Second Free Day: Rockport Massachusetts

AKA Raaaaahckpaaaaht*, like the shoes. Rockport is quaint coumunity of artists that sits at the out end of Cape on the Naaath Shaaaah of Massachusetts….which means it is a town with incredibly strict zoning laws to keep out chain stores, developers, predatory house flippers, the desperately poor and all other quaintness trashing forces of the world. The result is a place that really has no changed at all since my childhood. It was impossible to find parking spaces there then…and its impossible now. But it sure is fun to walk around.

*Note that in the interests of authenticity I will be writing some key phrases in the manner of the local dialect of Boston. Even though this is sometimes 'wicked haaahd' for outsiders to understand, I have felt it necessary in order to preserve the 'local colluh.'

Raaaakpaaaaht has chaaaaractuh. Sylvia loved it.

Rockport Harbor was once a small commercial fishing village back in the day when actual real fisherman could afford to live there. Now, it is basically a show-harbor reserved these days mostly for small pleasure boats. Centerpiece of the haaaaaahbuh is Bear Skin Neck, a long spit of land that forms the left (north) enclosure of the harbor. You can now walk all the way out to the end of the neck. The place gets its name from the fact that, some centuries ago, an unfortunate  bear was trapped by the tide and killed here by the residents of the town. This is in keeping with general New England policy of celebrating the sites of famous killings (the Boston Massacre, Bunker Hill, Salem Witch Trials etc.)

After walking along the neck and attempting to take photos where I wouldn’t be phot-bombed by a lurking 10-year-old, we bought hats. It is required by city ordinance that all visitors to the city buy at least one overpriced item, so we figured we might as well get one that makes us like cool. Not that I don’t look cool anyway…

We then strolled around the back streets looking at the chaaaaahming houses that cost a faaaaahchun…

And some laaaahbstuh paaaahts. And various other nautical paraphernalia. Sponge Bob could easily have lived here.

After this it was time to take the requisite photograph of Motif Number One, the most famous iconic building in the town of Rockport. Of course, this is not the actual Motif One, which washed away in the blizzard of ’78…this is a replica of the original structure. Which really makes it Motif Number Two, if you think about it, but anyway…the former fishing shack enjoys a productive retirement as a landmark and artists model.  The two even keeps it painted in a way that looks weather beaten all year long.

After a lunch of Lobster Roll, it was time to go drive up to the bluffs for a dramatic view of the harbor. As we stood their enjoying the view, a party of young sailors were being instructed in the intracicies of the sea right below our vantage point (IE, a bunch of snot nosed kids in sail boats were trying to run each other aground, which some success.)

A good time was had by all and hats were purchased. What more could one ask for? WITCH brings us to the next destination….

Salem, MA

The Spooky and black mascara/purple hair capital of the world is, actually a very fine place to visit any time of year and not just Halloween. Though most famous for being the sight of the Salem Witch Trials in the 1600’s, it is also a very visitable town that retains probably more historic buildings per square acre than any other place in New England. Some go back to the mid-1600’s, which makes them contemporaries of William Shakespeare and Galileo Galilei.

Salem has a fine haaaaaahbuh too, actually one of the oldest commercial ports on the east coast. It is also possibly the hardest gosh damned place to get in and out of that you will ever have need to go to…there are trans-dimensional portals that are easier to get into than Salem. But we made it in without problems, and more importantly, out with problems, and we returned to Aunt Lois’s luxury suite in Quincy Centuh with no loss of limbs or blood shed.

A great time was had by all on this trip. Sylvia pronounced Rockprt to be ‘very charming’ with houses that have a “lot of character” and a good mix of high and middle end fu-fu shops, and all of this with no discernable homeless population to interfere with the experience. Sylvia awards Rockport four and a half Fu’s on her Fu-Fu scale…Salem, which was “nice but weird” is awarded three.

Next up: Newpaaaaaht, RI

BOSTON

Though we were in Boston mostly for a family reunion and memorial service for my Aunt Kathy who passed away earlier this year, Sylvia and I were able to slip away for a few days of sightseeing. I spent some time in the familiar and saw a few things I had never seen before even when I lived there…we’ll cover a few of the highlights.

Pictured above...'hard of thinking' cousin Brian with wife Sylvia; Cousin Deb and Aunt Lois; Mary Regan and husband Chris.

All in all, there is simply too much to see in the Boston area even if you have a week to see it all.

First free day: Boston Harbor and North End…

Our tour guide for today is none other than the famed actor, bartender, photographer, filmmaker, artist, appreciator of culture, phantom gourmet, rocket scientist, former drummer for Styx and treasury whatever the hell he does, Jonathan Tomilson. Jonathan’s long-suffering wife Deb was unable to join us on this trip so we were exposed to the full force of Jonathan for a period of an entire day but thankfully suffered no major structural damage.

Gruff but lovable cousin Jonathan

Our first stop was Boston Haaaaahbuh*…a place almost entirely unrecognizable to me today. In my youth, the haaaaarbuh was basically an area reserved for the mob to dispose of corpses. Now, it is one of the most prosperous areas of the city.

*Note that in the interests of authenticity I will be writing some key phrases in the manner of the local dialect of Boston. Even though this is sometimes 'wicked haaahd' for outsiders to understand, I have felt it necessary in order to preserve the 'local colluh.'

We took a boat to Georges Island for a few hours. Jonathan and myself had visited the island in our youth and marveled at how much safer and more cleaned up it is now, thanks to the efforts of the National Park Service. But somehow, the dangerous days of the past were more fun. Oh for the days when a child could vanish into a darkened, half-flooded pit infested with rats and be lost forever! Today’s kids just don’t know what they are missing. Damned overprotective parents.

The skyline from the haaaahbuh

Must be a holdover from Sail Boston

Sylvia who is, recently a citizen of the US, salutes the flag as is her patriotic duty

The 'cleaned up' Georges Island. Lousy Nanny State!

Fort Warren served as a coastal Fortress and prison from the Civil War through World War II

Boston Light visible in the background

After the tour we went for pizza at Jonathan's favorite pizza in the North End** Regina Pizzaria

**Not to be confused with his favorite place TO have pizza

This is NOT Pizzaria Regina, but it is the only photo I took in the North End.

A great trip was had by all. After Jon took us home for a well earned rest at my aunt Lois place. Lois very kindly put up with us for almost an entire week. Even more remarkably, she has put up with cousin Jonathan for his entire life.

Next up: Rochpaaaaht, MA

Here's a few sneak peaks of the current trip to Boston...a lot of great time spent with family so far, and in between visits to Georges Island, Rockport, Salem, Newport RI and the North End.

More to come soon!

Climate Change ‘skepticism’

For those climate change 'skeptics' out there, boy do I have a treat for you! Here's a REAL skeptic...Michael Shermer, for American Skeptic Magazine, no less...on why climate change not only is real, but is both human caused and in his words, “absolutely irrefutable.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVvggZo8m7c

You may not like it folks, and you can call it politics if you want, but it truly isn’t. Climate change is 100% real.

If you live in the Raleigh NC are and have NOT visited the sunflower patch down by the Neuse River off Smithfield Road...your time is just about out. They were in peak only through last week...though there were still TONS of people there this morning.

Our photos from last week:

This one is my personal favorite, the 'threatened by a bumble bee' look!

In case you are wondering, the city raises them as an application site for biosolids from the Neuse River Resource Recovery Facility, one of the city's wastewater treatment plant. The seeds are harvested and turned into biodiesel.