Tag Archives: tourist

Faneuil Hall

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Faneuil Hall is part of the area of Boston known as Quincy Market. Since it’s origins in 1742 Faneuil hall has served as a market place and meeting hall.

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The gilded grasshopper weather vane on top of the building was created by Deacon Shem Drowne in 1742. Gilded with a gold leaf, the copper weather vane weighs eighty pounds and is four feet long. The weather vane is believed to be modeled after the grasshopper weather vane on the London Royal Exchange.

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The Grasshopper is a well known symbol of Boston. During the Revolution suspected spies were asked to identify the object at the top of Faneuil Hall. If they couldn’t identify the Grasshopper they were detained as spies.

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The bell was repaired in 2007 by spraying the frozen clapper with WD 40 over the course of a week and attaching a rope. Prior to this repair, the last known ringing of the bell with its clapper was at the end of World War II, in 1945, though it had since been rung several times by striking with a mallet

On Oct 9, 1960 Faneuil Hall was designated a National Historic Landmark.

On November 6, 1979, Faneuil Hall was the site of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy’s speech declaring his candidacy for president.

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Faneuil Hall is now part of a larger festival marketplace, Faneuil Hall Marketplace, which includes three long granite buildings called North Market, Quincy Market, and South Market, and which now operates as an indoor/outdoor mall and food eatery.  Its success in the late 1970s led to the emergence of similar marketplaces in other U.S. cities.

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If you visit Boston, this area is a top tourist attraction. Fanueil Hall is a stop on Boston’s Freedom Trail and the market place is always busy with street entertainers, push carts, and lots of food vendors. A personal favorite of mine is the “Boston Chip Yard” where old fashion home made chocolate chip cookies come warm from the ovens! Yummmm!

Sometimes Betsy Ross or Ben Franklin even make an appearance!

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Some say it’s become an expensive tourist trap but it’s still not to be missed and even I, after living here more than 30 years, still enjoy a trek there now and then. 🙂

Haddam CT

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Since my Riverquest cruise left from the boat dock at Eagle Landing State Park in Haddam, I thought it might be worthwhile to check out this little town while I was here. It seems there’s something for everyone.

Sportsmen can go fishing on the Connecticut river or boaters can go boating.

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Birders can take the Riverquest cruises and look for eagles and osprey and other birds of sea and shore.

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Architecture buffs can lose themselves in the Village of East Haddam, filled with beautifully maintained historic homes and businesses.

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The premier example is the Goodspeed Opera house still a fully functional theater located right on the river.

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Engineers can marvel over the Haddam Swing Bridge,  a steel, movable  truss bridge composed of two main spans crossing the Connecticut River.

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Of course East Haddam is home to the unique Gillette Castle  and Gillette Castle State Park. Picnic, walk trails and explore the grounds. The intricate architecture and beautiful surroundings seem to appeal to all.

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Nature is represented everywhere in East Haddam. There’s nothing like a sunset dinner while watching the world go by on the Connecticut River.

For a sleepy little town there’s plenty to do. Other attractions close by include Nathan Hale House and the oldest bell in America. ( housed in the belfry of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church.)

The Nature Conservancy calls East Haddam  “One of the last great places.” So take some time to drop in for a visit to a classic New England Village and surroundings.

The Walled City of Tulum

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True to the guidebooks’ promise the little shuttle dropped us at the entry to the ruins of Tulum but we hadn’t caught up to Paula and the rest of our group yet.

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We had a new guide who was very considerate and kind. We had some stone stairs to climb before we actually reached the main ruins and he graciously helped some of the older guests as I helped a lady who had somehow attached herself to me. He never rushed anyone and always asked if we were ok.

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Finally we saw the site spread out before us. Paula and our group were off the path ahead of us so our guide sent us to rejoin them and he went back for the next tram.

The site spreading out before us was impressive.

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Paula was pointing out the various structures and points of interest before turning us lose to explore on our own.

While she was giving us a history an animal ran out from a clump of trees.

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Of course I had to interrupt by loudly asking “What’s That?” and pointing.  Paula looked and quickly dismissed  it as being “our raccoon”.

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It didn’t look like any raccoon I’d ever seen but before I could get a picture one of the other guests stepped between me and the animal.   According to the internet it’s a coatimundi and it is called the Mexican Raccon.

Finally Paula pointed us in the direction of the beach and told us when we were done to come back to the bus. She gave us a time because we had to get back to the ship or end up staying in Mexico.