I'm leaving but not on a jet plane

I’ll be away for a while relaxing on the beautiful beaches of Cape Cod. For those of you not familiar with Cape Cod here are a few facts.

Cape Cod is the part of Massachusetts that reaches out into the Atlantic Ocean. Surrounded by water on three sides it resembles a bent arm. The upper arm is the upper cape, the lower arm is the lower cape then there is the wrist bent at the end and last is the fist. For many years we’ve gone camping out on the end at the wrist in North Truro. (If you ever saw Men in Black II Agent J finds retired Agent K working at the post office in North Truro.)

I love it out there; if you’re looking for an action packed vacation with theme parks and malls and people, don’t go there!! It’s quiet, rustic and beautiful. Nothing but beaches, lobsters and scrub pine trees but of course it has restaurants and hotels but not the typical resort type. There are hiking and bike trails, The National Seashore, whale watching and people watching. Visiting Provincetown is lots of fun unless you’re homophobic then I wouldn’t suggest that vacation spot for you. It attracts many, many gay and lesbian couples and singles. You never know what you will see, from the flamboyant to the reserved. I was raised in a non-judgmental and tolerant home and have been going there for about 30 years; it doesn’t phase me a bit.

For the first year ever we are not camping on Cape Cod but renting a house with 6 other family members. We will be staying on the elbow of the cape. It will be different; more thickly settled with people, more vegetation and less sand everywhere but I’m sure I will love it. Just point me to the beach and I’m happy.

Many people believe that the pilgrim’s first landing spot was in Plymouth, Massachusetts but au contare. The Mayflower first landed on November 11, 1620 in what is now Provincetown harbor and while there, the Mayflower Compact was signed. After trying to live there for 5 weeks and with winter coming they left Provincetown due to the lack of fresh water and farmable land. They found Plymouth and the rest as they say, is history. Eventually Portuguese fisherman settled Provincetown and today remains a fishing town with heavy Portuguese influence. We always hit the Portuguese bakery there or as the kids called it, pork and cheese, when they were little. I could go on and on about the history of the area but I’m sure this is enough for you.

The Mayflower

Catch you when I return with sand in my shoes and a sunburn.