Neal Family Vacation, Boston Day 5 (Friday)

Friday was a fun day. We took the bus out to find Pluto in the community solar system. They got their rubbing and where very happy.

Then back in Boston at the harbor we took a harbor tour to Spectacle Island and *** Island. Spectacle Island use to be a garbage dump. They sealed it off and used the dirt from the I-93 "Big Dig" in Boston to cap it off and return the island to a more natural state. From the top you can get a really great picture of Boston across the Harbor. The kids and Josie even did a little wading in the harbor water at the beach. Swimming didn't open for another week so ankle deep is all they could do.






Georges Island is an old fort. Lots of fun discovering old passages to rooms deep within the structure. We missed our intended ferry off the island and ended up having to wait an hour for the last one of the night. It was kind of nice to relax and just sit for a while.








Once back in Boston we got to eat dinner at the famous Boston Legal Seafood Restaurant. Fresh seafood is really good.

Then after dinner we went and found Uranus and Jupiter, the last two planets we didn't have yet, that where still available. Saturn and Neptune had been returned to the Museum as the building they where in are under construction.

Finally, we had seen everything we came to see and found enough stuff that we couldn't do to spend another week.

Neal Family Vacation, Boston Day 4 (Thrusday)

Thursday there were many celebrations and parades to mark the Celtics winning the NBA championships, so we decided to leave town for the day.

We drove out to Old Sturbridge Village. This is a small village that is set in the time 1790 - 1840. the "Interpreters" are all in costume and character. They will come out of character a little to explain things sometimes, like to them the "cars" means the Steam Locomotive (train). It is a functioning village with all old authentic buildings and about everything needed to run a village in 1790. Many of the building have been acquired and moved to the village, some of them are original to the village location. There is a Saw mill, grist mill, and carding mill all run by the small damed pond there in the village. They use these to make the boards to repair the village and make new buildings if required, grind up the feed for the animals and make flour for their own bread and to "card" the wool for spinning into thread to make cloth and clothes. Everything is made in the village. Ethan and Corinne even caught a fish in the pond. Unfortunately we forgot to get Ethan in the picture, but he baited the line and cast it out, then Corinne pulled the fish out as Ethan had placed the hook just right with his "cast."

Neal Family Vacation, Boston Day 3 (Wednesday)

Wednesday we decided to start walking again. We went to see the Constitution First. Unfortunately they are doing some restoration work on it, so it is not at it's full glory. It was really neat to see the ship anyway.








After that we hiked up to Bunker Hill monument and somehow figured we would walk up to the top. 294 stairs later I was sweating like a horse and feeling every muscle object to being out of shape. The kids liked it though. Pretty good view of Boston from up there out the little windows at the top.









After that we went to the Liberty Trail again through North Side. We visited the Old North Church where the lanterns where hung to signal the British where coming by sea. We visited the Paul Revere house, the oldest timber structure in Boston and of course got some souvenirs.

Neal Family Vacation Boston (Day 2: Tuesday)

Tuesday we decided that we didn't want to be walking on the stubs we had left for feet, so we went to the Museum of Science. The transportation powers that be where definitely against us that day. It took us 2 hours to get from the hotel to the museum.

We purchased Boston Duck Tour tickets first then went into the museum. This is a fun museum with many many many hands on exhibits for kids, which are fun no matter what your age.

We saw many exhibits and then the Indoor Lightning show. This show is produced with the original Van De Graff Machine which happens to be the biggest in the the world.

That was, fun, but we had to run out to catch our Duc Tour of Boston. These tours are given in D.U.C.K.S., WWII amphibious landing vehicles.

Josie, Corinne and Ethan all got to drive the DUCK on the Charles River.

Then we went back to the Museum for the rest of the day. At the end of the day we saw the IMAX Grand Canyon Adventure film. It was really cool visually, and a political activist film about the Colorado River, still cool visually.



After the Museum closed we visited the first planets in the community solar system that is hosted by the Museum of Science. The kids got their rubbings just like they saw on the Fetch with Ruff Ruffman show on PBS.

Neal Family Vacation to Boston, MA (Day 1: Monday)

We embarked on the Freedom Trail. We saw the New State House, only in boston would a 200+ year old building be called new, but there you go.

Then we went to the Park Street church/meeting house.

Then on to the Granery Burial Ground. This is where Paul Revere, John Hancock and a raft of other famous people are buried.

This was put into mark the place of the first public school in the New World. Ben Franklin is probably the most famous drop-out of this school. Other attendees included John and Samuel Adams, John Hancock and more.


















Then it was on to the Old South Meeting house. Many a meeting took place here to discuss the subject of revolution and Independence from England.

Then one of the more fascinating buildings and sites in Boston, the Old State House

It was here in this square where the Boston Massacre took place and the crowds gathered for the reading of the Declaration of Independence.

We ended up at Fanueil (prounouced by Bostonians as fannel) Hall. A market on the first floor, a grand meeting hall on the second and the attic is the home to the Armory Musuem of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company. That statue is Samuel Adams the "Architect of the Revolution".







Very tired feet. Lots of walking.

Maybe we can let folks know what is going on

Well, here it is. A blog to keep family and friends updated about the goings on of the Neal Family out here in Atlanta.

Don't know how often it will be used, but we can try eh?

Allan