Wednesday, October 30, 2024

We’ve been to Boston before, and have already experienced some of the main attractions: The Freedom Trail, Faneuil Hall, USS Constitution, Bunker Hill, etc. We even had drinks at the Bull & Finch Pub, whose exterior was used for the old sitcom “Cheers.” The Pub was renamed Cheers in 2002.

Prior to Europeans, the Boston area was inhabited by the Massachusett people, for whom the state is named. The name means “At the Great Hill.” After Europeans arrived, many of the native people died of various illnesses, and the fertile lands were mostly taken over by British settlers.

The area was settled by Europeans in 1625, and Boston became incorporated as a town just five years later. Boston was a Puritan stronghold, and with their focus on education, the first American public school was established in 1635 – Boston Latin School.

Today, the population of Boston is about 650,000. The population peaked at just over 800,000 in 1950, declined significantly for a couple of decades, and seems to be growing again. It is home to several renowned universities – Harvard, MIT, Tufts – plus more than 50 other colleges and universities. Boston’s ten largest employers are all medical facilities, including Brigham and Women’s, Massachusetts General, Beth Israel, and Boston Children’s.

Before docking around noon today, we enjoyed two presentations. The first was by Bill Cashell on the Salem Witch Trials, titled “Terrified Towns – Tales of Witches & Vampires of New England.’ We had hoped to do an excursion to Salem on this cruise, but the town of Salem is overcrowded at Halloween, so it was not an option.

Our second presentation was by General Nick Halley, about the “Islamic Republic Iran – Quest for Mideast Domination – Future Nuclear Power?” This is certainly disturbing, and General Halley does an excellent job of presenting the situation in layperson’s terms.

After a mandatory Immigration inspection, we headed to the Quincy Market area for a while, did a little shopping for those items we forgot to pack. Even with a checklist, we forget things. I wonder how much worse it would be if we didn’t have that checklist!! While there, we came across an Irish Famine Memorial. I’m always interested in that, since some of my own ancestors came during the famine.

We walked through Boston Common, hoping to see the Swan Boats, but, of course, it’s too late in the year for them. Nonetheless, the park was lovely, with lots of people enjoying a beautiful fall day.