Historical Studies Tour

My wife said that I should post something about the trip I'm on with my son and his classmates. I figured that would be as good a reason as any to resurrect this blog!

We are on a 9-day trip to the East Coast, visiting sites important in our country's history. It's called a "Historical Studies Tour." We flew today to Boston, Mass, and despite the image you might have of spending nearly five hours on a plane with 42 eight-graders, it was a smooth flight, and nobody was threatened with being shoved down into the cargo bay. At least, not seriously.

Once at Logan Inernational, we met our tour guide, Mr. Pfister, and boarded the bus that will be our limousine for the next several days. We drove to a restaurant, called "Old Country Buffet." I think it may be part of the same chain as Hometown Buffet in our area, but I'd have to say that the quality of the food is somewhat better. And, if you can believe it, we got in and out with all 42 kids, 10 chaperones, two teachers, tour guide, and bus driver in just over 50 minutes!

After dinner, we drove back into downtown Boston, and were let off the bus at Boston Common, the famous and historic city park across from the Massachusetts State House and other significant buildings, and walked along the Freedom Trail, led by Mr. Pfister, who walks with more energy than all of the kids put together. We walked from the Common, past the State House, the Park Street Church and Granary Burying Ground, King's Chapel and Burying Ground, the Parker House (home of Boston Creme Pie!), the Old South Meeting House, the Old State House (site of the Boston Massacre, as well as many other important revolutionary meetings), and finally ended up outside Faneuil Hall. Interesting places, and Mr. Pfister seems to really know his stuff!

Tonight and tomorrow night, we're in a hotel just a bit south of downtown Boston. Tomorrow, we'll finish the Freedom Trail, have lunch at the Quincy Markets, and go on to the Plimoth Plantation for touring and a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

We'll be moving on after that to visit New York (very briefly), then Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and the surrounding area, and finally Gettysburg. I'll post more reports as I go, and maybe a picture or two. I'm putting a few incidental pictures up via Twitter, which you can see at http://www.twitter.com/eltsac.