I was going to write about the Cape as my wife shopped on a rainy day at the mall, but I spent the first hour trying to get the Mac Pro to work. Couldn’t get a Wi-Fi signal and then couldn’t get anything. Went back down the mall to an Apple store and asked for help. The rep took the machine, signed on to their Wi-Fi and started to look around with the exclamation that my laptop was very fast. Why for him and not for me. Well I went back to Barnes & Noble and re-signed onto their Wi-Fi, and all of a sudden everything worked. As I used to tell a systems analyst who worked for me, computers are magic. I still believe there is a little magic in them. So much for the slow start, but what I really wished to say was that I love Cape Cod and have been coming here since the early sixties. In fact, I arrived at Hyannis two days after Teddy drove over the bridge. Half of the town was blocked off with TV trucks everywhere.
There have been a few changes through the years, but you can still find a place and time to enjoy the area without having to deal with the humdrum of everyday life. I have never explored a lot of the Cape but have visited the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket many times. Provincetown has changed the most, as in the sixties it was an artist and hippie community with many shops selling “starving artists’ ” paintings and many were very good. I bought quite a few, and there was an Army & Navy store in which I bought many of the fittings for a sailboat that I was building. The store is still there, but there are no boat cleats and blocks anymore. Most of Provincetown is a gay community now and has been a haven for gay couples for many years.
There are still many shops and stores that sell a collection of locally made trinkets and jewelry and clothing. You can still get a good bowl of clam chowder or a lobster roll. The price may surprise you, but it will be cheaper than in Nantucket.
Veteran’s Beach is still there and still small and cold, but the ferries are twice as fast and get you to the islands quicker. The Kennedy museum is still on Main Street and seems to be popular yet today. The Friendly’s ice-cream store had been long gone, and I miss the watermelon sherbet on a hot day, but there are other shops and ice-cream parlors to replace it. Food is what I like most now with real fresh seafood available everywhere. We had fresh scallops last evening for dinner and have them every time we are here at Tugboats restaurant. You sit on a porch overlooking the bay. Fresh seafood and a glass of wine really make an evening dinner great.
If you visit the Cape and drive to Provincetown, take the old road and pass through the beautiful small towns along the way. About halfway you will drive through Chatham, and you may find a small fair in front of the school. You can also visit the lighthouse and the beaches. Lately, this area has been in the news because of sharks coming close to bathers. You may want to stop at one of the many restaurants for lunch and find more delicious seafood. Save the wine until you have stopped driving, but it will be something to look forward to. When you get to Provincetown, park the car and walk the town to see the many interesting sites. As an old whaling and fishing town, many of the things to see are related to the town’s past. The restaurants are good and many let you dine outdoors. You will find trinkets in the shops that you cannot find anywhere else.
If you wish to see a billion dollars, look at the harbor in Nantucket. You will find it floating and waiting for the command to go to sea. The yachts are huge, and there are many sailing sloops and ketches, and just as large motor yachts. You can see the same but smaller in Hyannis Bay Harbor. There are many sights to see and enjoy including deep sea fishing and whale watching. If you want leisure, just take a cruise and enjoy the sea for a while. You may find a band concert in the park in Hyannis or an artist show on the lawn. There are many things to do and participate in, but if you like the ocean and boats as I do, this is the place to enjoy both with some lobster for dinner. A glass of sauvignon blanc with it is a very nice addition.
The Cape has some magic, and you can find it if you look hard enough. It could be the people who speak to you even though they are a stranger. The first “Good morning” may startle you, but you will find that you may say it first before long. Forget politics and local news and just enjoy people, food and sights.
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