Do you have one favorite city that trumps all the others you enjoy?
I admit, I haven’t been to most of the cities that would come to minds. I haven’t been to Paris or Rome, or even to London, in spite of having been to the United Kingdom a number of times.
I love Dublin. I adore New York and like San Franciso, from what I’ve seen. Montreal and Ottawa have their distinct and undeniable charms.
But the city that has my heart is Boston.
If you’ve been here, hanging out with me for a long time, you knew that, because almost every time I go I seem to feel the need to write about it.
I love the history of Boston, as one of the cities where American liberty was born.
And my own family history is connected to Boston. My many-times-great grandfather lived on this exact site, at the corner of Washington and Essex. He owned this land 125 years before the Liberty Tree was the gathering spot for the Sons of Liberty. Might he have planted the Liberty Tree?!I love that Boston is surrounded by water. For the first time, we had a view of the water from our hotel and also took advantage of the location and went on a harbor cruise.
I love the sights and sounds of Boston. Like all big cities, there’s always a festival, a gathering, lots of unusual and quirky details.
- A soldier in search of a militia
- Colonial chocolate making
- A fog machine, fueled by human movement
- A hurdy-gurdy man in search of an audience
- A tuba in search of a parade
- A carousel of Boston creatures
- A fancy car, a Stryker, in search of admirers
- But also places of quiet . . .
- . . . and New England beauty
Josiah McElheny (American, born in 1966), created a brilliant vision—I could look all day. I know that, when I have an opportunity to travel, I should go new places. I know I would love those other great cities and find them thrilling and intoxicating, too. I know I would expand my horizons and knowledge by visiting more, different cities.
And I know I’ll go back to Boston. In fact, I can hardly wait!
So, how about you? What city inspires your affection? Should I go there soon?