Massachusetts and Rhode Island - Day 3

We awoke the next day to gorgeous weather.

The lilies on the pads had bloomed.

Our hosts were very kind and provided a good breakfast.  They loved Packer.  We would come back to this bed and breakfast in a heartbeat.

Because we were in southern Massachusetts, we decided to drive through Rhode Island.

We visited its capital, Providence.

Directly adjacent to the Capital Building is Providence Place, an enormous mall.

We had lunch inside (and treated ourselves to some gourmet Crumbs cupcakes).  Michelle got another Cheeseboy sandwich.  Jeff tried some Japanese food.

We set off around 1:00 PM, making our way back into Massachusetts.  As we headed out, we looked for a place that sold souvenir spoons.  The local subway station had a gift shop.  Michelle was curious about a spoon she saw with what she thought was a chicken on it.  After asking about the "chicken," she was informed that it was a rooster and not a chicken.  She was also sternly informed that the rooster represented that visitors are welcome.  What irony!  We laughed about that one.
We drove back to Massachusetts.

We drove up to Concord and visited Walden's Pond.

The place was full so the park rangers wouldn't let us in.  So we just had to do a drive by.

Nearby we saw Louise May Alcott's home.

We also saw Ralph Waldo Emerson's home.

Here, between Concord and Lexington, is the location where Paul Revere's ride ended with his capture.

We continued on into Lexington, visiting the Minute Men Museum and other notable buildings and spots.

This bell (the Belfrey) warned the Minute Men that the British were marching on Lexington.

The first colonial blood (and first revolutionary shots) was spilled in this field--the Battle Green--as the British attacked the colonials in Lexington.  

John Hancock and Paul Revere were staying in this house (Hancock's father's house) when Paul Revere warned them along his ride.

This is the oldest inn--the Wayside Inn--in the United States.  We were going to have dinner here, but realized when we arrived that we were not dressed properly and that children were not allowed.  So we walked the grounds instead.

We ate our dinner on the Lexington Battle field.

Our rental car had a Virginia license plate!  We loved driving a Virginian car again!

After eating dinner on the Battle Green, we stopped at a bed and breakfast in Lexington.  An older woman with a heavy Massachusetts accent hosted us in her home.