Every couple years, M and I go on a mini-vacation for our anniversary.  Last year, it was Philadelphia; a couple years before that, Charleston, SC.  This year, we went to Boston, and I remembered to bring my camera, and to actually snap some photos!

And now, I’ma afflict them on you.

This is the Copley stop on the green line in Boston.  Most of the things we went to see were on the green line– we were very impressed with the public transportation system in Boston.  It was in use all morning long, and a bit crowded.  The DC metro is generally not crowded because few people make use of it.  Anyway– this is just to point out the incongruity of the appearance of the stop, and the experience we had with the subway.  Appearance == bad;  experience == not terrible.

Shot of some of Boston’s architecture.  Boston is a pretty city,  mostly.  We wandered around it quite a bit.  Like lots of cities these days, it’s afflicted with Big-Store-itis (does there have to be a Best Buy on every corner?); but it’s still a beautiful place to spend a couple warm summer days.

Penguins at the Boston aquarium.  These little guys were the best exhibit in the whole aquarium, four-story coral reef notwithstanding.  Did you know that penguins can projectile poop?

I didn’t either.

We’d been walking around all Friday morning and afternoon; the Duck Tours offered a welcome respite for our feet.  This was one of the more enjoyable parts of our trip; the conductor was funny, engaging, and seemed very knowledgeable.  Also, the frikkin’ thing goes in the water like a frikkin’ BOAT!

Me, looking down at the ground for some reason.  We went to Plimouth Plantation on Saturday, and had a great time in the olde tymey setting.  I monopolized a carpenter for about a half hour, asking him question after question after question.  He was a good sport about it.  Plimouth Plantation’s schtick is that they’ve got a group of Native Americans in a village designed the way it would have been in the 1600s; and a group of Europeans in a village designed to run the way a colonial village would have run in the 1600s.  It compares favorably with Jamestown/Williamsburg in Virginia.

The Mayflower II, in Plymouth.  Note the ‘Y.’  🙂

As advertised, this is the Salem Witch Museum.  M had been there before; I had not.  I was a little disappointed in this exhibit because it tried so hard to be…oh, what’s the word…conciliatory.  Yep– the pilgrims screwed up.  Yep– they acted out of fear and superstition.

No, there’s no reason that I should believe that neo-paganism today is anything like what the Celtic druids practiced in ancient Ireland.  That wiccan today is a religion is fine; no problems.  Cast all the spells you want.  But please– claiming that your religion is ancient?  No, alas, it’s pretty modern.  And there’s nothing wrong with that.

Also in Salem, we went to the House of Seven Gables.  We weren’t allowed to take photos of the interior, but let me tell you– it has a secret staircase.  Neat-o.

Boats anchored/docked in Salem.  Everyone and his brother has a boat in Massachusetts, apparently.

That was our trip.  We had a great time.