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We bid online for a hotel and took public transportation to avoid car rentals and to get to know the city a little better. There's nothing like riding buses and subways and walking through neighborhoods to really feel a city.
Our hotel was on the edge of the theatre district, near the Boston Public Gardens. Besides riding the famous swan boats, we looked at the "Make Way for Ducklings" statue and relaxed on a bench, playing cards and taking it easy.
The highlight of our weekend was walking the Freedom Trail from the start at the Public Gardens, past all the historic sites such as cemeteries where freedom fighters are buried, old meetinghouses where the Revolutionary War was planned, Paul Revere's home, the church where the "one if by land, two if by sea" lanterns were hung, ending at Bunker Hill.
We climbed aboard the USS Constitution, a.k.a. "Old Ironsides", the oldest ship in the Navy's active fleet. The lower decks still carry a strong scent of gunpowder. Tours are guided by young navy sailors, who enthusiastically relayed stories of the battles fought by the crew on the ship and what life was like living and working on the ship.
Throughout the weekend, we stopped in for coffee, brunch, snacks and other meals at many bistros, pubs, and cafes (with no highchairs anywhere to be seen). It was a treat to eat delicious foods without doing any cooking or cleaning up and without 5 bathroom breaks before, during and after the meal. Alina's favorite cafe was found on Newbury Street: we enjoyed coffee and quiche while sitting on the patio, watching all the weekend shoppers. Steve loved a classic pub near Bunker Hill, full of dark, polished wood, low ceiling, big juicy burgers and frosted mugs of ale.
Although it was wonderful to have time together as a married couple, we did miss the kids and plan to one day return to Boston with the entire family.
