Harvard, MIT, some history and some good food!

Day 23 Friday June 17th


**Currently, Saturday July 16th, we are now on our way back home, having headed the car in the westerly direction for the first time since May 26th! We will be stopping in to see family in Chicago, Des Moines and Omaha and then we will be HOME!! I think I’ll be blogging about this trip until Christmas!**

So, our last day in Cape Cod and we knew we needed to go into Boston. There was so much left to see and the boys wanted to see the MIT and Harvard campuses as well. So into the van we piled and readied ourselves to enjoy (hah….Bill and I readied, the kids griped about walking) the overcast day in Boston. We made our way to the MIT campus-Jacob was interested in seeing that. Did you know that tuition and fees for the 2010-2011 school year came in at $39, 212?!!

Next up, Harvard for Gregory. But first, we had to find a store to purchase the ‘Harvard souvenir’. We found one of their bookstores and boy, they had some great book bargains downstairs. The kids walked out with some books for the car, but no hat for Gregory.

We went to a different, more expensive store for that!! I have to say that the campus and general area around the colleges is really beautiful and so easy to imagine students walking around to classes, sitting with friends, sitting with a nose buried in a book. However, the tuition costs are enough to choke a horse! Tuition and fees for the 2011-2012 school year will come in at an oh-so-NOT-affordable $52,650….choke, choke, choke….

We talked about walking the Freedom Trail in its entirety but chose to drive to first stop-the Battle of Bunker monument. Pretty much looked exactly like a mini Washington monument!

After finding parking and reaping the benefits of shopping at an American Greetings store that was going out of business…..90% off all merchandise, including cards-we bought about $800 worth of cards/merchandise for $80, SUWEEET!......we headed to down town to follow the Freedom Trail to some of the historical sites. As with most historical sites, there were plenty of cemeteries to visit. Some with fascinating history behind them-

this cemetery held the graves of Benjamin Franklin’s parents and Sam Adam, among other notable historical figures.

A better close up of the balcony where the Declaration of Independence was read.

Can you imagine being in the crowd with hundreds and hundreds of others, looking up and listening to a document being read that represented the birth of our country? Incredible to think about-

After walking back towards the car-quickly since we were parked at a meter that was going to run out of time soon-the boys found a teeshirt stand with Harvard and MIT gear. Jacob bought a MIT tee shirt and Gregory bought a grey Harvard hoodie. Happy boys they were. Of course, the guy wouldn’t budge on prices and only took cash. We dug through pockets and purses and camera bags and came up $2 short. So Bill said he’d run back to the car and rescue us from getting a parking ticket, then he’d drive back by us, throw money out the window at the guy and we could jump in the car (the area had NO parking). Well, I stayed behind with all the kids and we waited and waited……and waited. I knew we were parked kind of far away, but not THAT far away. I called Bill and he didn’t answer-called again and he answered and was very short with me. Well geez, what did I do?! Come to find out, after he picked us up, he told me how he missed a turn and ended up on being shuttled towards the freeway and was trying to find a way back to us!! My calls kept interrupting his map his phone! Many of the streets in downtown old Boston are one way and tricky to drive around, especially while driving a huge van! Memories, right?!

Next up? Dinner! We were anxious to get to the restaurant-this was going to be our 2nd Man vs Food eating stop. Eagle's Deli, home to some awesome looking burgers. And they were very good for sure-we bought 4 double stacks and cut them in half to share....perfect!!

It was then time to say good-bye to Boston, all it's history and lovely weather.  Tomorrow we'll head to Williamsburg and family visit time!!