Boston - Out and About and Above, Part 1 of 8, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

This begins a series of blog posts from a one-week stay in downtown Boston.

There may be very little greenery in the densely developed downtown area of Boston but, the small ribbon of parkland on the Rose Kennedy Greenway is still showing off some nice fall colors. The arched opening is Rowes Wharf.



Faneuil Hall is the gold-domed building left of center. The beautiful trees and three parallel buildings make up the Quincy Marketplace area. Faneuil Hall has been a marketplace and a meeting hall since 1743. It's now part of the Boston National Historical Park and a stop on the Freedom Trail. They also hold new citizen swearing-in ceremonies here from time to time. I attended one a few years ago (June 2012) that has become the most popular blog I ever published (at this link).



This lovely oasis is the Post Office Square in the financial district of Boston.



And here's what you get when you hand a stranger the camera and ask him to point-and-shoot.



The view eastward over Boston Harbor. The greenery parkland is the Christopher Columbus Park and Logan International Airport is on the horizon at right. The pointy shadow at lower left is the top of the Custom House tower where I am standing.



Looking northward, the two spires of the Zakim Bridge are partially visible above the buildings and the bit of green parkland lower left is the last stretch of the Rose Kennedy Greenway.



Another view of the harbor and distant airport. The robot-looking structure at right houses the airport traffic control tower which was my place of employment for a number of years during my pre-retirement days.



And later in the day, the changed light creates a slightly different shadowless appearance.



Ditto.



An in-camera panoramic version.



This and all the preceding images were taken from the 26th floor observation deck of the Custom House tower building. Originally built in 1849, now it serves as a Marriott property with 84 guest suites. Metal bars and netting protect folks on the observation deck from the peregrine falcons that nest here and call this place home, too. The pigeons perched on nearby rooftops seem wary.



Over in the Beacon Hill neighborhood, this bright and shiny holdover from Halloween caught my eye in the fading sunlight.



Capping off our first day was an extraordinary acapella concert in the Custom House Rotunda (amazing acoustics) by the Crepusculum Choir from the nearby Berklee College of Music. They sang an 11-song bill of beautiful four-part harmonies.

Ah Boston, never a disappointment! Did I forget to mention the Boston Red Sox won the Baseball World Series - again?

Other posts in this series are:

Part 1 is at this link.
Part 2 is at this link.
Part 3 is at this link.
Part 4 is at this link.
Part 5 is at this link.
Part 6 is at this link.
Part 7 is at this link.
Part 8 is at this link.