What trip to Boston could be complete without a visit to the place where everybody knows your name - Cheers?

Talking of knowing your name, the bar above was actually originally known as the Bull & Finch but was renamed in 2002 (only 9 years after the TV show ended!). Although used for the external shots in the show, the interior was never used and in fact looks nothing like the bar in the show. However in order to capitalize on the fame of the show there is a replica Cheers bar in nearby Faneuil Hall.

The Bull & Finch is in Beacon Hill, a fancy area of Boston. On Beacon Hill some of the houses have panes of purple glass in their windows like this:

Apparently when the fine houses of Beacon Hill were being built the glass that was used (which came from England) contained something which, over the course of time and due the action of the sunlight, turned purple. This, it seems, is a major status symbol in Boston although why it is desirable to be unable to see out of your windows is anyone’s guess.

Near Beacon Hill is the Boston Public Garden, the oldest public park in the USA (dating back to 1634). Amongst the attractions in the park are the Swan Boats, a fleet of pleasure boats available to rent:

The boats are not quite as old as the park but have been operating since 1877 when Robert Paget created them. It is said that Paget was influenced by Wagner’s Lohengrin, an opera based on the Knight of the Swan story (where a rescuer comes in a swan-drawn boat to defend a damsel in distress).

Also in Boston Public Garden, this statue is of Mrs Mallard and her 8 ducklings:

Mr and Mrs Mallard are the stars of “Make Way For Ducklings”, a children’s book by Robert McCloskey which was originally published in 1941. The book is set in the park and the Swan Boats are featured in it.

Actually it’s hard to tell if this is Mrs or Mr Mallard given the color of the material used but I’ve assumed Mr Mallard is mostly to be found in Cheers Bar wondering how to put 8 kids through college.