This WWII vehicle, "The Duck" was used to invade the Beaches of Normandy by the US Army. Now, it is used as a tour vehicle in cities throughout the US. It is very unusual. If you notice, it has wheels, but looks like a boat. It drives through the city, like a regular tour bus, then as it goes down a ramp into the water, a propeller is engaged, and it becomes a boat! It is very cool! As we drove through town, and then in the water, people would "quack" at us, and we were expected to "quack" back! Our Duck tour guide was particularly competitive, and had us practice, so we would be the louded quackers (former Marine, what could you say ;) ) The tour guide on our "Duck" gave everyone a chance to drive it in the water. Unfortunately, Megan, Rebecca, and I got put on a different Duck than the rest of the group, so I was not able to take pictures of everyone driving...
Our Duck on the ramp, leaving the road, and entering the Charles River.
This beautiful church on Newbury Street, the Church of the Covenanent, is in one of several "No Quack Zones" throughout Boston!! The residents and businesses of certain areas found the "quacking" annoying, and had ordinances passed to keep the Ducks silent as they passed through.
A few other interesting facts about Boston:
The gas lanterns used as street lights stay lit 24 hours a day- It is cheaper than having to pay for someone to light them each night.
Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in Boston, accidentally... He was trying to invent a device to help the deaf.
In 1919, there was a Molasses Flood in Boston- a 2.5 million gallon container of molasses burst open, creating a 30 foot wall of molasses to pour onto Commercial Street in the middle of the afternoon. Twenty-one people were killed.
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