Playing tourist

I spent today at the far end of the Cape, heading all the way east, then north, then a slight drift northwest to wind up in Provincetown. Let me take you along on my day playing tourist…

First stop – the beach!  I wanted to walk on Marconi Beach which was my first view of the National Seashore the first time I came up to the Cape – it’s a sentimental  favorite and on the top of my list based on the merits – a stunning beach. It’s about halfway between the B&B and Provincetown, a good place to start the day – so I thought. Unfortunately, storm damage washed out the access to the beach (again!), so I had to go looking for another spot to take in the ocean waves. My second stop was at Highland Light, which – as it turns out – is a pretty lighthouse, but there’ no access down to the water from there.

Highland Light, and the view therefrom.
  

I then decided to head all the way up to Race Point Beach – near the very end of the Cape; I had never been there. Race Point feels like another planet altogether. After winding my way along a narrow road with a tree canopy so low it looked like a tunnel (although dappled sunlight made it sparkle like no tunnel you’ll see), I traversed the dunes, thinking that this is where all the sand missing from the lower coast wound up. The dunes are monstrous and awe-inspiring, covered with lots of beautiful plant life. It’s hard to believe there’s a beach on the other side; it seems almost mountainous and slightly desert-like.

Thems are dunes!
  

The beach – when I finally arrived there – was just gorgeous!  A long walk across deep sand brought me to the ocean at last. (Breakwater Beach, near the Captain Freeman Inn, is on the bay side.) The color of the water was hard to describe – a translucent green as the waves rose up before breaking and an indigo blue a little further out. And crystal clear… I could see seals playing along the beach even while they were underwater! It was breezy and cool, and perfect for a long walk.

Beach pictures – but they don’t quite capture the amazing colors of the ocean.
  

Provincetown. I haven’t been back up this far since my first trip to the Cape. Provincetown gives off a real artsy vibe – home to many artists, craftspeople, and writers. As I browsed the galleries and checked out the architecture, I tried to soak in some creative energy. I saw some really beautiful paintings and photographs, funky jewelry, and other trinkets. I wish I had taken some pictures of the homes, but that feels kind-of stalkerish. The buildings are mostly tiny and right on top of one another, but some of have real character and style. I noted the fantastic views of the harbor – no wonder this place inspires artists and writers. One could imagine a productive writing retreat along the shore.

The harbor has lots of character as well – a working fishing fleet, a vibrant tour business (whale watching and deep sea fishing) and stores and restaurants. I really enjoyed just walking around and taking in the sights there.

Taking in the views in Provincetown Harbor.
  

Pilgrim Monument. One of the standard sights to see in Provincetown is the Pilgrim Monument –  a huge tower that commemorates the first landing of the pilgrims in the new world – they went from here to Plymouth. There’s a nice museum, and the grounds are beautiful. The monument itself is pretty impressive. I’ll let you guess whether I climbed the stairs to the top.

Quite a monument. Built 1907-1910 – 252 feet straight up!
Great views of the harbor (even without climbing the stairs).

Hanging in the gardens. I spent some time late afternoon reading in the back yard of the Inn. Perfectly peaceful.

My reading spot.

Sunset beach walk. What a difference a day makes! The pictures say it all, I think. A great way to end the day.

Twilight walking south.
  
Going, going, gone…
  

I was thinking how very different it seems here… the quality of the light, the scent of the pines, the touch of the breeze, the sparkle of the water, the sound of the waves. But it occurs that I am absorbing the beauty because I am paying attention – trying to soak it all in. They call that mindfulness, and I’m practicing the art. There’s alot to attend to; I am enjoying every moment.

” The question is not what you look at, but what you see.”
~ Henry David Thoreau