Now Everyone Knows the Swan Secret

The not-so-secret secret that a ride around the lagoon on a swan boat on a steaming New England afternoon is a great way for a tourist to feel comfortable or a Bostonian to feel nostalgic for childhood when they first climbed aboard the bike pedal style powered boats. The Swan Boats launch every May and are taken out of the water and stored at Labor Day – USA today reports, via the AP, that the boats are quintessential Boston and a destination not to be missed when visiting the Hub. While some may prefer lunchtime at Post Office Square, a walk around Franklin Park or the Arboretum, or even the Mt. Auburn Cemetery (we could go on, but we'll leave it there for now) for beautiful parks there is something particularly beautiful captured in the park in the heart of Boston, down the hill from the State House and a couple blocks from the cement and brick pavers that make up the City Hall wasteland of Government Center.

While many are more familiar with the Boston Common moniker, the name of the adjacent parkland the AP story focuses on the Public Garden. The article mentions the painters in the Public Garden, the tourists enjoying the park, joggers, bikers, runners, and a special mention of Romeo and Juliet – the Public Garden's resident swan couple. Bostonist can't help but remind our readers that Romeo and Juliet aren't actually the male and female couple that many assume they are. Tests were conducted last year which revealed that Romeo and Juliet are actually two female swans. The embraced icons of the Public Garden also embrace one of the things that sets the state apart from others – acceptance of same-sex couples.

Hat tip to Steve for the link to the USA Today report and Flickr user Dan4th for the photo exposing the backside of the swan boats