Day 2 in Boston

U.S.S Constitution (Old Ironsides)

After a quick cat nap, we were up and at 'em again first thing in the morning! We visited the USS Constitution (Old Ironsides). Old Ironsides is the oldest commissioned warship afloat in not only the United States, but the world. As you can see, the day started off beautiful and it stayed that way all day. We really lucked out with the weather today.

Kaluhea, Marlina, and Keahe with the Boston Garden in the background

Vincente, CJ, and Channon starting their march on the Freedom Trail

More Freedom Trail action

 After viewing the USS Constitution at the Boston Naval Shipyard, we took a brief walk on the Freedom Trail and then got back on our coach. We took a real quick drive up to the Bunker Hill Monument. We walked around the monument, went inside the museum, but the most exciting part of this stop was the first squirrel sighting of the trip! Always a fun moment when the kids see squirrels for the first time. Besides the squirrels though this is a great museum with lots of original artifacts and some terrific models of the Battle of Bunker Hill. Fun Fact: the battle was actually on Breeds Hill! But, they still call it the Battle of Bunker Hill.

Bunker Hill Monument

Reaiah with some original cannon balls from the Battle of Bunker Hill

Zahya and T.J. with a sword from the battle

Evie and Shayland with an original Revolutionary War drum

La'a looking at a recreation of the battle

Kaua, Tekoa, and Kekumu joining the British in their march up Bunker Hill

First squirrel sighting of the trip!

Sixth Grade Girls at Bunker Hill

Up Close

Crystal at the base of the monument

Kumu Piliana's 5th Grade Girls on the Freedom Trail at Bunker Hill

Now was time for the ever exciting Duck Tour. The Duck Tour is a mobile tour driving all around the city of Boston. Not only does it drive around on the streets, it turns into a boat and we get to go in the Charles River. Each child also gets the option to commandeer the Duck if they'd like. Two chose not to drive, can you search and figure out who the two were?

Kekumu 

Shayland

Ale'a

Aukai

Alia Marie

Kaulu

Violet

La'a

Courtney

Cameryn

Crystal

Evelyn

Makani

Kaua

Evie

Reishan

Tekoa

Marlina

CJ

Channon

T.J.

Gavin

Vincente

Rista

Taking pictures of real ducks

Texting and driving?! Busted!

On the duck in the Charles Rivah

After our Duck tour we took a lunch break at the Prudential Center. Had an hour to eat and shop around as it is a mall. After our lunch break, we took a walk on the sunny streets of Boston. We walked from the Prudential Center, through the Back Bay, and then to the Boston Public Garden. The Prudential Center is right near Copley Square where the Boston Marathon bombing took place. We got to see first hand where this event happened just a few weeks ago. You'd almost not know something of that magnitude happened there as the buildings are almost back to normal. There is a makeshift memorial located near the site with support and words of comfort from around the world. Lots of shoes, shirts, hats, and notes from everywhere. There is a wall that people can sign and leave messages. A very somber area indeed. But it also goes to show how a country can really stick together and help pull each other up when we are down. The students of Kualapu'u did a phenomenal job of representing themselves, their school, their island, and their state. They really took it in and left wonderful messages. True Aloha.

Site of one of the bombs

Boston Strong

Finish Line of the Boston Marathon

Site of the other bomb

Entering the memorial

Lots of shoes with messages are there

Courtney and Cameryn leaving a message

Rista leaving a heartfelt message

Lots of hats with messages

Boston and nearby Newton, CT both picking themselves up

Reishan, Cameryn, and Rista

Ale'a leaving her message

Taking it all in

Flowers for the memory of the four victims

Memorials for the victims 

Kualapu'u with one of Boston's Finest

After taking in the Boston Bombing Memorial, we continued our trek. Onto the Boston Public Garden. At the garden were tons of blooming tulips. We also took a boat ride around a pond in the famous Swan Boats. The are powered by a person in the back that is peddling.

Riding the Swan Boats

T.J., Aukai, and Channon relaxing in the back

Tulips in the Boston Public Garden

Tulips

Of course no trip to a garden would be complete without more squirrel sightings! We were able to score some squirrel food so now it was a contest to see who the squirrels would pick to eat out of their hands. Lucky for those who didn't get chosen, there will be many more squirrels this trip.

Reishan the Squirrel Whisperer

Many hands hoping theirs is the one the squirrel picks to take the food from

The squirrel picks Marlina!

Please Please Please take mine!

CJ with the score!

 Finally, we finished our Boston portion of the trip with a dinner where else? At Cheers! The Cheers bar is actually located in the basement of a mansion that is still lived in to this day. Many cheeseburgers were consumed again as I'm sure many more will be again in the future. Everybody had a great time. We said aloha to our Tour Director, Dave, and headed south to New York City. We drove on the outskirts of the city and were able to see the city skyline including the Empire State Building and the new Freedom Tower. Everybody is excited for the New York portion.

Cheers!

Mrs. Trinidad is the first one in!

Cheers!

More cheeseburgers!

Gavin with our terrific tour director, Dave

Guess what the majority are eating?!

Keep Guessing.....

Keep Guessing........

Yes! You are correct! Cheeseburgers! And some pasta....

Cheers!

Boston rocked! Now, onto New York City!

Many cheeseburgers were consumed again as I'm sure many more will be in the future. Everybody had a great time. We said aloha to our Tour Director, Dave, and headed south to New York City. We drove on the outskirts of the city and were able to see the city skyline including the Empire State Building and the new Freedom Tower. Everybody is excited for the New York portion. We are staying at the Marriot Brooklyn Bridge, right next to the bridge. We will subway into the city in the morning, but now, time for some precious sleep and back at it again tomorrow!