Boston Day 2 - Fenway, Children's Museum, Boston Tea Party Museum

Our Sunday started with a tour of Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox and some of the most famous baseball history ever told.  With his love of baseball, I knew this was going to be a really special part of our trip for Mark.  I'm not sure I was prepared to see him just be totally in awe and almost like a kid at Christmas.  :)

There are SO. MANY. PICTURES. from just this venue, but since this is the closest thing to scrapbook we will ever have I'm posting the ones I love.

There is a very nice museum at the conclusion of the tour and the sweetest little man (who Mark and I believe may have just been alive when the stadium was built) stands there and shows off his World Series Champion rings and tells Red Sox stories all day.

This picture is included to prove that despite common belief, Bostonians can be empathetic and helpful when a certain 6 year old needs to desperately go to the bathroom in the underground train station.  He basically told me, "Go over there to those gray doors and meet me there."  I wasn't totally sure where we were headed and we had to walk across the tracks to get there!  I believe Mark took this picture in the event we didn't return and he'd have proof of our last whereabouts.

Next stop was the Boston Children's Museum.  This museum, much like the children's museum in Chicago and Memphis, could consume an entire day.  So much fun and so many kid friendly activities and exhibits!

The Hood Milk Bottle is a fun American landmark now located outside the museum.

Even BB and Mark got in on the bubble blowing fun!

In the 12 years we've been married, Mark and I have only competed against each other in mandatory situations. It's for the good and security of our marriage and we individually admit the fault that we are terrible losers.  However, we determined this could be a harmless race to the top of these pulley operated seats for Turner's entertainment…but the look on my face will let you know quick that I'm serious about the competition.

While we were in the museum they announced a live science experiment for children so of course we took advantage of that fun.  Acid and base reactions/explosions never disappoint!

Singing to the blues exhibit...

…while Daddy takes a nap in the tour bus.

Next door to the Children's Museum is the Boston Tea Party Museum.  This is an attraction that we were encouraged to do by a teacher friend who explained it as a historical re-enactment of tossing the tea in the harbor - almost Disney style in it's presentation.  This is not something that is included on the Go Boston Card and it's not cheap, but we determined we wanted to experience it.

We were all in agreement afterwards, this is a MUST DO activity with kids.  It is interactive with fabulous actors and proved to be historically accurate and thoroughly entertaining.  Mark's assessment was spot on that they need someone to adjust their marketing scheme…the re-enactment of throwing the tea overboard is fun and makes for great photo ops.  But the real value in this is the way you are immersed in the history and hear stories of individuals who were involved in this important act of defiance.

This is a hot and tired little girl.

You are given a card when you arrive and you take on the personality of that individual and are involved in the conversation as the tour progresses.  Here, Turner was learning of her character's fate after accidentally sharing the secret information about the Boston Tea Party.

We met back up with Matt for dinner at Trattoria Il Panino and then finished off our evening with cannolis from Modern Pastry.  I think I might have eaten a cannoli a day while we were there…and I don't even normally like cannolis!  While Mike's Pastry is the more famous bakery, the sweet old Italian man who owns Modern Pastry sat down and talked to my sister when she really didn't have any friends in their early days in Boston.  So we supported his business as our thanks!

Y'all, those cannolis are ridiculous, and I felt confident we walked off all those calories during this busy day!  Tons of activity but loads of fun and memories!

Here's an iPhone video montage of some of our Boston fun!