A few weeks ago I posted a list of suggested places to visit in the USA. It was partly because I was going to the USA to visit family. I happened to go somewhere that I under represented on my list for a couple reasons. 1.) It is a bit of a family holiday location for me (as in: it is where I see family, so I don’t always think of it as a holiday destination…) and 2.) it is a beach town, and therefore a PAIN to visit in the summer months due to prices hikes, and tourist traffic…
But I get to stay with family, did I mention, and since Hawkgirl had time off work, it seemed inappropriate to not go somewhere nice during our forced work break. Might as well see family. In the States. On the beach…
On the harbor in Boston
Where did we go? Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
We flew into Boston. We were privileged to be picked up by a great friend, who was also one of my groomsmen. Nothing like hanging out with people that you have missed for years, but can pick up with like it was yesterday!
Our friends have no personality… 😉
We had a fabulous time hanging out with my groomsman and his wife. Bonus: they know the tricks of Boston. With them we took a harbor tour, a city bus tour (with an amazing tour guide: actually a history professor with a sense of humor working tourism over the summer; a fantastic guide for the historical sites of colonial Boston), a restaurant tour, and a Dunkin Donuts tour!
They also got us into the Boston Aquarium through the secret door, and we enjoyed not only the antics of the penguins, but several bizarre fish, the sharks, and famous sea turtles! (Aye! Sea turtles!)
After that quick splash in the city, we were off to the seaside. Not far from Boston is the Cape that is featured in several movies and lots of romantic fiction. Chalk full of scenery, beaches, little Cape houses (cedar shingles, grayed by the sea air), beautiful flower gardens with blue hyacinth, and fishing towns.
There we joined my grandmother, and my sister Raven (with husband Zorro; read about them here) for family time and fun in the sun.
It’s amazing, and detailed! My grandma kept looking at our concentration and asking, “Is that game fun? No one’s laughing?” Oh. It’s fun…
We played games on the beach, barbequed ribs and burgers, took Grandma out for her favorite seafood dish, played Firefly the board game, and swam in the temperate Buzzards Bay.
In a few days we waved goodbye to Raven and Zorro, and welcomed my parents. Cue more time on the beach, family catching up, another cookout, Seafood Restaurant take II, and a trip around the family heritage of my grandmother’s and mother’s childhoods. And the biggest sandcastle we could manage before the tide came in…
Okay, its modest. But we arrived with the tide already three quarters in…
We were almost out of holiday, so we packed out bags (considerably more full with American goodies you can’t find in England…), and headed back towards Boston. But we had another friend receive us there and take us on a tour of the Museum of Fine Art before we flew; there saw many American classics of the founding fathers and patriots, as well as the Japanese master Hokusai, and his 100 views of Mt. Fuji, including the famous The Great Wave. I was also interested in the legendary figure of the Demon Queller.
Museum of Fine Art, Boston
Aztec art… Kusco’s palace?
The Demon Queller
Spot Mt. Fuji
It was a packed vacation, which is arguably not restful, but in our case heart-filling, punctuated by beachy moments of rest and inspiration. I’d say it was a success.
So while I’d have to recommend the off-season if you’re trying to book a hotel or B&B (try September/October…) it is definitely an idyllic and wonderful place if you like sand, seafood, and sun.
and mermaids… you might see mermaids…!
Thoughts from Nogrod 
Such good times! Also, that Demon Queller piece….does the little plaque explain why it’s called that? Because that is fascinating.
It did… a bit anyway. I’ll send you a picture of it which hopefully you can read…