Day One -- Boston, MA

Today is day one of our actual tour and it only consists of a reception this evening.  We had the entire day free so John and I hot-footed it into Boston to see what we could see.  We took a taxi into town and bought tickets for the Trolley tours, as you can get on and off the trolley all day.  I liked the idea that we could get off and walk around and then catch the next trolley when we wanted to move along.

We had the best trolley driver at first, funny, funny man! We rode the entire tour (about one hour) before deciding which of the stops we wanted to do today, then started around again and got off at the Boston Common.  We toured the old cemetery there - so old that you can't really read any of the headstone in this one. There were some eerie old tombs there too, set down at the bottom with black steel doors. Shiver!  We then went to the donut place because we hadn't had any breakfast and I was needing some coffee badly! 

We walked over to the street that the bar that Cheers was based on was located.  It's in Beacon Hill, and was packed.  We got a few pictures on the outside and were satisfied with that - the inside of the bar was not used in the TV show anyway, only the outside.  The driver told us that the inside of the bar was a sound stage in Los Angeles. There are people from everywhere here - we met a couple here from Houston celebrating their anniversary, some folks from Canada, and a gaggle of French people were on the trolley with us at one time.  

Hopped back on the trolley and got off in Little Italy.  The streets here are so tiny and with cars parked on both sides, it makes it impossible to drive.  I'm so glad we didn't try to drive any of this.  
We had lunch at a really nice authentic Italian place called Cantina Italiana.  Yum!  Plus we were hungry by then.  I suggest it if you are ever here.  
Afterwards we walked on to Mike's Bakery as we were told that it was one of the best anywhere.  John and I stopped and talked with a firefighter who was standing in front of Ladder Company 1 and he suggested it.  We talked about what a lobster tail was and so I had to have one.  Oh the crowds in this place were amazing, but the lines went really fast, I was surprised!  We got one lobster tail to share and three other cannoli for later tonight or for breakfast.

Taxi back to the hotel, rest up and a reception later this evening.  More later!