ON THE ROAD AGAIN - 3 chicks looking for leaves, lobster and lots of other stuff

I'd barely left an imprint in the sofa and on the remote before I was packing my bags again for the much anticipated road trip up the east coast (Clearwater Fl, to Bar Harbor, ME..and back). The goal was to get up to New England in time for peak foliage viewing, enjoying ourselves with other excursions along the way.

We were successful!


FLORIDA
Clearwater to Palm Coast

After scrutinizing the itinerary I had to get realistic and do some shuffling and cutting. The first shuffle had us collecting Helena at the Tampa airport at 4pm and on the road to our first destination, Palm Coast, by 8..arriving 10:40pm. We were off to a sleepy start but a second wind blew in and kept us up past 1am chatting with Hugh and Cecile.

We awoke the next morning to a beautiful fruit platter and a yummy breakfast of soft fluffy scrambled eggs, delicious homemade cornbread, fried tomatoes and bacon..we were spoilt travelers relaxing over breakfast with good friends delaying hitting the road for a major leg of driving.

GEORGIA

Savannah
I drove us to Savannah on the soon to be 'endless highway'. This leg was lined with tall green trees which gave way as we entered the city to gradually thickening groves of live oaks, complete with hanging lichen. Three lane highways became 2 lane byways and narrow roads slowing us so we could notice the weathered houses lining the street, the kids in school uniforms crossing in front of us and the animated men demonstrating 'whatever' to each other along the sidewalk. There was a lot going on in the streets, and it was all taking place at nice, slow southern pace.

We went to the visitor info center, got a basic map and directions to the river front where we parked for $1 and ate at "Fiddlers Crab House", crab stew (soup), crab cakes and grits with cheese : ) Three stuffed chicks chilled out on the upstairs outside balcony watching the few riverboats drifting by and succumbing to the mellow tunes of the sax player drifting up from the cobblestone walk below, lulling us into spending an additional hour in Savannah and arriving much later than intended in Raleigh.

NORTH CAROLINA TO VIRGINIA
No matter how much you haul ass you can't race time and we got to Raleigh close to 11pm, 3 hrs late, I'm sure we annoyed our hosts, but hey, at least we got to see them for a little bit.

We left their house at 11am the next day but it took us much longer to get out of town...what a rigmarole of side streets and multiple hi ways. So I did what any woman driver would do and pulled into a gas station for gas and directions. After listening to the gas station attendant I exited more confused than I entered and just sat in the car staring at the map as Mom and Helena scrubbed the bugs off the windshield and filled the subaru with fuel. The frustration was making its way to the surface when this young guy approached me and said he couldn't help but over hear that I wanted to get to HWY85 and as he was heading that way I could follow him..I thought that was very sweet of this young man with his earpiece, backwards cap, and baggy jeans to organize a 2 car convoy through the scenic back roads and help us chicks navigate the confusing twists and turns all the way to HWY85. He didn't wait for us to keep up though, so caution aside we roared on and tooted and waved as he exited on his way..such a nice young man. And it all happened right after I stopped to pick up the penny at the gas station cause after the confusing directions I got from the attendant I thought I needed all the luck I could get to guide me to HWY 85...see a penny, pick it up.

HWY85 takes you through some really beautiful countryside. We were happy driving along bi-roads 17-66-81 rolling through small towns where the fall leaves were already starting. I pulled off the road to take the obligatory 'horses with fall leaves' & church with fall leaves photo.

Later we pulled over in Winchester for a much longer stop to feed ourselves and the car. We took a detour into the chocolate shop first and spent a long time choosing our treats for later..I went the alcohol route with champagne, Irish cream and amaretto truffles. The lady in the chocolate shop asked us why we stopped in Winchester...of course I couldn't tell her it was because it the name of Sam & Dean from 'Supernatural"..see, there's a method to my madness..so I just told her I liked the name : ) I liked the food too, the best dang, "please sir can I have some more" melt in the mouth garlic mashed potatoes I've had to date.

Belly full, legs stretched, chocolates stashed and we were back on the road for the last 2 hr drive on a total highway to hell with demon trucks, bully drivers and blowout tires flying by the subaru. Good thing I'm not a panic person and we were just in the right place at the wrong time, anyway I decided I'd had enough of the f 'er truckers and sped up and motored on safely to the Best Western in Harrisburg, VA.


VIRGINIA TO VERMONT
Waffles for breakfast and back on the road. We had about 5 hrs driving ahead of us along highways lined with brilliant foliage...better than sitting in an office any day.



Mom started off the first leg until the need had us pulling over for pics and 3 pee's.

Helena took the wheel for the last leg which means I didn't drive all day...instead...what with Claudia "speedy" Ryan and Helena "we drive on the left in England" Mitchell taking over the open highways..I adopted the role of outwardly calm, probably totally unnecessary but feeling the need, driving instructor dispensing such sage road advice as...


"Now when you overtake make sure you can see the car in the rear view mirror before you pull back into the lane"

"I know you are used to driving on the left in England, but you are over the white line on the edge of the road, could you move back into the lane?"

"If you are not going to go over the speed limit then I might as well just drive from here on!"

I didn't have to worry about that last one at all as they both proved to be secret speedies, so much as to even over take state troopers (I smiled at him as we crept by at a mere 5 miles over the speed limit)...we were a car full of women with cahones!!

Confidence climbing with each passing mile my inner control freak started to relax...till we pulled out of the rest stop and Helena asked me why the car was shuddering..I looked over and released the hand brake and a few seconds later burst into uncontrolled giggling with just a slight underlying hint of hysteria.

Hey..it's not like we ALL haven't driven with the hand brake on at some point..I myself have smoked the open road and I bet every one of you reading this is remembering the time it happened to you.

Anyway, after a few twists and turns at toll booths we got on state route 7 leaving 3 lanes behind for 1 through quaint towns with antique shops, pumpkin patches...and of course, brilliant foliage in all its awesome glory.

Bennington, VT
We stopped at a craft shop (above pics) near the Vermont/NY border cause I needed to get 2 more Christmas decorations. Then GARMIN, aka 'bitch in a box' or as I like to call her "Miss Re-Calculating" led us, in a non crystal way, to the Alexandria B&B in Bennington which had no room for us in the Inn..but the nice man who was turning us away 'X'd' a few other places on the map before he showed us the door.

The Best Western only had smoking rooms available, which we were allowed to sniff before committing...I didn't even inhale as there was a bunch of guys smoking and drinking outside the rooms having a party...not a winning advertisement..the room could have smelt of roses and we wouldn't be staying. The receptionist was very nice and got us, and the new arrival old man who was also looking for a non-smoking room, a place to stay at the "Knotty Pines Motel" down the road. Nothing to take pictures of, but it was clean had beds and their receptionist recommended the "Peppermill" for dinner were we dined on great (we hope to re-create) ricotta and spinach stuffed eggplant baked in marinara sauce and mozzarella. I followed it with the penne and Italian sausage in a creamy pesto and washed it all down with a nice Chianti.

A stroll through the quaint, but closed up for the night, downtown streets helped ease the food down while we checked out the price of real estate and posed with life size statues of people doing various things, scattered along the streets. There was an old lady with her shopping bags, a man painting the lamp post, one washing windows, another raking leaves, kids playing and this one of the little girl, and me, swinging on the stop sign.


After a very small and basic continental breakfast we threw our luggage out the door and into the back of the subaru and drove the newly marked route through Bennington to the 3 nearby covered bridges and 1 picturesque B&B complete with requisite blazing foliage.

We jogged around in the crisp cold morning, trespassing on peoples leaf strewn lawns, standing in the middle of the road running through the covered bridges and sitting briefly by the stream for a photo before bundling back into the warmth of the car and motoring on to our next destination.

We accidentally came upon the Bennington monument and since we were actually looking for it, it turned out to be a good break. It was still muy crisp, brisk, and downright cold, and it got more so up on the observation deck at the top of the monument...with its open windows all around it was like hanging out in a freezer...but it was a freezer with awesome aerial views of 3 states of autumn scenery complete with little Christmas village type houses and steeple churches peeking out through the trees.

See the detailed paintings of the covered bridges...

Onward ho on to Northern Vermont on a highway framed by great back country scenery. Heavy traffic had us stopping in Burlington so we took advantage to pee and to find the Ben & Jerry's...but they didn't know where it was...so we sped out of town towards Stowe, noted as a picturesque Vermont town in the AAA guide book. I was motoring along, slightly annoyed at traffic and driving and stuff when I spied with my little eyes the big blue and black and white Ben & Jerry's factory on the left. 96 or less pearly whites where shining bright out the car window as we made the left turn into the parking lot.

We spent a lot more time here than planned, sitting out in the cold sampling each others flavors, going on the factory tour, buying stuff and taking pics....We really needed this icecream pick me up!!

Stowe, VT
It was already getting late when we finally got to Stowe but we still made time to wander through town down more leaf strewn sidewalks, stopping in shops and galleries, in front of churches, next to cemetaries and in front of pedestrian covered bridges.

I want this...

After all our wanderings I glanced at a town map and discovered Stowe was a lot bigger than we'd covered on foot, as I mentioned before, we were tight on time so we did a quick drive through and then programmed "Miss Re-Calculating" garmin to take us on the most direct route to our very deluxe, reserved rooms at the Comfort Inn in North Conway. We checked in at 8 and headed downtown to the 'shouldn't have been recommended' "Horse Feathers" for dinner where a guy suited for a different profession served me curried crab & asparagus soup and a roasted beet and goat cheese salad...the food was better than the service but still so so...good thing I was still full from the 7 layer coconut, walnut, butterscotch Ben & Jerry's ice cream.


NEW HAMPSHIRE

North Conway
We spent the entire morning and afternoon in North Conway. It was a great day, the type of day that looks way too good to be cold...but it was of so chilly. Mom and Helena drove into town, I would have slit my wrists if I had to get back behind the wheel so I set off at a brisk walk for triple purposes, warmth, exercise and to check out the town at a slower pace. I spied a craft shop and found some nice photographs which fleetingly inspired me to get around to printing some of mine..and hey, maybe even sell some at street fair or something. The thought stayed with me as I squeaked around the stores creaky floors towards the jewelry booth and a lovely, delicate black filigree style bracelet.

Bracelet in bag and back on track walking into town I spotted the subaru opposite a town fair, I didn't have to tune in to psychic powers to figure out where Mom was. I crossed the street and stopped at the first booth..old tin art signs. The stall owner recommended the classic Norman Rockwell Saturday Evening Post tin cover of teens at a malt shop I was holding...I choose the TITANIC tin poster instead, it had my name in it, then wandered over to find Mom and Helena.

Mom ran in to a bit of trouble later outside the general store...she calls this her impression of Ron from Harry Potter...'cept its a bear and not spiders

The whole of town and all it's tourists were out and about, at the fair, watching the little league football game, complete with little cheerleaders, or strolling down more colourful, leaf strewn sidewalks on their way, like me, to the MET coffee shop for hot chocolate. After, paper cup in hand, I stood outside the coffee shop and looked up at the ski Mt, it's lifts clearly visible. I did a 90 degree turn and I could see the white puffs from the steam engine train tooting it's way around town, and a short walk in any direction brought you to all the recycling bins you could need.

I really, really liked this town, and thoughts of settling down here and greeting folks by name as I passed them on the street ran through my mind, along with visions of me boarding down the slopes in winter, then bundling up in some future house under future fleece blankets next to a future roaring fire, danced through my head.



We toured the town leaving no store unturned and no leaf unphotographed. At 2:30, after a hot spicy chili lunch al fresco, we were back in the car and on the road to Maine...10 mins later we were in Maine. Not our final destination for the day, but one definately worth a stop on the side of the road for a few pictures of Moose Pond (should be called Moose Lake it was so big).

we sure enjoyed the rest of the drive through more awesome fall foliage that turned to evergreen trees and finally pulling into Bar Harbor under the darkness of early night.


MAINE

BAR HARBOR, ME
Our B&B was a cute suite with 2 bedrooms, 3 beds, a small sitting room and the biggest bathroom with the smallest bump your elbows in the wall shower ever...it was not luxury pampering like the comfort inn suite the night before, but the warm quaint cuteness that comes with cookies and candy and the promise of fresh home cooked breakfast in the morning.

The owner of the B&B had given us a couple restaurant recommendations so after unpacking we bundled up (it was real cold) and walked into town to the "West Street Cafe" for the 'can't go to Maine and not have' maine lobster dinner. Unfortunately it was nothing to write more about.

The temperature dropped and the wind picked up when we left the restaurant. We walked briskly, heads bent down against the wind, hands fisted in our pockets, slowing our pace only after we turned the corner and headed out of the wind and away from the waterfront. We did a lot of window shopping and some actual stopping in the few shops that were open this late. Mom got a free sample of salt water taffy which she promptly threw away. We strolled a little further and paused in front of a pub advertising sweet water blues, sure why not..we passed full dining rooms below and climbed the stairs to the second floor anticipating good times ahead. Well we waited and waited, watched the red sox widen the gap, and waited some more. I asked the bartender when the blues would start...apparantly half hour ago...we exited back into the cold and down the road to our B&B suite which finally got warm once we figured out the heating system.

We started the morning with a big breakfast and a short walk in to town, again..It was sunny and very cold so we HAD to go in to a lot of stores to warm up : )

Sufficiently warm and satisfied with our photos and small purchases we bade farewell to the B&B and hit the open road again to see those places that were too far to walk to...and as it turned out, not accessible by car either. There was a marathon earlier that morning and many roads were still blocked off, so change of plans, instead of driving around all the inlets and coves along the Maine coast we enjoyed a scenic loop drive around Acadia National Park.

Here's some of what we saw at the many pull over stops and our stroll along sandy beach.

A couple hours later we headed back down the road to Camden..stopping in our tracks in the middle of a bridge (no traffic either way for the moment) to gasp and stare and try to take pics out the car window, of the picturesque little christmas village scene across the river... until traffic approached and drove us off the bridge, literally. We pulled off the road and parked next to the old abandoned bridge just below, walking a tiny bit beyond the 'prohibited access' area to try and get a better pic of the picturesque village, then we noticed cars parked below us and drove further on down the road to "Fort Knox" park and observatory which had unobstructed views of the town of Penobscot, Maine.




multiple shots of the town stored in our cameras we stretched our legs, used the bathroom and organized the snacks in the car so we could munch easily as we motored onward to Camden.

Camden

If there is a list of picturesque criteria that all small towns in Maine have to fulfill, Camden had it all...steeple church, shops and galleries, a marina filled with boats reflecting on the glassy waters, fall foliage with stray leaves blowing down the sidewalk in the brisk fall breeze, friendly folk who smile at you on the street and a delish lobster salad served by an equally delish deli guy. Well dont just take my words for it...see for yourself.

Since the town was so dang purty we decided to stay the night and got us a real cute room in a real nice place..with a coin op laundry!!! We did multiple loads, dashing through the freezing outdoors from our room to the the wing with the laundry..I found a Janet Evanovich novel and swiped it (we paid enough extra coinage into the broken dryer to cover the cost : ) Then, with all our clothes fresh and hot from the dryer we drove straight down the road to find some dinner. We walked around checking out a few restaurants, some werent busy enough, some had too limited a menu but one was just right... CAPPYS.
I had the haddock stuffed with crab and we all shared a very, very good apple tart, so great we ordered another.

Our cute Inn for the night came with a decent bfast of bagels, juice and fresh fruit. Hunger satisfied and looking forward to a day filled with lighthouses, we had their locations "X'd" on our map and followed the lines. Still, I couldnt find the 1st lighthouse.


The 2nd lighthouse was at the end of a .8 mile stone pier out in the middle of the harbor. It was a deceptively nice sunny day which turned butt ass cold on the wind swept giant rocks.

yes, there is a lighthouse at the end of this pier!!!!

This was puffy quilted coat, hood, gloves, scarves and mittens weather..all the things we lacked, Mom and Helena especially as they both left their main coats in the car...me, I'm always cold so I had cap and 2 coats... despite the frigid temps and the marathon walk the two homeless match girl look-a-likes pressed on at their cautious pace over the slightly uneven terrain..even when I passed them on my way back and told them the lighthouse was far from spectacular....they huddled onward and back.


The 3rd lighthouse was aptly located at the end of lighthouse Road, yet I still failed to grasp the obvious and had to ask directions. After doubling back to the same parking lot I'd just left it was just a short walk, past nice views, to the base of the steps to the lighthouse.



It wasnt the candy striped lighthouse image I had in my mind but it was still cool and came with it's own little caretaker house with kids tricycles strewn about the front yard and private property signs posted next to the driveway.

I think I could live in a lighthouse.

It had been quite an active morning so far and as lunch time approached coincidentally so did the reccommended General Store for great lobster rolls. We didn't eat lobster at a table with a window view as we glanced over the AAA books looking for more stops along the way.

Thats the General Store/restaurant on the far right

The best lighthouse was the last lighthouse and it came with the cute little town of Port Clyde with it's cottage style post office (where we stopped to send some mail), a general store where the cashier chatted Helena's ear off, a giant lobster billboard and an outdoor port-a-potty with a wash basin that utilized a mini hose powerful enough to knock you back a step.


So it was no shock the Port Clyde lighthouse was so nice and relaxing. Mom immediately took to the rocks and Helena stretched out on a bench by the water in the warm sun.

I could live here too!

We all wished we had more time to chill out here by the lighthouse, but we had to get to Boston tonight to meet up with Anna, and we still wanted to stop in Portsmouth NH on the way (or maybe it was just me?).

HA!! So much for plans! We'll have to do Portsmouth on another trip...We stayed as long as we could at the lighthouse, and on the drive onward we got sidetracked by St. George slaying a dragon, did a double take and turned the car around at the sight of hundreds of white turkeys and since we were already turned around, we also headed back to the pumpkin stall we'd passed...of course the turning around part was encouraged by Mom and Helena.

Poor turkeys..they haven't a clue which thanksgiving table their albino bodies will be gracing. At least they will live on forever in film...and blogs.



MASSACHUSETTS

Boston
It was dark when we drove into Boston and my 1st impression was that I wished I was back in a small town. At the stoplight, 2 people on cell phones crossed the street, then 2 runners with ipods, and a kid playing video game...everyone seemed so tuned out to what was going on around them, off in their own world, and pedestrians all wanting to cross against their light (I became one of them after a day when I saw how car biased the lights were). There were also no parking spots and double parking with hazards was the norm. I was fricking thrilled to finally pull up to the Sheraton and hand the car over to valet parking for $41 a night. We called Anna and snuck up to our rooms that we weren't booked into. Free room which we gave cash and champagne to the Virgin crew member who gave up her room (she wasn't using it since her husband also had a room) which worked out for us :)
It was a VERY nice room, the most comfortable bed with great fluffy comforter and flat screen tv on the wall... but as I find is typical with these ritzy hotels, they always charge for internet. Anyway, who needs internet when you got dinner to go out to at Legal Seafood (recommended by Colleen)..and we didn't even have to go outside in the cold but just up the escalator, down the hall through the mall..

I ate the arctic char (fish) with horseradish butter, seaweed salad & brown rice and a Legal sangria that knocked me out.


The next day in Boston we had no plan past getting some breakfast..easier said than done..we strolled the streets, walking slowly and rubber necking past some good looking firemen hanging outside the station sipping coffee and showing off their fabulousness. They faded in the distance as we continued our block after block search for the perfect breakfast (well you know what happens when you go looking for perfection)...we ended up settling for a bagel joint where I settled for chocolate milk and a banana and lied my ass off on the phone about our reservation at the next hotel, pretending it was for tonight cause we wanted to change our plans and stay another 2 nights in Boston and THEN go to Cape Cod rather than go and THEN come back to Boston. The hotel bought my freigned surprise that the reservation wasn't for tonight AND tomorrow and Colleens parents were totally fine with our change of plans.
Now we had 2 full days and 3 nights in Boston to fill..wow, 2 nights in the same hotel (we had to leave the Sheraton as Anna and the Virgin crew were flying back to London today and well..we definitely weren't going to pay full rates for a fabulous bed if it didn't come with internet!!!!)

So we took off to do some sightseeing with Anna before she had to check out.


Right across the street was the MBE christian science church which was very beautiful and inspiring, very positive philosophy.




We went to their Maparium which I found very cool, it's a 3 story globe that you literally walk into and look out at the world. All countries in their original names, so cool to see all the places I've been and the few I still want to go to.

Standing in the center of the Maparium, when you spoke you had a surround sound effect with your voice..so naturally I had to try my hand at the first few lines of the US national anthem ala halftime of big time sports events..sans Janet Jackson wardrobe incidents. We also tested out the whisper mode where 2 people stand at either ends of the corridor dissecting the globe and whisper UP (has to be directed up) the sound travels around the globe and those standing in the center between you cant hear what was said..pretty cool...if you didn't whisper up it ended up in surround sound stadium mode.

After all the fun in the world at the Maparium, we hopped on the subway to Quincy Mkt and maneuvered the crowds, browsed the numerous food stalls and finally decided what to eat..lobster bisque and seafood chowder (chow-dah!!)...we were still in the New England states and law dictates you have to eat seafood!!



We raced back to the subway and to the Sheraton to get the car from valet before 4pm and avoid another $41/day charge. We grabbed the bags, kissed Anna bye and drove the 5 mins to the Boston Buckminster Hotel by Fenway Park. There was a spot right infront of the hotel so we unloaded at the curb while Mom checked in. You get discount parking in the lot right next to the hotel (substantially less than at the Sheraton) so once the subaru was luggage free I was just going to back up the 3 car lengths and pull into the parking lot...but of course traffic chose that exact moment to crest the hill and come racing down towards me. I was gunning to pull a movie stunt move and could have made it if the taxi driver who apparently didnt get the memo about my current route didn't double park in front of me cutting off my maneuvering room...I showed him my fierce face and peeled out to just drive around the damn block. Well if only it were that simple...the block I was going around splits into an ever widening wedge behind the hotel...with a freeway running under it??? and as the the gap between me and the parking lots got progressively wider I took the first left I could get over to and played the memory game down the streets back to the hotel. 15 mins later I pulled into the parking lot and handed the attendant what I thought was the parking voucher but turns out Helena handed me the room key card by mistake...sigh! He let me park, walk to hotel, get voucher, walk back, re-park, pay and go up to room.

I took the elevator up to our floor with ever intention of going to our room, and headed off in the direction of the pointing arrows..if I'd known the hotel was also an amusement park with mazelike corridors I would have asked for a map at the front desk...and after a few minutes of winding my way up and down dead end hallways through hell!!!! (the furnace was on full blast)...I wrestled my cellphone out of my bag and punched up Moms cell demanding a rescue party.

Needless to say I wasn't in the best of moods when I finally got to the room, which thankfully turned out to be quite nice, we had a suite of sorts with 2 separate rooms..I got the remaining room with big bed and my own tv with the remote... that didn't work, I also got the room with no internet access, no heat, and the bed with dirty sheets (wrinkled and lipstick stains??? I hope)...

I guess I was worn out from my trip through hells hallways and the 3 phone calls I'd already made to the front desk about the remote, internet and heat.. but Mom was full of righteous indignation over the dirty sheets and marched down to the front desk.

"What room are you in?" The poor unsuspecting front desk man asked. If I know my Mom, which I guess I do, I imagine the next line was delivered with hands on hips and a stern, but pleasant face.. "You should know that number by heart, we've had to call about the remote, the internet and the heat already..we are not having a very good start to our stay."
(they were all laughing.. we not so much.)

They delivered my sheets to the door and I re-made the bed (no tip for him), and soon we were all sorted 'cept for the internet, they tried to figure it out but it was not meant to be.


Note: the reason internet is so important is cause we pretty much plan our days and the next around googling the towns we end up staying in and see what's "To Do" around them and on the way in and out.


So we headed off on the subway to eat at the irish pub we choose mainly because they had live music. I got way too much overcooked pork, shrimp and lamb on my plate but the music was good, the beer was great and even better was the bananas foster bread pudding. I guess I enjoyed the beer too much cause I got us on the wrong green line which didn't go to our hotel stop, but I wasn't that drunk that I didn't figure it out right away and get us off and back on the right track : )



OCT 22
It's my birthday and I can whine if I want to...and that's what I did..almost all day long!

I woke up and I waited and waited for everyone to come running in to my room bearing gifts and cards and well wishes...but no one came. So I got up, showered, dressed, watched tv..and waited...and waited.

(Insert tiny violin here)

So I wasn't the least bit surprised that when Mom and Helena finally came in I was in a pissy mood...which persisted through breakfast and grew as I sat with my laptop trying to eat and find us a hotel room in NYC, which short of paying over $300 a night for the room we were close to boycotting NYC all together when Mom stepped up, made some calls to her friends in FLA who lived in Jersey and she found us a hotel just on the other side of the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee, NJ..supposedly a 10 min drive to upper Manhattan..heck, as long as we can get to a subway line we are fine...or so we thought...I'll tell you later.

Meanwhile back in Boston we took the subway to the Boston Commons to the trolly tour which took us through Cambridge, Harvard and MIT, past the Cheers Bar, Trinity church, Charles street with it's gas street lamps and rigid facade requirements for store fronts, gave us a glimpse at chinatown and little italy..in fact I think they should rename this the 'glimpse tours' cause unless you hop on and off and spend the whole day doing this, a glimpse is all you get of most things, but it definatly gives you an idea where everything is so you can go back, which is what I did. The trolly tour was quite good and perfect to do on a gray, misty day when you want to see the town. (Didn't take any pics out the trolly as it had that slightly opaque plastic down as our windows blocking out the rain and cold).

That's the Massachusetts State House (above)

It was still misty raining and cold when we got off the trolly back at the Boston Commons. Mom and Helena headed in to the coffee shop on the corner and I went back to the Cheers Bar, 2 blocks away, and got a stranger to take these pictures of me.

I power walked back to the coffee shop and we set off down Charles Street. I raced on ahead to take some pictures while they ran into the shop to buy film, when we hooked back up they said they were heading back to the hotel. I gave them my key, told them to get on the green line and stormed off by myself to Trinity Church..It was my birthday so I threw myself a pity party as I walked Boston by myself, I called a few friends and vented on the phone before the cold had me hanging up so I could put my hands in my pockets. I warmed up walking back to the hotel, which really wasnt that far and took you through the park past many statues...I just asked strangers directions every so often to make sure I was still heading in the right direction.






I actually arrived at the Buckminster before Mom and Helena...I figured that out after knocking forever on the door. I stomped back down to the front desk to get another key let myself in flounced into my room and jumped in bed to watch tv and wait for them to get back. Needless to say I was pissed cause they'd left me hours ago to apparently head back because it was too cold to roam Boston yet it seemed they were still out doing just that. I had a great fume!

Finally everyone came back to the room, we regrouped, my cold shoulder warmed up, conversations were had, my mood improved and off we all went to Francescas Ristorante in Little Italy, (a MUST DO by Colleen)
...and we are so glad we did..

We started off at the bar where a no personality, steroid enhanced bartender served us wine and became a conversation piece until our table opened up in the dining room (we'd called to make reservations and were told "Oh, you dont need to make reservations." So imagine our surprise when the same lady told us we had to wait cause we didnt have reservations??)

It wasn't a long wait and anyway, as I said, we had our steriod bartender to talk about until it was out turn to dine on some amazingly delicious epicurial delights...a lobster ravioli shared appetizer, followed by my seafood risotto, a mountain of mussels, clams, shrimp and calamari in a savory wine sauce. Mom enjoyed veal stuffed with crab, accompanied by stuffed mushrooms, black olives and caramelized onions, polenta and greens with cannelli beans. Helena choose pasta with veal, chicken, sausage and artichokes in a delicious creamy tomato sauce. We ended our dining experience with a 3 candled cannolli delivered by smiling waitstaff singing HAPPY BIRTHDAY to me.


It was great atmosphere, decor and music, in fact for a moment Helena thought we were back in Italy (where we all celebrated my birthday two years before).

We waddled out of the restaurant and took our stuffed selves on a stroll through Little Italy down Hanover St. Looking for the famous Mikes Pastry shop (another must do recommendation) ...we didn't think it would be open, I mean it was after 11pm!!!..HA..the line was out the door and we joined it and stood gaping at the ridiculously large selection of sugar treats. I got a lemon bar to go (they had no Boston cream pie...I never did find my Boston cream pie).

I really do like Boston, its a fun city, loads to do, small enough to walk around, friendly, reminds me of chicago..especially the sports crazy aspect of it..but what I think I like most is it's proximity to Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont..which I loved!!!

CAPE COD
We didnt leave super early cause, (1) who wants to battle Boston rush hour traffic, and (2) check out wasnt till past 10 anyway. So I stayed in bed watching Charmed and Mom brought me up juice & hot chocolate from the comp bfast to have with my lemon bar from "Mikes Pastry". It wasn't a completely delish lemon bar so I didn't force down the unnecessary calories...I like them tart!

At check out Mom mentioned (in a half laughing half serious way) all the things that went wrong with the room (remote, internet, heat, sheets & the finale..no hot water in the shower for me today) all my suffering was worth $100 of the bill : )!!!

The car was a little heavier with our padded wallet as we drove to Cape Cod on this sunny sunny sunny..butt ass cold...morning. We spontaneously diverted to Plymouth to check out 'The Rock' which was way less spectacular than the wrestler turned actor, and the Mayflower, sitting in the harbour.

I didn't even waste digital space with a picture of the disapointing 'rock', plus it was seriously cold so we didnt dally, and didnt tour the ship...I couldn't even walk the 2 blocks to the car without stopping in 4 shops along the way to warm up.

Us and the temperature had warmed up a bit by the time we got to our next stop, Sandwich, a very cute town that won't let you use their bathrooms, so pee before you get there.


We strolled around a few stores, ate lunch at a deli run by a very nice man, asked to use the bathroom but declined the port-a-potty behind the pick up truck in the parking lot, we crossed the street and browsed the antique shop which had no public bathroom, we cut over to the gas station which also had no public bathroom (isn't that illegal??) and so we drove on instead to the glass museum where a building under a huge fall foliaged tree housed proper bathrooms.


Pee free and much more comfortable, we drove on to "Sandy Neck Beach" where it seemed all the cold had stored up and lay in waiting. We did a brisk dash to check out the beach, staying just long enough to take 3-4 pics before racing back to the car.



Thanks to a few more impromptu stops at Vintage Shops, and me finally hauling the 2 of them back to the car, it was mid afternoon when we got to West Yarmouth and Colleens parents home. They showed us around town pointing ouy all the places Colleen worked at in high school. They took us to "The Christmas Tree Store" where I got more decorations to add to my seriously expanding collection. Then on to the "Red Jacket" hotel, where they had arranged a room for us right on the ocean and river front.



We had great views from our room (above pics) and wished we could have stayed there longer and taken time to stroll the beaches..but for now at least we were getting a good taste of the Cape and realizing we would be coming back for more.

Dinner was a fun affair at "Captain Parkers" for some of the best clam chow-dah I've had in years..followed by some pretty good baked stuffed scrod too.

Cheers!

Joe King called at 8 the next morning to invite us to go to the cranberry bog. Mom and I dashed out and drove over to his house and from their we all walked to the bog. It was time to pick the cranberries and we were hoping to see flooded bogs with floating berries and men in hip waders as in the Ocean Spray commercials...well this bog wasn't flooded but it sure was frozen

Just a bit disappointed there were no floating berries in the bog, but not put out at all because it was just so cool. Mom was estactic, it was really quite pretty with all the blades of grass and little cranberries encased in ice and reflecting the sunlight.



Steam rose from the ground our feet crunched over and a dog hopped up on a pot of coffee bounded, scampered and raced madly about. His exuberance was contagious.

Joe had to leave for a jobsite and Mom and I headed back to the hotel to get Helena and go out for some breakfast..we were looking for the reccommended "The Egg and I" but couldn't find it anywhere..which wasnt saying alot for my directional skills as it was on the main road and there was only 1 main road through West Yarmouth...after a bit of back tracking and turns hunger drove us in to the "Heavenly Restaurant" parking lot..I mean, with a name like that we were expecting fluffy eggs, crispy bacon and mountainous pancakes covered in pure Vermont Maple syrup with perfect square pats of butter melting across the warm tops...what we got was a nazi waitress serving up the most inedible crap since I ate a cockroach at the age of 3.

We left and improved our attitudes down the street at the church Pumpkin Patch.




Unfortunately we couldn't eat any of them but I found many different ways to take pictures of pumpkins..and maybe I found a new calling. We supported the church thrift shop and high tailed it out of town. We had a long way to go, food to find, and no particular agenda...we drove east on Cape Cod to Chatham then headed back west and inland, stopping again at Plymouth to check out the reccommended Plymouth Plantation tour.

Plymouth today was a complete 180 on the temperature the last time...we didnt even need a jacket on our trip back in history to the times of pilgrims and native americans living off the land. As we walked the path we got to see how they lived, how they built their dug out canoes, how they cooked, what they grew and ate. It was quite interesting.

(I didnt take any pictures of the guy demonstrating making the dug out canoe as he was so scantily clad it didnt feel proper to stand there taking pics...but enjoy the pilgrims below)

Everyone was in character, talking as they did in days of yore, commenting on events of yore as if they were current..a bit weird at times, but hey, different strokes...

We spent a couple hours here before leaving the cape behind and merging onto the freeway down to NY/NJ. We hit some rush hour traffic but all in all it was moving along at a decent pace and "Little Miss Re-calculating" directed us safely to our pre-booked hotel in Jersey.

The Comfort Suites Inn was not the frickin bit comfortable..from the minute I pulled into the pathetic parking lot and saw the motel sign with the "L" burnt out, the dingy store front lobby, and the guy you think only exists in movies, peering out in his boxers from his open doorway on the balcony above. But it was late, we were tired and seriously hoping maybe the lighting was playing trick on us and if we blinked the Hitlon would appear.

We all headed, reluctantly, into the 'lobby', to deal with the guys on duty who didnt look like they passed the hospitality course. I insisted we see the room before checking in and Helena and I crossed the parking lot to what we thought was the entrance and elevators...it was a boarded up room under construction. The only way up was via the metal steps (fire escape?) off to the side. I knew we weren't going to stay here but curiosity took me up, down the hall with its open view of highway traffic, through the door with no security lock, into the large, dank and dirty double queen room.


This ranked right up there with the prison hotel in Arizona from my last drive cross country. It was not a place where we would be getting any sleep and I explained this fact to the man after I stormed back in the lobby. I brought up the fact that there was no internet access in the room, it was just something else to rant about as we all know I would not have changed my mind if the room had internet and free movies on a 52" tv.
I just laid it out on the table and said there was no way, no how, the 3 of us were going to haul our luggage up the fire escape to stay in a room where none of us would feel comfortable and secure enough to get any sleep. To his credit the lobby man tried to get us to stay, even offered me another room in the "B" wing where I could get internet and probably be next door to our boxer clad resident, or I could come and sit in the lobby for access..yeah, those were winning options. We said goodbye, drove next door to the high rise Double Tree hotel and while Mom and Helena went inside to see about a room, which we got thanks in part to all Helenas praying in the lobby, I sat in the car and talked my way out of the room contract with the booking agency. I told them to promptly take the hotel off their reccommended list and never send anyone there again...anyway, by the time they came out with the bell hops to cart our luggage up to our nice, clean, secure, and comfortable room on the 5th floor, I was getting a full refund on the rooms we just left : ) We were 3 relieved and estactic women in our room that cost us $20 more a night than the flea bag motel next door.


The hotel may have been in Jersey but we sure werent going to stay there...no offence, I'm all for investigating new places..but we were off to New York City on the 10am shuttle.
It dropped us off at the Hilton, we promptly crossed the street to Starbucks, ate in the window watching the coming and goings on 5th Ave, then headed down those long NY city blocks to Rockefeller Center...




and on to the United Nations building. Helena used to work there and so this was a trip down memory lane for her, and a new path for us. We didnt even make a dent in the building, got sidetracked by the photography exhibit,

and got trampled by a tour bus load of asian tourists camera snappy and invading our picture space. I got a few good glares off before we left and headed back up to 5th Ave. Our next stop at Sephora had us leaving with newly shaped eyebrows, products and makeovers from the double for Charlottes (Sex in the City) gay friend. (He also does make up for the stars and project runway.)


Looking fabulous but famished we hit a corner deli serving up ridiculous portions of 1lb pastrami on rye, matzo ball soup and double choc death cake. While we were ploughing through all this we spotted a life size Elmo on the St. and stepped out of deli window/door our table was up against so Helena could take some pics with him. Sorry I didnt take any...I love muppets and all but not a fan of Elmo, guess his voice is too squeeky for me. Got my fill of muppets later on Broadway at Avenue Q. We stood in line at TIXS in Times Square but it was sold out...sigh, and we were suckered into hawkers rave reviews for "The perfect crime" which was perfect crap...we were going to leave at intermission but thought MAYBE it would get better?? We were wrong.

Our late night was followed by a way too early morning up at 8ish to catch the shuttle at 10 again. I'd found a website after returning to the hotel last night and joined for $4 and got broadway Avenue Q tiks at half price..we didn't have to stand in line at TKTS in times sq.!!!! So we went straight to Central Park and took advantage of the warm and sunny day...

along with all the skaters, bikers, runners, strolles and a lady who dropped her coat and posed in black lacy undies on the top of a rock...she turned a few heads.

After pausing to gasp and stare we walked on to the ice rink

and posed for some pics of our own.

It was a perfect day for the park and a stroll down the avenues, window shopping and stopping at galleries that caught our eye, or street vendors where we bought souvenir posters before heading down 8th for lunch at Food Emporium, where I built my own excellent salad, and then moving on to Broadway for Ave Q.



Avenue Q!!! Loved it, hilarious, adult humor and muppet sex on stage..what more can the adult child want in a show.

It was still daylight when we got out of the show and the plan was to stroll Times Square...

then hit Saks 5th Ave, Tiffanys, Zara and H&M..but we got sidetracked by a street fair and hot dogs

...and then found out we couldn't get on the 9:30pm shuttle!!! We were going to stay till 11:30 and see another show..but there weren't many on a sunday night so we rapidly changed plans and raced to catch the 6:30 shuttle back to Jersey, sat in traffic for 40 mins and got back at 7:30. We ordered room service, watched movies in bed and got a somewhat early night to get ready for the day of driving ahead.

JERSEY TO VIRGINIA
It was a good day to leave town as it was overcast and then rainy and cold..we drove the Jersey Turnpike through unspectacular industrial scenery, onward through Trenton to DC, or rather, around DC...during rush hour..not a good thing as it meant major traffic heading into Virginia. We took a much needed break on the off ramp to Pho soup and by 8:30 pm we pulled into the Quality Inn, hotel de jour, and collapsed in the simple but comfy room where I used the free wi fi to search for things to do in Savannah before closing my eyes on the day.

VIRGINIA TO GEORGIA
Another day of long drives yet it wasn't half as monotonous as the day before. It was sunny and we did some long stops at the outlet shops in N. Carolina where we all lucked out at Ralph Lauren. Tantalized yet again for 100 miles by the the endless "PEDRO" signs which entice you with curious slogans like "Free air, water & advice from PEDRO, 84 miles", "Caliente..south of the border, 50 mi", "Cold today, Hot Tamale, 24 mi to PEDRO"...the curious cat in us and desperate need for diversion lead us off the Interstate to PEDROS, South of the Border Emporium!.

GEORGIA
Savannah
We really did good time on the road with Mom "85 or bust" Ryan behind the wheel and were in Savannah at our really nice and HUGE, Comfort Suites hotel on Bay St. by 7:30pm. This room was fricking huge!! High ceilings, small seating area, arch ways..nice: )
We freshened up and went off to one of the restaurants I'd researched, "Geneva's Home Plate"...YUM!!! We were the only customers in the place, and while it did give us pause at the beginning, we put our doubts behind us enjoyed the attentive service and the basket of melt in your mouth cornbread that was soon placed before us. I ordered the oxtail, Mom the shrimp creole and Helena the "Peel-'em, eat-'em endless bucket of shrimp, corn, sausage and potato" and though we'd certainly eaten more than enough, we were on vacation so we had to have peach cobbler, bread pudding and sweet potato pie. We were still the only people in the restaurant, cept for the few who came in to collect take out, but we sure livened it up with our non stop chatter, outbursts of laughter and gusto for the meals..we left good tips and I'm sure had them wondering who the 3 crazy ladies with the caribbean accents were?

The next day we took the Oglethorpe Trolly Tour...it was 90 mins well spent orienting yourself to the entire historic district..we made notes of spots on the map and after the tour we spilt up and walked the city..me, for 6 1/2 hrs (minus the stop to sit and eat fish tacos).

I took off on the long walk to see this, the "King-Tisdell Cottage"

the smallest house ever...and it goes for $250k

The old vintage cars outside the police station, next to the cemetary

and all the cool grill work practically everywhere

and of course to walk under the live oaks by the waterfront...

In addition to all that strolling, and on a tip from Joel to not miss out on all the art in Savannah, I bought a museum 3 pass and hit 2 museums, "Telfair Academy" and the "Jepson Center for the Arts" where I saw an amazing glass installation exhibit by William Morris..I couldnt believe it was glass, detailed facial masks, what looked like a boat of ivory tusks..all glass..warrior shields, spears... (I snagged these photos from the web)

and the "Freedom March" photography exhibit by Frederick C. Baldwin. (no photos online)

I absorbed as much art as I could then headed down (or up) to the waterfront area to stroll past riverboats, waving statues, shops....

We all met up down on the waterfront and did a bit of shopping together. I got a great poster "Bluez Man II" (below)

and another necklace..I have no control whatsoever. Then we walked back to the hotel and chilled out in our HUGE room before heading out to dinner at JAZZid, tapas and piano bar.

We shared asiago encrusted tilapia, baked four cheese bowl, carne asada served cold in lettuce leaves, prosciuto wrapped shrimp stuffed with crab, lamb chops and pork chops..there isn't a YUM big enough to go with all this.

After dinner we took Helena back to the Hotel and Mom and I went on the haunted ghost tour, 10:30pm till past midnight. It was creepy enough for me without any gimmicks or pretense, just straight forward ghost tales told in front of the places they took place. Our guide wore all black topped off with a long flowing black coat, slicked back hair, deadpan demeanor and a matter-of-fact delivery of his tales..it wasnt an act, I'm positive that's how he is 24/7, 365. He told tales of the soldiers in the square who still think the war is going on, the wife who jumped off the balcony after finding her husband in bed with the servant (shouldn't it have been him flying off the balcony???) and then later the servant found hung in her room..(we went into that room and it felt creepy). There was also a ghost lady in the church ringing bells (I kept looking up hoping to see something peeking out a us..but alas, no sightings, just a few shivers down the spine). We stood outside a haunted B&B where people hear kids laughing and running down the hall and rolling pool balls on the floor, and on to where swings have been seen swaying in front of the cemetery..ghost kids really creep me out. Overall it was a fun night, I really wanted to see or hear or feel something..but then if I did I'd immediately wish I hadn't.

I got up early the next morning to try and finish up the 3rd spot on my museum pass, a tour of the Owens-Thomas House...of course after arriving early, feeding the meter, walking around killing time, I arrive at the gates to hear the tour is cancelled due to power outage and no docents..I was not amused. So I drove off into the victorian district and took a short stroll through the park looking at the mansions.

Then collected Mom and Helena at the hotel, loaded up the car again and went to brunch at "Mrs Wilkes Boarding House". We were real lucky..normally there is a long line out the door, we walked right in and sat down with a bunch of strangers for family style eating.
BIG YUM!!! Some seriously insanely good fried chicken that took me right back to my standard dinner order when I was 8 in Disney World. I had 3 pieces, plus some mashed sweet potatoes, chicken and dumplings, turnip greens, lima beans, bbq pork, corn, biscuits, mac n cheese, potato salad....I'm sure I ate more. We met this nice old couple sitting across from us who was also doing a big driving road trip, adventurous couple, could be me at that age.

We chatted, took pics,

ate more, chatted, ate more, cleared the table, bought the cook book and stood outside where there was now a long line, and toke more pictures with our dining companions.

We drove out of town, in the wrong direction thanks to my 'cant tell my left from right' directions..but eventually we arrived at the shrimp boat harbor in Thunderbolt..

they didn't look as picturesque as in the book, but the stop wasnt a complete bust as we stumbled upon a great store where the man graciously allowed us all to use his private bathroom and as a thank you we forced ourselves to buy some of the unique, fab stuff he had.
'

FLORIDA
St. Augustine
3 1/2 hrs later we arrived in St. Augustine. Stopped at the visitor center, chatted with the lady and ended up getting a discount rate at the Best Western. From the hotel it was just a couple blocks walk to the gates into the historic district, a huge network of shops and restaurants with old style 'pirate town' look and feel.

Everything was winding down for the night as it was 5pm, but we still managed to check out alot of stores, discover how friendly the people are and get a recommendation to eat at Harry's. We walked by and checked out the place and menu but weren't hungry so we headed for the waterfront at sunset.

Loads of horse and carriages were lined up awaiting passengers, but not us, we continued on down to the fort.


Mom & Helena sat and chatted and I went on further looking for a better angle shot of the shrimp boats and more things to see. I got more than the boat when a couple of dolphins appeared in the surf...reminding me of my strolls along the waterfront in Cape Town..I saw alot of dolphins there too.

By now we'd worked up an appetite and headed back to Harry's. We sat in the courtyard lit by thousands of little christmas tree lights, listened to live Jimmy Buffet style music and ate more great food: trout encrusted with almonds and stuffed with blue crab which was quite good but the piece d'resistance was the red velvet cake....christ it was good, never had red velvet cake before..but I will again.

The chatty cathy receptionist at the Best Western said we could leave the car in the lot after 10am checkout, so we headed back to the Historic District to hit the shops that were closed the night before, and just to stroll around in the sunshine, taking more pics, buying more small souvenirs, and falling in love with a beautiful roman glass ring (that came with papers of authenticity). As soon as I bought the ring I wanted to return it, but talked myself out of being so silly and left the store.


We really didn't have much of an agenda today as our next stop was getting to the airport on time so that Helena could catch her flight back to London. So we sauntered, and shopped, and ate lunch, and took pics...

We were back on the road stuck in heavy traffic trying to get our of town when I had an overwhelming need to turn the car around and return the ring I'd bought (it was borderline panic attack). We were already running a bit late but they agreed I should take the ring back so I turned around, parked illegally, left them in the car, raced back to the jewelry store and talked my way into a full refund. I ran back to the car and we headed out of town, again, 20 mins behind schedule.

We got to the airport with 1 1/2 hrs for Helena to catch her flight back to England so it was a tearful goodbye on the curb and a quieter car ride back to Clearwater, Fl., the end of the road on yet another great trip!!