I love college campuses, even though it’s been many years since I spent any time as a student on one.

I love the buildings, and the libraries, and the bookstores. I love checking out the architecture and the landscaping, and people watching, and buying a sweatshirt to wear so I can pretend that I am an alum.

On a rainy day last summer, I had a layover in Boston with my best friend, Anita. She and I took a couple of hours and explored the Boston College campus.

Boston College was founded in 1863 by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). The main campus is currently located in the once rural area of Chestnut Hill. Having graduated from a Jesuit university myself, I have always been appreciative of their commitment to integrating intellectual, personal, ethical, and religious formation; and to uniting high academic achievement with service to others.

For anyone considering attending BC, here are a few interesting statistics: There are 9,059 full time undergraduate students, of which 53% are women. The Class of 2009 had a SAT range of 1260-1410 for the middle 50%. There are 650 full time faculty members. BC grants undergraduate, masters and doctoral degrees and 90% of the Class of 2008 intends to pursue an advanced degree. The BC Eagles play at the NCAA Division I level.

Because it was pouring down the rain the day we visited BC, we didn’t have too much time to walk around the grounds and were forced to admire the distinctive campus architecture between raindrops, or from indoors.

The campus is accessible on the T’s green line. Get off at the Boston-Newton boundary on Commonwealth Avenue. Cross the street, walk by St. Ignatius Church, and follow the perimeter road to campus entrances.

Photo credits:  Mary Jo Manzanares

Post from: The Boston Traveler

June 2nd, 1692, is generally recognized as the commencing of the Salem Witch Trials.

Hindsight tells us that, despite the rampant hysteria running through the community at the time, none of these people (mostly women) were witches. Fear does crazy things to people.

Salem, rather than denying it, or trying to distance itself from its less tolerant era, has embraced the trials, and has turned witchcraft into a sort of cottage industry.

You can visit the Salem Witch Museum, the Witch Dungeon Museum, the Witch House, or the Salem Witch Village.

While this is not my particular cup of tea, having skipped all of the witch-themed attractions on my last visit to Salem, other people have commented that it was kind of fun to do – once.

Just walking around and soaking in the local color and ambiance was good enough for me.

You decide for yourself.

Photo credit: flickr

Post from: The Boston Traveler

One if by land, and two if by sea;
And I on the opposite shore will be,
Ready to ride and spread the alarm
Through every Middlesex village and farm

Those words, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, have been memorized by countless people learning about the revolutionary era of the United States. The poem refers to hanging a lantern (or lanterns) in the belfry of the Old North Church is Boston as a signal that the British were coming, and that Paul Revere was to alert the neighboring villages.

The Old North Church still stands in Boston today, and is the city’s oldest surviving church structure, as well as a National Historic Landmark. It’s 191 foot tall steeple makes it the tallest steeple in the city, and a recognizable part of the Boston skyline (in center of photo above). The church is on the city’s Freedom Trail, a two and a half mile red-brick walking trail that leads you to 16 historic sites.

The church is more properly known as Christ Church in the City of Boston, and is associated with the Episcopalian Church. It is an active church, and services have been held there regularly since it was built in 1723, save for a brief closure during the American Revolution.

You can tour the Old North Church at its location at 193 Salem Street. It is open daily, 9 am – 6 pm (summer hours), and although there is no admission charge, voluntary donations are welcome. I took time for a walk through when I was in Boston a few days ago, and found that it filled me with a tremendous sense of history. It’s said that the box pews, the brass chandeliers, and the first clock are all original — that’s over 250 years ago!

Sunday services are held at 9 am and 11 am, and visitors are welcome to attend.

Photo credit: wikimedia (skyline) and flickr (church steeple)

Post from: The Boston Traveler

One of the non-witchy highlights of a visit to Salem is Nathaniel Hawthorne’s House of Seven Gables.

The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association was created to assist immigrant families who were settling in Salem. Philanthropist and preservationist Caroline Emmerton purchased “the Old Turner Mansion” in 1908, and eventually restored the mansion to its original splendor — and its seven gables. The building became known as The House of the Seven Gables, after Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel of the same name.

Additional structures were eventually acquired, all dating back to the 17th, 18th, and 19th century, and were moved to the site, creating The House of the Seven Gables campus. It is listed as a historic district on The National Register of Historic Places. The Association continues to focus on education, preservation, and community service

The House of the Seven Gables is located at 115 Derby Street in Salem (map it).  Parking is free while visiting.  You may also want to consider public transportation.

I’ve only been to The House of the Seven Gables during the spring time, when it looks much like it does in the photo above, with beautiful gardens and landscaping.   Like much of Salem, The House of the Seven Gables offers special Halloween events, and I can imagine, however, how spooky it must look in the dark and dreariness of Halloween.

Photo credit: wikimedia

Post from: The Boston Traveler

Where else but Salem would Halloween become a month long event?

The city that has made a cottage industry of witchcraft pulls no punches this Halloween, as it launches its month of Haunted Happenings. It’s a combination of an autumn event, celebrating the changing leaves and cooler weather, with the spirit of Halloween, complete with accompanying ghosts, goblins, witches and folklore.

The Halloween events are all found in historic downtown Salem, and it’s easy to walk from one venue to the next. You can choose from museums, attractions, haunted houses, and a variety of tours, or decide to wander the streets enjoying the dramatic reenactments, psychic fairs, and shopping. Events have been designed to appeal to all age groups. There admission fees for entry to some of the events, others are free.

Here is a partial list of attractions: Salem Witch Museum, House of Seven Gables, Salem Trolley, Witch Dungeon, Witch History Museum, and the Pirate History Museum

And if a tour is more to your liking: Candlelit Ghostly Tours, Cemetery 101: Grave Matters (this sounded like one I’d enjoy), Haunted Footsteps Ghost Tour, 1692 Salem Village Trolley Tour, Salem Spirits Trolley Tour, Witchcraft Walk, and Spirit of Salem Seance.

That’s just a few of the things you can do in Salem this month, so be sure to check out the full schedule of events. There’s likely to be something to appeal to your spirited side.

Salem is located 16 miles north of Boston on the Atlantic coast. It is easily accessible by public transportation. In fact, this is the busy season for Salem, and traffic can be a nightmare, so public transportation is a very good idea.

Post from: The Boston Traveler

Have you noticed how the nights are getting just a little bit cooler? And in the mornings, there’s starting to be a little crispness in the air.

When the weather gets like this, I start thinking about the fall foliage, and how beautiful nature can be this time of year.

Word is that this year’s foliage New England foliage should be spectacular. The warm days and cool evenings are perfect conditions for dramatic color and foliage.

If you’re interested in planning a driving tour to see the foliage, check out the Massachusetts Office of Travel Tourism site for a listing of New England foliage events. There’s also a foliage timetable map, along with suggested scenic drives. The website is updated twice a week with “leaf” reports.

There’s also a Fall Foliage Hotline at: (800) 227-MASS.

Post from: The Boston Traveler

Three days later, the Boston Globe used the accurate description “a twisting river of emerald and white” to convey the scene in downtown Boston on Thursday, June 19, when ardent Celtics fans gathered along a parade route stretching from TD Banknorth Garden to Copley Square in order to celebrate the triumphant hometown team. As the following report clearly shows, there’s no prouder group of sports fans anywhere on Earth than those devoted to Boston athletic teams.

NOTE: If you require closed captions, you can enable that feature on the video player by clicking the CC symbol in the top right-hand corner.

Post from: The Boston Traveler

The team members received their shiny gold reward during an enthusiastic ceremony immediately after the game’s final moments, and 30-year-old Paul Pierce was named the MVP of the series, as well.

In the video of the Trophy Ceremony below, head coach Doc Rivers and shooting guard Ray Allen each have the chance to speak a little about the victory, in addition to Pierce.

Forty-six-year-old Rivers should be particularly proud since the finals represent both his first trip to the NBA Championship as a head coach and his first NBA Championship win as a head coach. Does it get any better for a head coach in the NBA?

NOTE: If you require closed captions, you can enable that feature on the video player by clicking the CC symbol in the top right-hand corner.

Post from: The Boston Traveler

Toodle-loo, Kobe and Company!

What a nice way to cap off the night — with an eagerly anticipated NBA Championship Title like the one the Boston Celtics snatched from their playoff rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers, just a few hours ago.

Before we get to the video of the rousing triumph — or bitter defeat, depending on your perspective — I list a few facts for Tuesday’s matchup:

• The game at Boston’s TD Banknorth Garden was the sixth of the best-of-seven series
• The final score was 131–92, meaning the Celtics clobbered the Lakers by an authoritative 39 points
• At halftime, the Celtics led the Lakers 58–35
• Celtic Kevin Garnett scored 26 points and grabbed 14 rebounds
• Celtic Ray Allen scored 26 points, as well, and made 7 of 9 three-pointers, setting an NBA Finals Record with his total of 22 three-pointers for the series
• In comparison, Laker Kobe Bryant scored 22 points
• Celtic Paul Pierce, the series MVP, earned 17 points and 10 assists
• The Celtics managed to steal 18 times, yet another NBA Finals Record
• The current championship title is the first one the Celtics have won in 22 years
• The title is also the 17th in the Boston Celtics franchise history, the most of any NBA franchise, of course

A video of the final moments of Game Six follows the jump. You can also read more about the entire championship series at the Boston Globe’s Celtics Blog and the team’s Official Website.

NOTE: If you require closed captions, you can enable that feature on the video player by clicking the CC symbol in the top right-hand corner.

Post from: The Boston Traveler

MSNBC, The New York Times, and numerous other major news outlets are all reporting 58-year-old Tim Russert, NBC Senior Vice President and Washington Bureau Chief and longtime moderator of the political program Meet the Press, passed away less than an hour ago.

Russert apparently collapsed while recording a voiceover for Meet the Press in NBC’s Washington bureau. He was then reportedly rushed to local Sibley Hospital at about 2:15pm EST, and there is speculation, but no confirmation yet, that he died after suffering a massive heart attack.

Russert was one of very few newspeople whom I trust and respect, which makes this development all the more stunning. He’s survived by his wife Maureen Orth, a writer for the magazine Vanity Fair, and a son Luke, who recently graduated from Boston College. Deepest condolences to his family during this tragedy.

In the following video, Russert’s fellow veteran journalist Tom Brokaw delivers the sobering news of his passing during an NBC special broadcast earlier this afternoon.

Post from: The Boston Traveler