36. Boston

 There are a zillion things to love about New England and Boston is one of them. Boston has some of the oldest history of the United States with its Puritan heritage. I love the whole idea of our freedom as a nation being started and founded there. Our oldest university is in the suburb of Cambridge. The shot heard ‘round the world was fired there. We are a coffee drinking nation because of our revolt against unfair taxes that lead to the dumping of British tea into Boston Harbor. You can still go see the USS Constitution, Old Ironsides, in Boston Harbor. If you walk through the cemetery off Boston Commons you can find the writer, Sarah (Mother) Goose, of our most belov3ed nursery rhymes. You can still go imagine the lanterns when you view the Old North Church and almost hear Longfellow quoting his famous, “One if by land, two if by sea.” Some of my favorite actors, Mark Wahlberg, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, are from there. That beautiful accent that forgets R’s in the middle of works (Hahvahd) and adds them at the end of others (idear) resounds in my ears. The marathon is there! Its gritty route through all the years is a testament to the resilience and strength—and celebration of all that—of mankind has continued for over a century. There is something transcendent in that phrase “Boston Strong” that Americans all have a stake in. It’s one of those beautiful cities that I take pride in and am so grateful for.