Boston - the birthplace of modern America

9 September 2022

We started our North American trip in little, quaint Cambridge before moving on to its busier, brasher neighbour on the other side of the Charles River. Many people think that Cambridge is a part of Boston but in fact it is a city in its own right.

It may be small but it houses two of the world’s best known (and maybe just, the best) institutions of higher education, Harvard University and M.I.T (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). We checked out Harvard, America’s oldest university, established in 1636. The guided tour was led by a Harvard student, with much humour and creativity, and we learned a lot of history as well as getting a glimpse of what life at Harvard is like today. Luckily, we did not rub the foot of the John Harvard statue. Apparently, some Harvard students like to pee on it as a prank, then tell tourists to rub it for good luck...

The most iconic neighbourhood in Cambridge is probably Harvard Square. The area is full of historic buildings, coffee shops, restaurants, great bookshops and fun boutiques. It has a bohemian feel to it with buskers and street performers. Cambridge definitely has a cosy vibe to it. We spent our afternoon there just hanging out, poking our heads into interesting shops, sitting at the Harvard Book Store with a cup of coffee, enjoying the moment.

In contrast, Boston is a bright, bustling modern city, but one steeped too in significant history. It might not be the United States' or even Massachusetts’ oldest colony – it was settled by the British in 1630 – but it certainly proved significant in igniting the War of Independence in 1775, which ousted British rule, allowing the formation of the United States of America one year later.

We left our bags at our (overpriced) downtown hotel and strolled over to Copley Square where there was a weekly farmer’s market, including delicious New England clam chowder on offer, and opposite that, the Boston Public Library. This imposing building also housed a map room, full of very interesting and rare maps from a famous collector and which could have kept me there all day.

We then walked down the main high-end fashion thoroughfare, Newbury Street, to reach Boston Common, the world’s first city park and its smaller neighbour, the Public Garden. Both were full of locals, families and friends lounging on the grass, chatting, reading or just enjoying the sunshine in this green belt right in the heart of the city. We also admired nearby Beacon Hill’s 18th- and 19th-century red brick houses, lined up on narrow hilly streets.

The self-guided Freedom Trails Walk Into History Tour is a two-and-a-half-mile wander through Boston’s historic sites, which focus on Boston’s considerable role in the American Revolution and the events leading up to it. We did most of the the trail, partly on foot and partly using the old subway system– the «T» - which led us to the Faneuil Hall Marketplace and Quincy Market, down by the harbour, and Boston's equivalent to Covent Garden.

By now, we were quite tired and so we treated ourselves to a bus tour, the

Boston Duck Tour and a fun way to get to know your way around greater Boston, by land and by water. During an 80-minute ride, these amphibious vehicles, modelled after World War II landing vehicles, took us through the Back Bay, Beacon Hill, the West End, over to East Cambridge, and into the Charles River, giving a rare waterside view of the city. Along the way, the guide gave us another nutshell overview of Boston’s 400-year history and main sights.

Dinner was then taken in the lively China Town neighbourhood, packed with Asian eateries, food markets, bakeries and gift shops. After an exhausting but thoroughly enjoyable day, we headed back to our hotel nearby for a well-earned rest.

The next day we set off on the «T» system and shuttle bus to reach the JFK Museum and Library out at Columbia Point, on Boston Bay. Dedicated to the memory of J.F. Kennedy, the museum utilizes large-screen projections, interactive displays, re-mastered films and original artefacts from his youth, early political career and his 1000 days in office. It provides for a fascinating overview of the dramatic events in America in the early 60’s and his part in them. JFK was a indeed a true visionary and leader, despite his flaws, and his tragic destiny continues to provoke speculation and controversy to this day. The museum is well worth a visit, even if little to nothing covers the final dramatic events of his short life.

Boston has much to offer in many respects - history, culture, the arts, gastronomy, shopping - and has a great urbane vibe, even if it still feels dominated by universities, hospitals and sports. It also has more of a European feel than any other city in the US that we have visited. It could well be also one of the more expensive and not wishing to put an irreparable hole in our budget, we said goodbye to Boston for now and headed off to the next stop on our travels: Toronto.