Boston, Trinity Church and King's Chapel

Continuing our little walking tour of Boston... On our way to the Public Gardens and the Common, we stopped by Trinity Church on Clarendon St. to take a few photos. 

 

I wish I had taken more photos as this is one of the most beautiful pieces of architecture in the city. 

 I've come across some old photos online dating back to the 1800's when there were horses and carriages on the street beside the church.

 

Oh, how times have changed....

 The courtyard inside the wrought iron gate is stunning in its simplicity.

 

Looking at the courtyard, you'd think we were in an isolated location...

 

... rather than amid the hustle and bustle of Copley Square, one of Boston's busiest locations...

 

... where new, old, and even older still live harmoniously alongside each other.

 

After stopping at Trinity Church we walked through the Public Cardens and Common to visit the old Granary Burying Ground, shared in yesterday's post.

 

It was then on to King's Chapel on Tremont Street.

We were happy to find it open to the public the day we stopped by.

The King's Chapel Burial Ground, right next door dates back to 1630 and boasts Mary Chilton, the first women to step off the Mayflower as well as Elizabeth Pain, whose headstone was the inspiration for some of the passages in Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Scarlet Letter" to name just a few...

 

Throughout Boston you will find wrought iron gates and fences, in every imaginable style. I find them to be so beautiful (King's Chapel Burying Ground behind fence)...

 

Ivy cascading through the lower section of the wrought iron fence at King's Chapel Burying Ground.

 

In my next post I'll share a bit of Quincy Market and Newbury Street with you.

Here's the first section if you are interested:

Boston Public Garden, Boston Common, Old Granary Burial Ground

 

Have a beautiful Sunday, everyone!

 

Donna

Strolling through Boston on a Crisp Autumn Day

Seeing my favorite city with my favorite girls!

Several weeks ago we decided to meet up with our girls in Boston to do our own walking tour of Boston along the Freedom Trail. This is Beacon Street as viewed from the Boston Common (think NYC Central Park, but dollhouse sized).

We left our car in the garage on Clarendon Street and then walked down Boylston.

We walked up through the Public Gardens into the Common where the girls posed for pix with the State House in the background.

We then wound our way around the pond where people were feeding the ducks and swans.

 

It was the most glorious October day, sunny with bright blue skies.
(And, I might add, it was a tad nippy!).

 

We could have spent a lot more time with these guys, but we had a lot of ground to cover.

 

A quick stop at the fountain...

 

...and then it was time to head out of the Commons.

 

Next stop, the old Granary Burying Ground which dates back to 1660.

 

Amanda, finishing off her veggie sandwich before heading into the burying ground.

 

There were several organized tours going on and we may do one of those in the spring.

 

But for today, we meandered and investigated at our own speed.

 

So many old markers...

 

... each one different than the last...

 

This probably would have been a good post for the month of October...

 

I'll share more of our walk in my next post.

Boston is a very small, walkable city and I hope we can meet

up with the girls and do this a lot more often in the future!

 

I'm linking up to A Favorite Thing Saturday

with Claudia at Mockingbird Hill Cottage.

Be sure to stop over and share one of your favorite things!!

 

Have a great weekend, everyone,

 

Donna

Quincy Market, Faneuil Hall, Durgin Park & Newbury Street

I think I'm going to wrap up our walking tour of Boston with this post.

Again, we had such a great time last month getting together with our girls in the city. October is the perfect month for doing this kind of walk (especially if the high humidity and temps of the summer just drain you, as they do me!)

 

After leaving King's Chapel we headed toward Quincy Market.

Here are the girls standing in front of a statue of Samuel Adams.

The old Faneuil Hall meeting house, in the background, dates back to 1742.

The whole Quincy Market area is a feast for the eyes. I love the blend of old and new architecture.

 

And you never know who you'll see walking by!

 

We decided to stop and grab a bite to eat...

 

... and when I spotted Durgin Park I was very excited as I hadn't eaten there since the 70's.

 

Can anything live up to past, nostalgic memories?

Probably not.

I enjoyed our time at Durgin Park more for spending time with my family than our actual meals. We're really pinching pennies these days so we opted for the least expensive items on the menu. I got a simple fish sandwich which was good, but nothing spectacular.

Back in the 70's the dining area had communal tables and the wait staff was not known for making you feel welcome (that was a part of the charm - it was a no-nonsense place to get great food).

On this day, parties were all seated at their own separate tables. No more shared conversations with people from other states or countries. And our young waiter was charming, which one should never complain about (although, admittedly, I did long for an older, curmudgeonly waitress to make it seem more like old times!)

 

Amanda with the almost life-size mural downstairs of some of the original employees. Clearly their brusque ways were a put on as they all look delightful in this photograph!

 

Unfortunately lunch took a bit longer than expected, and since Court had plans to go to a corn maze later that afternoon, we quickly headed back to Newbury Street so she could meet up with her friends.

 

We said our goodbyes to Court and then headed back up Newbury St. to the parking garage...

 

... with me taking pictures all along the way.

 

It was such a fantastic way to spend this spectacular autumn day, with the bluest of skies and not a cloud in sight.

 

I think if I lived in the city, having an apartment above a shop on Newbury Street would be one of my top 3 locations!

 

Maybe in any one of these!! A girl can dream, right?

 

I hope you enjoyed this little 3-part tour through Boston.

I feel so fortunate to live so close to this beautiful city!

 

Wishing you all a beautiful week!

 

Donna

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