From Boston to Canada We Go!

Thursday, July 8—Day 11

After a tasty continental breakfast we head to the Metro station. Once again we become completely lost and never find the right Metro station. However, we do eventually find a Metro station (by this point any Metro station will do, thank you!). We figure out how to purchase the right tickets and board the Metro to get to start of the Freedom Trail. It's another hot, humid day, but we are determined to conquer the Boston.

The trail begins at Boston Common, which in the 1600s was used as common grazing land for cattle. It is here that we learn why the streets of Boston are so difficult to navigate. The grazing cattle were allowed to roam free and the eventually made paths that the people followed to find the cows and because it was easier to follow the cow path than to create a new path when going from place to place. As time went by, these paths became the roads of Boston. As the woman who told us this story said, it can be said from practical experience that it is best not to have cows lay out your city!

Next we see the Massachusetts State House with its golden dome. The State House was completed in 1798 at a cost of $133,333 (more than five times the original budget---sounds just like building projects today, doesn't it?). John Hancock, the first governor of Massachusetts and the famous patriot signer of the Declaration of Independence, originally owned the land where the State House sits. The dome was not gilded when the building was first completed. In 1802 Paul Revere & Sons was commissioned to cover the dome with copper to prevent water leaks. In 1874 the dome was gilded with 23-carat gold leaf.

We move from the State House to Park Street Church, which was built in 1809. For many years after it was built, the 217-foot steeple was the first landmark seen upon approaching Boston. The church was nicknamed "Brimstone Corner," both in reference to the fire-and-brimstone sermons delivered from the pulpit and to the gunpowder that was stored in the crypt during the war of 1812. This Congregational church was established to counter the growing Unitarian movement of the 1800s in order to refocus on the orthodox tenets of Christianity. The church was built so that from the windows of the sanctuary the State House is clearly seen to the left and the Granary Burying Ground to the right as a reminder of the work that needs to be done in this world while we are alive and the promise to come of life in eternity. All of the people answering questions in the church were members of the church who volunteer their time to share the rich history and ongoing mission of the church.

Several things about the church make our visit special. First, the history of the church in the American civil rights movement is striking. On July 4, 1829, abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison gave his first public anti-slavery address at the church. To this day the church actively promotes equality and human rights. Second, on July 4, 1831, the hymn America (better known as My Country 'Tis of Thee) was first sung on the church steps. Third, the church has a strong evangelical focus in which it reaches out to people in need, not only providing food and comfort, but also offering numerous classes to teach people to read and write and learn the skills necessary to live independently. In the visitor's center at the church we watch a film in which the church clergy and members explain why Park Street church is important to them. The film is so well done and inspiring that I purchase a copy to share with the elders of Sunnyvale Presbyterian Church.

Next we see King's Chapel, an Anglican Church build under an order from King James II in 1688. By 1749 the church was too small for the congregation, so the current Georgian chapel was built around the original church. After the Georgian chapel was built, the smaller wooden church was removed and was reconstructed as a church in another town. Olivia is entranced by the enclosed pews in the church and insists on having her picture taken sitting in one of the pew boxes!

We continue past the first public school in Boston and visit the Old Corner Bookstore. Although it is no longer a bookstore, there is a wonderful display of hand-bound books, beautifully crafted wood furniture, and a refurbished grand piano. The docent showed Hilary and Olivia how the sound box of a piano works by placing a small (1.5-inch square) hurdy gurdy on the inside of the piano and playing it. When the hurdy gurdy is placed on the piano and played, the music is clearly heard. When the hurdy gurdy is placed on a table and played it can barely be heard!

We pass the Old South Meeting House, which is the second oldest church in Boston and was the largest building in colonial Boston. Many of the crucial events that led up to the American Revolution took place here. On December 16, 1773, more than 5000 people gathered to protest the tax on tea. During the British occupation of Boston in 1775-76, British troops desecrated the church by using it as a stable and riding school, and serving drinks from the balcony. The pulpit and pews were used as firewood and the library was used for kindling.

Next we visit the National Park information center and pick up junior ranger packets for Hilary and Olivia to complete. Adjacent to the information center is the Old State House, which was built in 1713 and is the oldest surviving public building in Boston. The State House played a central role in our revolutionary history from it's role as the location of the Boston Massacre in 1770 to the reading of the Declaration of Independence from the east balcony in July 1776. In the Boston massacre five colonists were killed by British troops, including Crispus Attucks, who was the first Black American to die for the patriotic cause.

We pass Faneuil Hall, which was donated to the city by wealthy merchant Peter Faneuil in 1742. The hall served as a meeting place and public open-air market and was the place where Bostonians first began to voice their opposition to British authority. We made sure to say hello to Gus the grasshopper perched atop the hall on the wind vane. Bostonians have continued to gather at Faneuil Hall to debate the abolition of slavery, women's rights, temperance, and nearly every war since 1812.

We stop briefly at Faneuil Hall to enjoy a fruit smoothie and cool down a bit before continuing our Freedom Trail trek. The temperature is withering, but I'm proud of Hilary and Olivia because they aren't giving up! We move on to the Paul Revere house. The house was built around 1680 and was 90 years old when Paul Revere purchased it in 1770. Revere lived in the house with his first and second wives, their 16 children (the most children who lived in the house at any one time was 8), and Revere's mother. Only 11 of the 16 children lived to adulthood. The house was built by a wealthy Boston merchant and although it had only 4 rooms it was considered quite spacious and elegant with its high ceilings.

After Paul Revere sold the house it became tenement housing for the many immigrants entering the country. Throughout the 19^th century hundreds of immigrant families made the Revere house their home. Eventually it was remodeled to have shops on the ground floor and two one-room apartments on the second floor. In 1902 Paul Revere's great-grandson purchased the building to keep it from being demolished. In 1907 renovation of the house began and in 1908 the Paul Revere House was opened to the public.

About this time in our walk along the Freedom Trail Olivia badly needs to use the bathroom. Unfortunately, there are no public bathrooms near the Revere house. A store merchant says to try the firehouse near the Old North Church, so we sprint that way. When we arrive at the firehouse one of the firefighters took one look at Olivia's face and said, "We don't have a public restroom, but you can use ours. It's clear that you need it more than we do!" After using the restroom, Olivia and I look through the firehouse and see the firefighters boots, pants and coats laid out neatly near the fire trucks and ready for a speedy departure in case of a fire.

We rejoin Marshal and Hilary near Old North Church, where we see the steeple where the two lanterns were hung to signal the beginning of Paul Revere's famous ride. The church has the first bells brought to the Colonies. We find the Revere pew in the church and appreciate the beautiful 18^th century brass chandeliers. In the courtyard behind Old North church is a moving memorial to all of the fallen soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq. The memorial is made up of several screens of dog tags hanging on wires. There is one dog tag for each soldier who has died.

Leaving Old North Church we pass Copp's Hill Burying Ground, where we believe that some of the Merriam ancestors are buried (we'll ask Grandpa Marshal about this when we get to Bacon Island in Maine).

From the burying ground we cross the river to see the U.S.S. Constitution. By this time we are terribly hot and reaching the end of our water supply, so we have to make quite an effort muster the enthusiasm to visit the Constitution, especially poor Olivia. We manage to get in on the last tour of the ship, and although it is wiltingly hot below the decks, we are glad we made the effort. I have been on the Constitution several times before, but this was the first time I was able to see the captain's quarters. Some of us stayed after the tour to ask questions and the sailor who led our tour unlocked the captain's quarters and let us go in. Olivia perked up when she was allowed to sit in the window seat of the captain's berth. On our way

out, the ranger checks Hilary's junior ranger booklet and swears her in

as a junior ranger. Olivia is too tired to finish the last couple of pages, so the ranger quietly gives me an extra badge and gives me the authority to swear Olivia in as a ranger when she finishes the last few questions!

We leave the Constitution and walk the quarter mile to catch the ferry across the harbor to the Metro station. When we get off the Metro it's nearly 7:00 p.m. we decide to find a place to eat along Revere Beach. As we drive along we come across the restaurant we had been looking for the night before when we got lost, Kelly's at the Beach. We park, order our fish and chips, and eat at the beach while we watch the sunset. Because the sun sets in the west, the light over the Atlantic

Ocean is muted and peaceful. The horizon slowly changes from a pale blue to light orange and then a stunning pink-orange just before going grey.

We finish our fish and chips and head back to the hotel. On the way back we get lost (what's new in Boston?) and get stuck on a two-lane road to Saugus with no way to turn around. Exhausted as I drive, I moan, "But we didn't want to go to Saugus!" Hilary and Olivia find great humor in that line. Little do I know then that my exasperated comment will be repeated many times on our vacation.

Friday, July 9—Day 12

After breakfast we load the car and head north to Maine and New Brunswick. This is a driving day because we need to get to St. Stephen, New Brunswick, this evening. We stop in Waterville, Maine, for a late lunch at Governor's Restaurant (Hilary and Olivia's favorite restaurant in Maine). After lunch we stop at Walmart and buy an ice chest, groceries, a sheet to use as a tablecloth, and two warm throw blankets to use in the car and on the Newfoundland ferries. We stop at the post office and mail a birthday package to my Mom and to mail home a box of books and other items we've collected on the trip.

Later in the evening we stop in Lincoln, Maine, for a quick dinner and Marshal calls Jeff to arrange things for our arrival at the island in August. We depart Lincoln and follow a two-lane road to Calais, Maine. The scenery along the road is lovely with rolling hillsides and lakes every so often. We stop once to get Marshal's backpack from the back of the car and mosquitoes swarm into the car—a quick reminder of why we go to Bacon Island in August, not July!

We cross the border into Canada at Calais and make it to our hotel in St. Stephen, New Brunswick. The Scoodic Motel is comfortable and clean and we tuck into bed for a good night's sleep.

Saturday, July 10—Day 13

We awake and have a nice breakfast at the Scoodic Motel. We meet Elvis the cat and he accepts the girls patting and cooing with tremendous grace. We ask the owner of the hotel what "scoodic" means and he tells us that in the language of the Maliseet Indians it means "fire and warmth."

It has rained during the night and is still cloudy. The air is heavy with humidity. We begin our drive to St. John, New Brunswick, and enjoy the beautiful forest as we drive along. It only takes about 1.5 hours to reach St. John. We locate our hotel and head to the Reversing Falls. The Reversing Falls are where the St. Stephen River meets the ocean water from the Bay of Fundy. Because the entrance to the river is so narrow and the pull of the tides from the Bay of Fundy are so great, the water reverses direction at the low and high tides. When we arrive it is high tide and the water is at its highest point. The whirlpools in the falls are strong and

moving at a tremendous speed. We walk down to the lower observation point and then watch a movie about the forces that create the Reversing Falls. We make dinner reservations at the restaurant overlooking the falls so we can come back at see the water at low tide.

After leaving the Reversing Falls we look for a place for lunch. We find a little seafood restaurant and have fish and chips. Marshal has "poutine," which is French fries with cheese curds and gravy. Not food you should eat everyday…

Costco is near the restaurant and we decide to stop there and withdraw some money from their ATM (the server at the restaurant tells us that is the closest ATM). When Marshal puts his debit card into the ATM machine, it malfunctions and eats the card. When we ask for help we are informed that the card is automatically shredded when the machine keeps it! We are mortified at the loss of access to Marshal's account, which we were counting on to provide the cash for our trip in Canada.

We look for a bank that will take my debit card or cash a check and none of the Canadian banks will work with us because we don't have accounts with them. We spend a good deal of the afternoon reporting the loss of Marshal's card to our credit union and trying to arrange a replacement card. We also explore other options to access our accounts. In all the times we have been to Canada, we have never run into a problem using our debit cards.

Later in the evening we have dinner overlooking the Reversing Falls. The water has dropped more than 28 feet!

After the girls go to bed, Marshal searches the Internet to find Canadian banks that will accept my debit card and he finds a few large banks that we'll be able to visit during our time in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. It is a relief to know that I'll be able to use my card on the trip to provide all the cash we'll need. I finish our laundry and we call it a night. Tomorrow we head to Fundy National Park!