Marine Week Boston

This is also something from last month. On Monday, May 3, I was walking toward Public Garden and in the corner of my eye I caught something unusual. An aircraft in Boston Common! And not an ordinary one. It was a big tilt-rotor. As I got closer I noticed there were also helicopters, jeeps, tanks, and many Marine soldiers.

Later that day I saw this article on boston.com "The Osprey, Marine Corps tilt-rotor aircraft, visits Boston" and found out that it was an event called Marine Week Boston (official site).

During the Marine Week (May 3-9), Marine vehicles accompanied by Marine soldiers were on display at a couple of major sightseeing spots in Boston such as Boston Common, Faneuiel Hall (Quincy Market), and Copley Place (in front of the Trinity Church).

We went to the Common to take a close look at these vehicles.




They also had put up a couple of tents to set up booths to show their equipment. The most popular booth of course was...the one with guns. It was not just a showcase but you could actually touch and play with them. A lot of people, including kids, were lining up for it. It was somewhat disturbing to see teens and children holding big guns and being positively thrilled by the experience. But then, I have to admit that I was also curious and wanted to try them out.

This one below was taken the other day at Faneuiel Hall.


これも先月になりますが、5月3日、パブリックガーデンに向かう途中、視界に入った隣のボストンコモンに妙な違和感が。なんかでかい飛行機がある！しかも戦争映画に出てくるようなティルトローターです（上から写真3枚がそれ。）ボストンコモンにはこの Osprey という名のティルトローターの他にも、ヘリコプターやジープ、戦車まであって、海兵隊の兵士たちがたくさんいました。

帰宅してからニュースで知りましたが、これは　Marine Week Boston というアメリカ海兵隊によるイベントで、ボストンコモンの他にもクインシーマーケットやコプリー広場（バックベイ）にも同じように海兵隊の軍事輸送機が展示されているようでした。

ボストンコモンには最新の軍事機器を展示するテントも建てられていて、銃やミサイルの展示がとにかく大人気で子どもを含めたくさんの人で列ができていました。ただ展示されているわけではなく実際に触ったり持って構えたりもできるのですが、子どもたちが大きな銃を構えて大はしゃぎしている姿は見ていて妙な気持ちになりました。でも正直、私も機関銃は持ってみたかったです。

一番最後の写真は後日クインシーマーケットで撮ったもの。