July Fourth at the Espanade

Harvard Square.  I used to enjoy coming here in high school and getting some cheesecake at Baby Watson's.

Gorgeous day down on the Charles.  I took a few shots of the parks along the river.

On the subway coming across the bridge into Boston.  Nice group of boats gathered for the concert and fireworks later.

These buildings to me symbolize Boston - the large one in the middle is the "new" John Hancock Insurance Building, completed in the seventies and plagued for years by falling windows.  It is still the tallest building in New England.  The smaller building to the left with the spire is the "old" Hancock building where my Dad worked for years.

We walked through the Commons on our way to the Espanade.

Another shot of those iconic buildings.

Ah, the tourists we, are stopped at cheers for a photo.

Even though people had been gathering in the early morning, we got there in the afternoon and still got a prime location by the water.

People would fill in this area all day.

Nice shot of us as the sun goes down.  It was in the low nineties and very humid.

Additional shots as the sun set and the shadows grew.  We were happy to see that sun go behind the horizon.

Lots of police presence on the water - police boats like this one and officers on jet skis.  This was the year of the Marathon Bombing, so I expect this was extra-heavy security.

The concert was great and so were the fireworks.

The aftermath.  Something like 600,000 people are on those shores, and here are some of them streaming out after it was over.  Again, heavy security.  There was a line for the subway that stretched for blocks, so we found a bar near there to have some drinks and food, and when we were done, the train station was magically empty.  We had done the same thing the night before after the Sox game.

Great to experience a classic Fourth in Boston.