Whether I take the subway home or ride my bike, I'm often heading home along or across the Charles River near sunset.
Between Boston and Cambridge, the Charles River Basin is lined by parks, the most famous being the Esplanade. This consists of parkland along the riverbank as well as a series of small islands and lagoons. It also features the Hatch Shell, a large bandstand where the annual 4th of July concert and fireworks are held.
Below: Charles Station on the MBTA Red Line, the only above-grade station on this subway line within Boston Proper, affords a wonderful view of sunsets on the Charles River.
Below: A twisted willow on one of the Esplanade islands is silhouetted against the sunset sky over the river. This was on a ride home in March 2009.
Below: A footbridge crosses the lagoon between the riverbank and one of the Esplanade islands.
Below: A delicate pink light on the horizon is reflected in the wide section of the lagoon that separates the bank from the islands. Another photo from a bike ride home.
Below: The tree canopy frames a view west into the dusky sky, with the Harvard Bridge (Massachusetts Avenue) and the high rise dorms of MIT and Boston University in the background.
Below: Ducks swim in the river near the Harvard Bridge, which carries Massachusetts Avenue over the river. Interestingly, the Harvard Bridge is not near Harvard University, but instead adjacent to MIT. Apparently, there was a contest between the schools for naming rights, and given the plain profile of the bridge, it was the looser of the contest that carries its name on the bridge over a century later.
