GARY AND RHONDA VISIT BOSTON AND CAPE COD: July 31 - August 5, 2016
In 2014, we spent several great days in Boston prior to Gary's professional meetings in neighboring Rhode Island. Rhonda jumps at the chance to return to Boston the first week of August 2016. While Gary attends AAEA meetings, Rhonda once again walks the amazing Freedom Trail -- from Boston Common to the USS Constitution in Charleston Harbor.
A Few Sites along the Freedom Trail...
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| Grave of Samuel Adams, "Father of the American Revolution" - Granary Burial Grounds |
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| Faneuil Hall, "The Cradle of Liberty" - Meeting Place of Revolutionaries |
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| Home of Paul Revere - Oldest Building in Boston |
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| Paul Revere Monument |
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| Old North Church - "One if by land; two if by sea!" |
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| Great View of Bunker Hill Monument from Charleston Harbor Bridge |
Self-guided Evening Walking Tour of Beacon Hill
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| Jonathan Mason Home (designed by Charles Bulfinch) - Beacon Hill |
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| Henry Cabot Lodge Home - Beacon Hill |
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| John F. Kerry Home - Beacon Hill |
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| Acorn Street (Boston's most-photographed street) - Beacon Hill |
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| Cheers Pub - Beacon Hill |
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| Infamous Apartment above Paramount Restaurant (where last victim of Boston Strangler was found) |
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| Beacon Hill's Commercial District |
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| "Make Way for Ducklings" - Boston Public Garden |
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| Beautiful Evening for a Stroll - Boston Public Garden |
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| Our Digs - Marriott Copley Place Hotel |
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| With Son-in-law Aaron Buhler (also on business in Boston) |
Cape Cod in One Day!
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| Pilgrim Monument - Provincetown, Massachusetts |
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| Views from Pilgrim Monument - Provincetown, Massachusetts |
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| Provincetown is on the site of the Mayflower landing in 1620 |
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| Highland Lighthouse (active lighthouse) - Oldest and Tallest Lighthouse on Cape Cod |
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| Cape Cod National Seashore |
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| Nauset Beach Lighthouse - Logo for Cape Cod Potato Chips! |
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| Chatham Lighthouse - 2nd Lighthouse on Cape Cod (now a US Coast Guard station) |
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| Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat CG36500 - Conducted the "Mount Everest of Rescues" |
Disney based their Coast Guard rescue movie, 'The Finest Hours' (with Chris Pine, Ben Foster and Eric Bana) on the rescue of the Pendledon, one of the most spectacular rescues in the history of the US Coast Guard. On February 18, 1952, the tanker Pendleton broke in half off the coast of Chatham during a Nor'easter storm. In blinding rain and sixty foot seas, the crew of the CG36500 (see two pictures above) traversed treacherous seas to rescue 32 crew members. They navigated safely back to Chatham Fish Pier in total darkness and without their compass, which had been washed overboard. Each crew member was awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal for bravery.
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| Hyannis Port Harbor |
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| Hyannis Port Beach at Sunset (we stay at Marriott Courtyard in Hyannis) |
Cruise from Hyannis Port to Cliff Town, Nantucket
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| Departing Hyannis Port at 8:30 am on Thursday, August 4, 2016 |
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| View of Kennedy Compound from HyLine Catamaran |
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| Upon Arrival in Nantucket, We Take a Bike Tour of the Island |
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| First Tour Stop - Brant Point Lighthouse (established in 1746) |
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| View over Jetties Beach and Nantucket Sound |
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| Hilfilger Estate, second most expensive home on Nantucket, listed at $27 million! |
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| Gorgeous Hydrangea-lined Drive (next door to Hilfilger estate) |
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| The Old Mill (built in 1746) - Oldest Functioning Mill in U.S. |
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| Birthplace of Maria Mitchell, America's First Woman Astronomer (1818-1889) |
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| Gary with Bike Tour Guides - Marcus (left) is from Michigan, Jason (right) is from Indiana |
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| In 1659, Rhonda's ancestor Tristam Coffin purchased Nantucket for 30 pounds and 2 beaver hats! |
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| Relaxing Lunch on Nantucket Island |
Cruise from Cliff Town, Nantucket to Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard
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| We Depart Nantucket at 2:40 pm |
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| Goodbye, Nantucket Island! |
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| Passing Brant Point, Nantucket |
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| Passing Oak Bluffs Town Beach, Martha's Vineyard |
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| Arrival at Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard at 3:50 pm |
Upon arrival in Martha's Vineyard, we self tour the island via rental car, to see as much as we can during our four short hours there. We drive from Oak Bluffs to Edgartown; from Edgartown to West Tisbury; from West Tisburg to Vineyard Haven, then back to Oak Bluffs. We get a pretty good picture of the terrain, but don't have time to see much of the coastline. What we do see is beautiful!
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| East Chop Lighthouse (built 1876) Overlooks Vineyard Haven Harbor and Vineyard Sound |
When we return the rental car, there is still time to shop for souvenirs along Circuit Avenue in Oak Bluffs. This downtown business district is beyond cute and fun, with adorable gingerbread-style architecture!
The ferry leaves Martha's Vineyard at 8:30 pm, arriving back in Hyannis Port at 9:40 pm. This exciting day has definitely exceeded our expectations! We return to the Courtyard to pack for our flight home the next day, with a much greater understanding of this gorgeous area. There's one final thing that Rhonda hopes to see the next morning -- a closer look of the Kennedy compound. The address of the famous home (once inhabited by JFK, his parents, and siblings) is available online. Directions from the Courtyard to the compound are saved in Rhonda's iPhone maps. We succeed in reaching the beach in front of this most-famous 1960's neighborhood! It's one of the highlights of the trip for Rhonda, who was ten years old when 'Camelot' came falling down in 1963.
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| Standing along Private Pier in Hyannis Port (adjacent to Kennedy compound) |
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| Three-gabled home at center of photo was home to Joe and Rose Kennedy (JFK's parents). |
