City on a Hill Part 1

Another place Kyle and I (Kyle most definitely) wanted toqgh visit when we got to the east coast was Boston! I think I was able to see different nerd sides of Kyle come out far more than I ever had before! It was so neat being where so much history was laid and the ground workings of our country was started. It almost got to the point where I wanted so badly to just be transported back to that time period to see what it really looked like and to see the period clothing and people. Something I love about Boston is what they call the 'Freedom Trail' - a little red outlined trail taking you to different places where history took place or structures are still standing that existed back in the day. Boston overall was so charming and the perfect way to learn more about The Revolutionary War and Cradle of Liberty (plus I had the perfect history expert to join me for the ride!

Kyle and I got a late start Friday afternoon heading out on the eight hour car ride up to Boston. We got in to Kyle's friend Adam's place around 3 in the morning :( We were so tired but got up early the next morning and went to the Boston, MA Temple and did sealings and I'm so glad we did! Such a beautiful temple!

Green was the color of the morning.

After the temple, Kyle and I met up for lunch with one of Kyle's old friends from his semester abroad in Jerusalem at a fun gourmet restaurant in Cambridge right next to Harvard. Naturally, we stayed and explored the United States' oldest institution of higher learning. 

Kyle right outside one of the entrances. 

Rubbing the foot of the statue of three lies: 1. It isn't John Harvard. 2. John Harvard wasn't the founder of Harvard University (although he was the first major benefactor, donating half his estate and library). 3. Harvard wasn't founded in 1638, as stated on the statue. But it was still cool to see the rubbed down shoe that's been touched by every nervous pre-exam/first day of school student. 

Annenberg Dining Hall which supposedly Harry Potter's dining hall is based off of....

I love this history buff. 

Kyle contemplating applying for Harvard law...

...he instead decides to be studious on the steps on the Widener Library. Sadly we couldn't go in to feast upon the rough estimate of 3.5 million books housed inside. 

Harvard Sailing Team!!!...Sort of. 

This was Faneuil Hall also known as "The Cradle of Liberty", where they held some of the early speeches and debates on gaining independence from Great Britain. 

And my favorite...Quincy Market! Just basically because it had lots of different types of food and culture...here, Kyle is seen on the hunt for some Boston clam chowder. 

Success! 

Pretty center area with old signs from the market back in the day. 

The north end of the market. 

Kyle got his Boston Red Sox baseball cap and we headed up North to Little Italy to investigate what is known as 'Mike's Pastry's'. We didn't actually discover this treasure of a place until the next day. 

We grabbed dinner at this odd Mexican/Cajun/Tex-Mex Border Cafe and then headed up North to Salem for a ghost tour! This was an extremely frightening and overdone witch museum that thankfully was closed by the time we got up there. 

Kyle got this classy photo of someone of importance to the Salem community where he said a puritan is "a person who has a sneaking suspicious that somebody, somewhere might be having some sort of fun...or that they are a witch." 

This was inside the main store that was decked out in, what else, Harry Potter. Here Kyle and I contemplate what this sight means looking into the Mirror of Erised. 

Store full of wands! 

Our tour...just a normal ghost tour but really interesting to hear stories on the witch trials in the late 1600's. Our classy guide wore a top hat and walked with a cane, reminding us of Dr. Jekyl, Mr. Hyde.

Old Salem Cemetery, the first place set apart for the burial of dead, known as the burying point. A sad story but interesting part of history and insight to what happens when fear combines with heightened stress of a new area and politics. An overall good first day in Boston and Salem, ending the night with a bit of our favorite: frozen yogurt.