Well, part of the "Mystery" in my "Magical Mystery Midlife Tour" was, unfortunately, solved early in my trip when, upon being enthusiastically greeted to the Cape by one of its resident deer, I realized that I hadn't accounted for my $500 insurance deductible in the overall vacation budget.
I'm guessing the deer looked worse, but I didn't check. It was night and I wasn't really in the mood to feel any queasier than I already did. Luckily I sustained no damage myself, and the car made it the final 30 miles to my hotel in Provincetown, MA without showing signs of mechanical troubles. I checked in to my hotel, unpacked the bottle of wine I'd had the foresight to bring along, and after making a few phone calls, enjoyed the night-time view of P-town harbor from my own private deck.
The next day I called the Gecko and learned that I might as well be back in Bubbaville, at least so far as having an insurance adjustor handy went.
Anyway, running around to the police station (had to make 2 trips because the officer hadn't left the paperwork for me by the time I got there Monday) and finding a garage that could tell me if the "Check Engine" warning was anything serious (it wasn't) cut into my sightseeing time, but nevertheless I tried really hard not to let my Bambicidal incident put too much of a damper on my vacation. I spent one afternoon just walking around Provincetown, browsing a few shops and having a decadent lunch (bacon, tomato, and brie pannini....with a healthy side salad, of course!).
I looked up one of my Mom's old acquaintances who has a gallery there, and later had a nice chat with the fellow who ran the fudge shop I visited. Talk about your dream jobs! Even though it was too early in the season for lots of places to be open, that meant there were no crowds which suited me just fine.
On Tuesday I had a much better wildlife adventure, and went on an afternoon whale watching cruise. It was incredible! We got really lucky, according to the biologist/guide -- there was a whale who was very curious about our boat and hung around, swimming back and forth underneath the boat and giving us a fantastic show for over half an hour. There were dozens of other whales feeding in the area too.
I also spent some time on the Cape Cod National Seashore -- very nice & isolated and . . . natural. A nice change from my last beach experience, which was of the Myrtle variety.
Wednesday I was due in Boston, and the weather was perfect for the drive. I decided to stop in Plymouth for lunch, and after gobbling down a lobster roll at a wharf-side fish market/cafe, I took a quick walk to see the Mayflower II and Plymouth Rock.
Once in Boston, intellikid treated me to dim sum for my birthday. She insisted that I try the tripe. I did. I let her finish it. Everything else was yum, though -- especially the roast pork buns. I don't have any photos from my stay in Boston, because aside from an afternoon at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, all I did was eat.
Friday morning we got the car packed in an incredibly short time, and left Boston about 11:30. Spent the night in PA, and then during the last leg of our trip Saturday we stopped off for a while at Dinosaur Land in Virginia -- one last roadside attraction before dragging our weary selves back home.
(If you've got nothing better to do, there are more pics here
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I remember saying "non triage" at the beginning of your trip, but it was a deer and not you, so it's ok, then.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad your cah made it back from Bahstin with no further trouble.
Boston and New England in general looks like a nice place to spend a week or so. I'd like to see it.
Be sure and try the clam chowdah, Doug :-)
ReplyDeleteSounds nice and relaxing, except for the deer. However, you could have covered the 500 deductible by strapping the dear on top, taking it back to Bubbaville, and selling venison steaks. May have even made a bit of a profit. You just don't have the killer capitalist heart, intell.
ReplyDeleteBTW, love that trellis shot at the beach...eat your hear out, Doug.
Jaded, it was good to be 800 miles away from home & work. I don't regret my lack of capitalist tendencies, no matter how the cultivation of such may serve me. Guess it's that 50% Norwegian part of me...
ReplyDeleteGlad you like the beach trellis. I call that one "Lines for the Ladies' Room." :-)
I'm envious that you saw whales. I've always wanted to see whales in real life.
ReplyDeleteBambicide? Love the word
Trish, the whale thing was more enjoyable than I would have imagined. I guess it helps when nature decides to cooperate.
ReplyDeleteSounds and looks like a great trip Intelli. I've only been to the Boston area once and really enjoyed it. Although, I didn't get any venison.
ReplyDeleteLooks like paradise. Some of my family visited Boston and kept going back for their holidays, they were so impressed.
ReplyDeleteMy parents also hit a deer, on a Scottish motorway… £5000 damage.
Welcome back, and I agree, who wouldn't want to be the proprietor of a fudge shop, I ask you? It sounds marvelous, and unlike owning a bakery, wouldn't require rising at a ridiculous hour. Everyone would always be happy to see you, too because being associated with fudge can only be a good thing.
ReplyDeleteUnless you are a deer, rundown by a fudge-maker, I suppose.
Well, look at it this way, the theory runs that people actually remember negative things with more clarity than they do positive things (and such is the nature of man)...so the universe gave you something by which to vividly remember your magical midlife tour.
Now I want fudge. Fudge and a dinosaur statue for my lawn. Possibly a dinosaur statue holding fudge, just because...it would be memorable.
Welcome home :-) Happy birthday!
Mr. C & Vole, Boston is a wonderful city. I'm thinking of looking for a job at one of the 100+ colleges/universities in the vicinity!
ReplyDeleteLoS: You are absolutely right about the dino/fudge statue. Now I want one, too!
What about a dinosaur statue made of fudge?
ReplyDeleteMmmmmmmmrrrrrawwwrrrrr!
Doug, that's what I want for my NEXT birthday!
ReplyDeleteIntelliwench, I think you had the right idea getting there early, before the tourists arrive in mad flocks to P-town and the cape. I'm not surprised you ate so much while in Boston; the city does have a terrific assortment restaurants. It has been too long since I last visited the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, but I was so happy during the time I spent there, I know it is a place I want to go back to.
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