  Could explain scientists too.

It turns out Plinko chips fall in a Gaussian fashion. 

Science is awesome!  So is Plinko!

We also took a walking tour of Boston.  Our first stop was the Boston Commons, lovely on a clear cold day.

This is the tower that the lanterns were hung in that warned the Americans of the coming British and that started Paul Revere's ride - one if by land, two if by sea...

Here is Paul Revere's house, still standing after all these  years.

Bram and I with the skyline of Boston. 

The site of the Boston Massacre.

Inside the Old South Meeting House, where the colonists planned the Boston Tea Party.

The oldest commercial building in Boston (which used to be the Old Corner Bookstore)... now home to a Chipotle.

Bram takes a donkey for a ride.

Inside one of the churches.  Families would rent pews, which they could furnish with as many seats as needed for their family size.

As evening approaches, we approach our last site for the day - the monument at Bunker Hill.

Which we climbed to the top of!  Huff puff.  But the view at sunset was pretty awesome.

Of course, there were some very nice things about being back in the US - like having our favorite beverages once more.

Mountain Dew ... ewww!

Bram and I also went to the Boston Aquarium.

Watching the sting-rays.

I also went to the Art Museum.

Yay art!

They had some really cool musical instruments from around the world.

Some impressive paintings.

Including some that looked just like photos.

They also had some nice glass artwork.  I'm always partial to glass.

My favorite piece were several silvered bottles sitting inside an enclosure of mirrors.  This photo is a close-up of one of these bottles and the reflection of the other bottles in it.

The centerpiece of the food court was a large column of glass spikes.

A neat chest of drawers.

Of course, no art museum is complete without a share of weird art.  I walked into this room that showed wood-working objects...

       

and immediately walked out again.  More weird art...

with an interesting medium. 

And a large cheese grater.

Some people's definition of art is very strange...

What looks more like art to me is the Boston skyline...

Another part of my trip was to see boats!  Namely, I went out to find the USS Constitution.  In order to get there, a woman pointed me to walk across the river.  The path she sent me on included a network of narrow walkways over locks on the river.

Finally, after a long walk, I could see the USS Constitution!  Yay!

But there was still a scary looking fence, topped with sharp wire, and a series of no-trespassing signs that stood between me and the boat.  Hmm.  I asked another man for directions, and he pointed me this way:

Down a muddy abandoned path that definitely wasn't the way normal tourists come.  But, on the plus side, I did get to see this:

which I am sure most tourists don't see, because I was really lost when I found it.

Well, the bad thing was that the USS Constitution was closed.  Sigh!  It's sad to keep me away from cool boats!  But a blessing in disguise - I got an almost private tour of another boat:

 

the USS Cassin Young, a WWII destroyer.  It was so awesome on our private tour - we saw parts of the boat I'm sure they don't take large groups on.  (That's the benefit of going in the winter!)

The kitchen, equipped with giant bowls and a man-sized blender.

A typical day's menu.  (Klim = dehydrated milk)

The mess hall.  Note the ridges on the tables to keep the trays from sliding off.

The glitzy officer's quarters...

In compared to the bunk room of the sailors.

Finally, I'll leave you with some scenes from the streets of Boston.

The Most American of Holidays

Bram and I were able to spent this Thanksgiving in the US - we visited my Aunt and Uncle's home in Massachusetts and we were able to enjoy all the wonders a Thanksgiving can bring...

Lots of food!  A beautiful table!

 

 

My brother Joey even was able to make it, and he brought his girlfriend Danelle.

Digging in for dinner.

 

My grandma was also there.

 

It was a perfect idyllic house to spend Thanksgiving in.

Bram walking through the forest.

 

Joey and Danelle.

The friendly neighborhood sheep come up to bah hello.

 

My Aunt and Uncle - happy to be hosting.

Later, as we try to set up the wireless in the house, the cat knows exactly where to lie - right on the instructions for the router.

Focal point found.

The next day, we go out searching for Christmas trees.  My grandma gets bundled up for the great hunt!

We climbed down the valley, back up again, around the forest and through the woods to come back to the first tree we saw.  It was "the one".

We have located Neo.

My husband helps my uncle by braving some tree branches in the face.

Success!

We did a "mini Christmas" with family over Thanksgiving.   My grandma sure liked that idea!

I gave Joey beer coasters we have collected from pubs around the world as we traveled.  The perfect gift... free and awesome.

Next we set up the tree.  Again, the cat knows where to sit, and what to attack, just as we need it.

Decorating the tree.

And the finished product.

It was a great place to spend some time.  Here's a stream near their house.

And an old farm, almost collapsed by snow.