Bill and I went to Boston last Sunday, hours before snow storm Marcus’ arrival.  I had booked a walking chocolate tour via groupon as an early Valentine’s Day gift for us… and I missed the Saturday evening email to say it had been canceled due to the storm.  I only saw the Saturday night email confirming it was still on. So, if you happened to be watching The Weather Channel Sunday and saw the anchor standing on the snow bank in Copley Square, we were just to his right standing by the John Copley statue for a good 45 minutes, waiting for the tour and waving at him.  Wondering if he drew the long or short straw.

Around 12:25, we changed our venue to Trinity Church, which is also on the square.  Trinity is one of those in-your-backyard gems that we had never made the time to visit.  We met parishioners coming out as we were going in.  A very pleasant usher greeted us and pointed us up a side aisle to where the 12:30 p.m. free tour would start shortly.  Every Sunday after service, this tour is free!

With the service ending, we sat in a pew and listened to the recessional organ music.  Together with another couple, our tour started promptly as the last organ note dropped from the air.

Tours are led by volunteers; our guide was a young female architect who was not a parishioner.  I admire people who are fluent in their passion.  Seeing the details of Trinity through her eyes was astounding – from her explanation of the transformation of Back Bay to land and the life notes of the first rector, the architect, and the artist... to the details of stained glass windows and floral designs throughout.   Our guide brought the church to life architecturally within the realm of the Episcopalian Church and this particular congregation in the late 1800's.

We were both awed by the building and the guide – and it was free to boot!

Check out these sites for church details:

Trinity Church -Tour times and contact information

Trinity Church Book Shop - lovely gifts, cards, and books

Trinity Church is one of the 10 Buildings that Changed America, according to PBS

...plus, more details from the walk around Copley Square in Boston’s Back Bay:

Parking at Back Bay Garage

Solas Irish Pub – was OK with us just having coffee and not food!

Chocolate by the bald man… Max Brenner – a small sampling of pecans rolled in hazelnut paste, dipped in chocolate, and sprinkled with real cocoa powder made up for the canceled chocolate tour.

Enjoy!