Boston + Salem + Plymouth

Our final major destination before we returned home was Boston, located a good two hour bus ride away. bus fares were so cheap, I wondered who would actually fly from NY to Boston.

Boston, like Philadelphia, has a very rich history, where important historical events like the Boston Tea Party and crucial battles had happened. Hence the main attraction of Boston is the Freedom Trail, a marked path along the streets of Boston that leads to historically significant buildings and events. It starts from the Boston Common, the oldest park in the United States, through churches and graveyards, and ends at the USS Constitution, the world's oldest commissioned naval vessel.

Like all major cities, Boston has a comprehensive subway system that helped us get around places easily.

Our first stop in Boston: JFK Presidential Library and Museum, located in the University of Massachusetts. 

Boston Public Garden.

We walked the full Boston Freedom Trail, starting from the Boston Common.

Old State House. I think this was the balcony where the Declaration of Independence was first read out to the people of Boston.

Site of the Boston Massacre.

Quincy Market. This was quite like the Reading Terminal Market at Philadelphia.

While at Boston we visited MIT and Harvard University as well. MIT felt a little like NUS, open concept style with no clear boundaries. Harvard was the direct opposite. Tall gates and fences marked the Harvard territories clearly.

MIT Museum. There was an impressive exhibition on artificial intelligence, but too bad we didn't have enough time to go through all the exhibits.

The Ray and Maria Stata Center at MIT.

Just outside MIT overlooking Charles River.

Harvard University.

Besides Boston itself, we also took quick train rides down to nearby Salem, which is well known for its witch hunting practises, and Plymouth, where we went on a whale watching tour.

At Salem we went to the Witch Museum, which turned out to be small and rather disappointing.

We had time to kill since the Witch Museum was smaller than expected, so we visited the Peabody Essex Museum, an art museum, which turned out to be better than the Witch Museum.

At Plymouth we went whale watching!

It was an amazing experience!

Following us on the whale watching tour was a biologist who was an expert in whales. Throughout the trip she was telling us more about whales, like how the patterns on the tails of whales were unique, just like our fingerprints, thus they use the tail patterns to tell different whales apart. And I have no idea how, but she had the ability to instantly tell us the name of the whales just by looking at the tail patterns that appeared and disappeared in a moment.

We ended our tour at Plymouth by walking along a breakwater at the Town Wharf.

Boston, for some reason, gave me a rather tranquil feel, even though our hostel was right beside some pubs haha. I guess the presence of educational institutions like Harvard and MIT add a certain feel to Boston. Like Philadelphia, it was easy and safe to navigate and walk around, in the day and at night. But I feel Boston lacks a little of the hustle and bustle that Philadelphia offers. It gets a little..too quiet at night.

Boston + Salem + Plymouth