I’m so mad at my mother! I dunno! She’s a 102 years old. She called me up the other day. Said she wanted to borrow $10 for some FOOD!..I said HEY!..I WORK FOR A LIVING!

So I loan her the money..I have one of my secretary’s take it down…and yesterday she calls me up and says she can’t pay me back for a while!

I said, “what is this bullshit man?”  So I worked it out with her..I’m having her work on my transmission…and if she can’t fix that I’m having her move my barbells up to the attic..

Steve Martin 1976

No context for that sketch, just thinking of an old mate Mark and how we used to laugh our arses off to that record “Let’s Get’s Small.”  We thought in the scheme of things we should perhaps give a bit more insight into Boston given some of you might want to visit some time.

You’re probably thinking Boston is made up of Mafia, drunken Irishmen, beautiful parks and pretentious wankers in art galleries (that’s us). Well it mostly is…however we did the Freedom Trail today so we thought we could give you a quick summary.

It’s one of the main reasons so many tourists come to Boston, especially Americans. It’s about a 90 minute walk from just south of the CBD across the Charles River to Bunker Hill where there is a huge monument in Charlestown. It really is a beautiful walk and we had a perfect autumn day today, so much like Melbourne. The trail is marked by pavers and there are places of heritage and  historical significance, all the way. There are people of historical significance mentioned also, such as Paul Revere (didn’t do much other than screamed while riding a horse) Samuel Adams (started a revolution with the Boston Tea Party and is now plastered all over beer bottles) and various others who went on to greatness in many fields.

We highly recommend the walk but if you want a quick capsule review of American history in Boston,  here it is in the style of a 20 year old American woman:

“So the British right…they invaded the locals like around 1700 like…and the locals didn’t like it right? Then after like about 70 years the locals like got really pissed and told the British to like meet them up at Bunker Hill like for a big rumble. They had like a big fight and like the British won but were like really hurt. A year or so laterand like the declaration of independence is like read out and like the British are out.”

Don’t say we don’t educate. These are our last photos from a stunning day in Boston. A clean city with a thirst for food and sport. Elements of Melbourne and Battery Point in Hobart and a similar harbour to Hobart. Like New York, Bostonians have had their share of terrorism and Hurricane Sandy which can’t be underestimated. New York’s Hudson River rose 15 feet. These events have galvanized these cities as they would in Australia if they occurred. Much of what you see overseas simply reinforces what a lucky country we are. What we need is some leadership and vision to maximise what we have, and learn from what other countries haven’t done. We live in hope.

PS The monument at Bunker Hill was built in 1835, has 300 steps internally that get you to the top for amazing views and is as solid as a rock. I plead with you Vic Roads, DO SOMETHING!! Farewell and see you soon. Love Willow and Lynda

Left to Right: 1. Old church where Paul Revere had men light a warning lantern in the steeple 2. Monument for soldiers killed in Iran and Afghanistan. A dog tag for each one. Pretty scary when you consider the poor buggers who suicided upon their return weren’t included. 3-5. Views from Charlestown 6. Korean War memorial 7. View heading towards Bunker Hill 8 & 9. Beautiful homes surrounding Bunker Hill 10. Statue at Bunker Hill. 11. Lynda climbing up the inside of the Bunker Hill memorial 12. Command from the leader of the Patriots 13-15. Views from the top of the Bunker Hill Monument 16. The Old Church 17. Paul Revere statue.