Boston -- Rich in History

"Listen, my children, and you shall hear of the midnight ride of Paul Revere, on the eighteenth of April, in seventy-five: hardly a man is now alive who remembers that famous day and year..." -- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Boston remembers. I just returned from a week-long visit to the city. It is amazingly rich in history, and even more amazingly, is eager to share that history with every visitor. In this current climate of history-removal, it was refreshing to visit a place and a people so excited about their roots.

I visited several historic sites and will share them below in preferential order, not necessarily in the order of their importance, but in the order of my enjoyment. The list is not conclusive, for even a week is not long enough to visit all of the important places Boston has to offer.

Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum

This was my hands down favorite! The visit begins with participating in a "Town Hall Meeting" in 1773, just prior to the Tea Party. The speakers seek to fire up the crowd by sharing facts about the hated tea tax. Participants are given feathers and then lead to one of the ships. More information is given on board, along with a tour of the ship itself. Visitors then get to "throw the tea into the sea." Following the reenactment, the guide leads visitors through the museum which includes many surprising exhibits! I only thought I knew about the Boston Tea Party!

We had an awesome guide, Gwen Thayer, who even sought me out after the tour to give me educational information because she knew I was a teacher.

*Fun Fact: Nathaniel Greene was a Tea Party "Indian."

**Ticket Note -- If you purchase On/Off Trolley tickets online before your visit (or even after you arrive) you can get into this museum at a discount. Also included with the trolley ticket is free admission into the Old State House and Dreamland Wax Museum.

Bunker Hill Monument

We were lucky enough to visit this site on Bunker Hill Day, June 17. In my pre-visit research, I saw that there was to be a parade commemorating the day. We didn't end up seeing the parade but had an awesome time nevertheless.

When we arrived, re-enactors were marching in formation near and around monument and a wreath was being placed inside. To my surprise, we learned that we could acquire tickets for actually climbing to the top of the monument! What a climb -- 294 steps! But well worth it when you see the view from the top!

After making it back down, we got a recommendation for a restaurant and made our way a couple of blocks to get there. We ate at Warren Tavern, named for Dr. Joseph Warren, and I will review the restaurant on another post. One neat thing though was that the re-enactors were there too -- watching golf. That struck me as SO FUNNY!!! Especially when they yelled, "Huzzah!" at the tv.

Old North Church

My third favorite historical site was the Old North Church. It was one of the few places I actually got to see on a previous visit to Boston 35 years ago. (I know, I'm old.) This visit was so much more informative and comprehensive. I really enjoyed it. There are different ticket options available at the church. We chose the guided tour that included a trip into the belfry and into the crypt. Wow! Imagine walking up the same steps that Robert Newman walked up!! We did not go to the very top but stopped in the belfry itself and were treated to a video and explanation of the bells which are still rung every Sunday. The bells themselves are quite interesting. We also journeyed down into the cellar where we learned of the 37 tombs and also about the columbarium where you can purchase a niche to hold your ashes, for the affordable cost of $3000!

It was hard not to be overwhelmed in this exact space where history took place. The boxes in the church, the steps up to the belfry, the close proximity of buried Revolutionary fighters all took my breath away. It is definitely worth the slightly more expensive ticket to go behind the scenes!

Without going into great detail, I will list the other important historical sites I saw or wished I had seen, accompanied by possibly interesting information.

USS Constitution -- We didn't get to tour this amazing ship because I did not have my license with me, and there is a security process to go through. We did get close enough for a picture and to see the nearby spot where Paul Revere came ashore in his boat on that fateful night. I really regret not getting to go on board.

Old State House -- (included in trolley ticket) This was another good museum. It sits right beside the spot of the Boston Massacre. We toured the museum on our own but were treated to guide-led informational talks at intermittent times throughout our visit. One talk was about the Boston Massacre, and I found it to be extremely interesting and informative.

Paul Revere House -- Just okay. It's on the Freedom Trail and near the Old North Church. It is possible to walk up and purchase a ticket which does not cost a lot, so I would definitely recommend it unless you are in a time crunch.
*Fun Fact: Top 5 non-alcoholic drinks in Colonial times were cider, milk, tea, coffee, and chocolate

Cemeteries -- Several of these were on our agenda, but we just simply ran out of time. There are several in the downtown area, and they are attended by guides in period clothing. Not going into any of them is another of my regrets.

Great Smoky Mountain Railroad

"The mountains are calling, and I must go." -- John Muir

I first noticed the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad several years ago as I made my way across western North Carolina along the Nantahala River. Seeing that steam locomotive chug its way beside the river instilled in me an instant desire to ride that train! It took a couple of years, but finally last fall I climbed on board.

My sister and I took a couple of days off, and had a girls' trip. the whole weekend did not disappoint. We arrived in Bryson City late around dinner time on Friday evening, and strolled around the little town, getting our bearings. After a quiet night in our motel near the river, we were ready for a train ride on Saturday morning!

I mistakenly made reservations on the Moonshine Car. This was quite funny, because neither my sister no I drink. Included in our ticket happened to be several complimentary shots of various flavors of moonshine. Our car was perfect, as we were seated in comfortable rotating seats beside huge picture windows. Besides the moonshine, our ticket included brunch and dessert, both of which were delicious!

The ride itself was so enjoyable as we made our way along through the fall foliage, meandering back and forth across the river and between hills. We made a stop at the Nantahala Outdoor Center and were able to walk around, even exploring a small part of the Appalachian Trail! On returning to the train, we soon were making our way back to Bryson City. On the return trip, we were even treated to some live "hillbilly" music. 

Our train experience ended, we meandered through the Bryson City Train Museum (admission was also part of our ticket cost) and enjoyed this very much. We spent another evening browsing the Bryson City stores, and we both got some great deals on some clothing.

The next day we explored some nature trails and river hikes before heading back to Greensboro. It was one of the most special few days that I've ever had!

Great Smoky Mountain Railroad

Bryson City, North Carolina

Memories Make the Best Travel Companions

"Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it." -- L.M. Montgomery, The Story Girl

Being a "military brat" meant that I lived in many homes across the world. Some of those homes I will never get to see again; others I will hopefully get to revisit as time goes by. Recently I was able to return to the town where I lived as a fifth grader. I had not been there in 40 years! It was a marvelous trip down memory lane, a path I enjoy wandering down as often as I can.

When I was in fifth grade my family lived in Woodbridge, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, DC. My dad worked at the White House. I was a girl scout. I discovered Nancy Drew. I loved to roller skate. My love of writing first began. I have many other memories of that short year, or second time to live in Virginia, but the most vivid has always been The Woods!

We lived in on a cul de sac which was bordered on two sides by the most amazing woods a child could imagine. There were tall deciduous trees, huge smooth boulder-type rocks, and a creek running right through the center of it all. I spent as much time in those woods as I possibly could. (This was back when children could play for hours outside without the threat of predators or kidnappers.) I had my own rock where I sat to dream and right in my brand new diary.

In addition to the woods, my most vivid memory of the neighborhood was a small park at the top of a hill. The park was situated on the edge of a black-tarred sidewalk which led straight down the hill, ending in a sharp curve at the bottom. For children in that neighborhood, roller skating down that hill was the epitome of bravery and skill. I had attained the notoriety of becoming the first and fastest to roll down that hill on my white leather, booted, metal-wheeled roller skates! The memory continues to lurk in my brain all these 40 years later.

This past Thanksgiving week end as I wove my way into my old neighborhood, my heart palpated with the chance of seeing that hill and those woods again. I counseled myself strongly on the very real possibility that both would have disappeared with the passage of time and the march of progress.  I parked and continued my discoveries on foot. As I took a corner around one of the town homes, my breath caught in my throat... I was facing the hill with the playground at the top, the hill with the memorable black-top trail climbing right in front of me!

Except for being slightly less steep than I remembered, it was as if it stood still in time. It was the same hill that I had roller-skated down countless times, a symbol of my juvenile prowess and success. And if the hill was still there, then the woods.....

I slowly made my way behind some of the homes and down another hill, straight into the most gorgeous woods my memory could conjure up. The woods were complete and untouched. I was immediately assaulted by smells that I had not experienced in 40 years. It is said that odors bring about the most memories, and that is so true. I have been in many forests since spending time in this particular wooded area of Virginia but have never smelled that exact fragrance. It was amazing and somehow sent me straight back to my life as an 11 year old girl caught up in the romance of time alone in the woods with only an imagination and a diary to keep her company. I even found my own special rock!

 

 

 

Isn't the rock cool? It was the absolute best place to just sit and dream in peace and quiet. Oh, except for that one time that when I arrived it was already being occupied by a very large coiled up snake!















Needless to say, I enjoyed my short sojourn into my past. As I left the woods, I was literally smiling to myself. I continued on in my car, visiting my old school and the shopping center I used to ride my bike to. I was filled with nostalgia and the peace that only comes with memories happily revisited.

As a side note, I also visited the small town of Occaquan which was just across the river from my old neighborhood. Occaquan is a quaint riverside village with lovely shops and restaurants. I highly recommend it if you find yourself in the area!

Occoquan Virginia

Autumn Weekend in Virginia

"I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string." -- Anne in Anne of Avonlea

I just had two of those days! My trip began with an early morning departure on Saturday. It is interesting to me that even though I left my house at exactly the same time which I leave every morning for school, but somehow it felt so different. My very fingers clutched the steering wheel differently, and a sense of excitement filled my heart. I was leaving on a journey, albeit short.

My destination was Damascus, Virginia, a quiet hamlet in at the center of the Virginia Creeper Trail which follows an old railroad line from Abingdon to White Top Mountain, a total of 34 miles. Damascus is filled with bike rental/shuttle services which will take you to the top of White Top Mountain. Once at the top, you can take your own time riding back down to Damascus on the most amazing Rails to Trails route that I have been on. Below are several pictures I took on the trail. Those marked with an (*) were actually taken last year.

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Riding all the way to Abingdon is also an option, but that part of the trail is flatter and often runs unshaded near a busy road. I prefer to ride only the 17 mile downhill stretch from White Top to Damascus. This part crosses 29 bridges, passes an access to the Appalachian Trail, and meanders under gorgeous trees. There are many other riders on the trail, so be aware that it will not be exactly a time of solitude. I have ridden alone on each of my trips, and am often passed by faster riders. I do a good bit of passing others myself though. 

After my morning of bike riding, I made my way to Wytheville, Virginia where I love to spend the night. It is a small town near the intersection of Interstates 77 and 81 (neither of which I drive on to get there). It is the birthplace of Edith Bolling Wilson, wife of Woodrow Wilson. There is a hotel there which bears her name. The hotel houses the restaurant Graze on Main which I have written about in an earlier post (How to Make Your Trip More Meaningful) and I could not wait to visit it again. I was NOT disappointed. I had the blackened salmon as I did before, but the meal has been upgraded in the last year. See my meal below. The orchid is a new addition, and I liked it! They now place an orchid on every plate to commemorate Wilson's giving his wife the flower every day that they were married! 

I was served by Shelby, a friendly competent young woman who took good care of me. I sat next to a couple from Winston-Salem, and we had an enjoyable impromptu talk about the Creeper Trail and shopping at The Loft!

The final part of my Autumn weekend was my scenic route back. I love to take the road less traveled, and this time I kind of took the road not traveled. I saw a sign near a gravel side road that directed drivers to a mountain overlook and took it. I soon worried that I wouldn't make it back down. Then I worried that I wouldn't make it anywhere. God was watching out for me and gave me a place to carefully turn around. I prayed my way back down over large pointy rocks and deep treacherous gullies, finally making it back to my original detour turn. Upon looking at the sign again, I noticed the small addendum at the bottom, "Not recommended for passenger cars." Oops! I got some pretty pictures though...

The next few are just some random pics from my drive. I can never resist abandoned buildings or overlooks.

The place where I rent my bike and ride the shuttle is Adventure Damascus. They are extremely friendly and helpful.
This is a Creeper Trail site that is helpful.

What Should I Do First in New York City???

"New York is the concentrate of art and commerce and sport and religion and entertainment and finance, bringing to a single compact arena the gladiator, the evangelist, the promoter, the actor, the trader, and the merchant. It carries on its lapel the unexpungeable odor of the long past, so that no matter where you sit in New York you feel the vibrations of great times and tall deeds."  -- E.B. White, Here is New York

I have been asked the question, "What should I do first when I get there?" so many times. It never gets any easier to answer. The city is constantly changing, never staying the same. The changes depend on the season, the holiday, the weather; New York City during Christmas was NOTHING like New York City during July! What you should do while you're there can also be dependent on who you're with and how long you're staying. I have tried to come up with a list of "Must See/Do" sites below, but keep in mind that I am a history-buff  and not a shopaholic. You might quickly tire of my love-of-the-past-view-in-the-present places and want to stop off at the nearest Loft or at Saks; do it. Make NYC the place you want it to be. It is so many different places to so many different people. My recommendations below are just to get you started, and will hopefully help you to love this amazing city as much as I do.

Tour Bus
It may sound like a  cliche activity, but for me it was so helpful. I rode both loops, Uptown and Downtown. The ride gave me a tiny feeling of familiarity on my first visit. It allowed me to see things while not being part of the hustle and bustle. Once I had a guide who was a retired college history professor, and he was awesome! You can not always be guaranteed to have the best guide, but the ride itself will not disappoint. (On a much later trip I also did the Brooklyn Loop which was fun too.)
You can make reservations online ahead of time, but I have found it to be much easier to just purchase a ticket from someone wearing a red vest. The one I have always used is the Grayline Tour Co. They have many different options available, so even if you choose not to buy your ticket online, look at all the options online first so that you have a plan when you talk to the ticket rep. Otherwise, they might sell you much more than you want!   Grayline Tour Company

Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island
This is a must! Seeing the Statue of Liberty upclose and personal is a New York rite of passage. The Ellis Island experience cannot be duplicated anywhere else in the world. Admission to the islands and the museum are free, but the fairy that you have to ride out there is not. The ferry ride itself is a great experience! This is one activity that I would reserve ahead of time, especially in the summer. You have to stand in a security line similar to the airport, and if you wait to purchase your ticket there, that's another line you have to wait in. The museum on Ellis Island and the walkways around the statue are finally back in mint condition after Hurricane Sandy; these two islands took a hard hit in that storm. (If you are a history-nut like I am, Ellis Island even offers a Hard Hat Tour which is a fee, but is SO worth it.)  Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island Ferry

Empire State Building
This is cliche, but who goes to NYC without making it to the top of the Empire State Building?? (Even if you haven't seen Sleepless in Seattle or An Affair to Remember) It is not my favorite thing to do, but I have done it twice. I think that going at night is better than daytime viewing. The lines can be ridiculous, and you get to the top and "oooh" and "aaah" with everyone else. Still, it kind of has to be done. I actually prefer Top of the Rock. The difference in height is about 30 floors. The difference in price is about $14. The biggest draw for the Top of the Rock in my opinion is that while you are waiting in line, you get to watch an informative movie/slideshow which is so interesting AND makes the waiting less tedious.
Empire State Building Tickets      Top of the Rock Tickets 

Central Park
Central Park is awesome! There is more to see and do there than can be done in a day, but be sure to put aside at least 4 hours to experience part of it on your first visit to New York City. The park is like a city in itself. There are countless paths to wander down, many types of animal life to observe, waterfalls, tunnels, a castle, a zoo... I see and experience something new there every time I visit. It is not the easiest place to find your way around in, as the paths curve and meander, but you can get an app for your phone that is a map of Central Park. Also, I learned on my last visit ( I love learning new things each time I go!) that lampposts in the park have labels which will help you locate where you are in relation to streets outside the park. (See picture below.) There are restaurants in the park, countless food carts, a gift shop at the conservatory, and ice-skating in the winter. I have done one organized park tour, but found that it wasn't really worth the money.

The top number is the nearest cross street.

 
Roosevelt Island Tram
This is a surprise experience! It only costs the swipe of your Metrocard each way, and is worth way more. This is a sky tram that takes you across traffic and across the East River to Roosevelt Island. The island itself is mostly residential with apartment buildings, stores, schools. The tram is the attraction. I love riding it at night when you can see all the lights and during the day when you can watch all the people and traffic below you. When you disembark on the island, you can loop around and get right back on or take a walk around. There is also a free shuttle that makes a circle of the island and returns to the tram station. The apartment building nearest to the station has a restaurant on the ground floor which is tasty and not too expensive. This tram ride is one of my favorite New York City experiences. Once while waiting to board on the Manhattan side, I watched a traffic jam caused by the rollover of a food cart. It was all so big-city and interesting to me. I really get a kick out of watching the traffic cops anyway; it's neat to see them directing traffic in their white gloves. It's almost a kind of dance. (Yes, I saw Flashdance, and it is like the traffic cop scene from that movie.)
You can board the tram at 59th Street and 2nd Avenue in Manhattan.

911 Memorial and Museum
There are tons of museums in New York City, and I definitely have my favorites. (Another post will be devoted strictly to museums.) but this favorite of mine is a MUST SEE. No one who remembers September 11, 2001 should pass up the opportunity to spend time at the site. The fountains themselves are awesome. The fact that there are always hundreds of people around you, yet it is nearly silent is amazing. I have read so many books about that day, and it is kind of intense to see some of the names of people I've read about along the fountains' sides. The museum is remarkable. They have done an exceptional job of depicting what happened while still respecting the lives of the people involved. It is best to purchase tickets online, and those tickets are good for six months. The cost is $24, but for an extra $20 you can get a guided tour. I have not done the guided tour yet, but it is on my to-do list. I also recommend the new subway terminal, the Oculus, and the Freedom Tower if you're doing a 911 tour day.   911 Memorial and Museum

*This ends my must-see list, but there are so many more places that I can't wait to tell about! Even after seven visits, I have not seen or done all I want to see or do!
One final recommendation before your trip, get the NYC Subway app on your phone! It is invaluable. It includes a map of sorts that can help you find your way, but also gives a map of all subway trains and stations. A new function of the app is that it will use your location to show you the closest train to you and tells you which train you should ride to get to given locations. It's a MUST HAVE!!!