Day Twenty Eight

Up early again as we had pre bought tickets for a 9am entrance. Headed back down to Newport to The Breakers. It is one of the so called Newport Mansions, a selection of grand houses you can visit. The Breakers is the largest of them and Rhode Island's most popular tourist destination. It's named after the waves which crash against the cliffs at the end of the garden. Arrived a little late due to roadworks on the way, but it wasn't an issue. Headed in and grabbed a leaflet for a self guided tour.

The house was built between 1893 and 1895 on the site of another mansion that had burnt down. It was owned by the Vanderbilt family, at the time the richest family in the USA. They made their money through ships and trains. Cornelius Vanderbilt II who had it constructed died four years after its completion. The tour took us from the great hall around the downstairs and then up to the first floor. 

Dining room

Indoor fountain

Morning room

Music room

1st floor balcony

The Breakers

House is made of metal and stone with no wood in the structure so it wouldn't burn down. This made it grand in some ways and also a little harsh in others. It had a complete different feel from an English equivalent. A lot less carpets and soft furnishes making it a little less homely and a bit more brash. Also lacks the historical features, a real lack of paintings and antique furniture of any note.

Bought a magnet and went to the cafe. Amazed that for a place so busy no one was using the cafe. Maybe the prices had something to do with it.

We then went for a walk in the garden to take a photo of the house. Obviously I was then asked to take a photograph by a couple of chaps. It was a polaroid camera which makes a change. Enquired of Ann why it is wherever we go I get asked to take someone's photo. She could only come up with because I'm tall.

Once we had a look at the breakers rolling in towards the cliffs we headed back to the car. 

Drove the short distance to Fort Adams. Got self guided tour tickets and headed in. We didn't know much about it before we went and we were surprised to find most of it in a state of decay. Learnt that it was left to rot from the mid sixties until the mid nineties hence the terrible state internally. You couldn't go inside anywhere, just walk around and look through windows at the devastation. It was the opposite of Fort Snelling we saw in Minnesota. That was all restored and rooms set out like they would have been but the surrounding area had been left to grow so you couldn't see out of it. Here the views from the one bit of roof you could access were stunning across the water.

Whilst we were up on the roof we spotted the chaps from Breakers who had asked me to take their photo. Luckily they didn't ask again.

Outside

A room which wasn't totally destroyed

Inside

View from the roof

At one point you could go in the tunnels which went under the walls at the front. Ann didn't want to. I did. They had hard hats and torches to take. Woman staff member on that section said she hit her head more wearing a hat as you can't tell how tall you are. I didn't take one having done that a lot before.

Shining a torch down the tunnel

The reason there were tunnels was so they could go in and hear people trying tunnel under the fort and then blow them up.

The other highlight was there were two coach loads of passengers having a meal in part of the fort. The coaches were waiting outside for them. They were from a cruise. They all boarded the coaches and then the coaches drove them to the other side of the fort to get on the cruise ship. It was about a 400m walk.

Once we were done we sat and ate lunch on the quayside watching the ships. It was lovely.

Drove back to Somerset. Topped up with fuel ready for tomorrow and nipped to Stop and Shop for a couple of bits. Whilst in there we bumped into this.

Cheeky

Apparently all Stop and Shops have them. They check floors for spillages and shelves for missing items. They are called Marty. It was wandering around aimlessly. Bit like the other staff.

Headed home. Went for a walk to the local beach at the end of the road as we hadn't been yet.

Bridge with battleship under it

Got a view of the bridge we keep driving over. Stuck toe in the water, it was quite warm. Back home for dinner and to bed early as we have to be up at the crack of dawn tomorrow.

States visited - 14

Ship watch - high

Day Twenty Seven

Up early and out just after 8am. Much cooler day to start. Headed the short distance into Providence and managed to park on the street right outside the the Rhode Island State House. Went through security. Had to take off belt this time too. Completed a self guided tour. 

Rotunda

Replica of the Liberty Bell

House of Representatives

Senate

State Reception Room

State House

Rhode Island being a small state showed as this was nowhere near as grand inside as Pennsylvania or Minnesota. It is quite funny visiting the state capitols as they are public buildings so you can just go wandering around anywhere you want. Woman just said if its locked you can't go in it, otherwise you can go anywhere.

Fun and games at the end when we went to go into the last part which was the Royal Charter Museum in a room next to the visitor centre/shop. The door was locked. The woman said just push it. Tried but it was locked. She came over with another woman and said that's odd, it shouldn't be locked. Other woman said I'll go and get my badge. Instead she came back with one of the Capitol Police Officers whose badge and keys wouldn't work. Woman said I'll go and get my badge. The officer said well mine works everywhere so it's not that. Other woman went to get her badge. We just left.

Headed the short distance to Roger Williams Park Zoo. Got there to find parking chaos despite the fact that further in there were lots of spaces. Went in and checked out the animals.

Stripey horses

Speed cat

Big nosed cow

Neck horse

Tree Kangaroo

Lesser Spotted Digger

Lump horse

Baldie Eagles

It wasn't the biggest place in the world and as Ann pointed out it was the sound of the I95 next door which made it quite disconcerting. Some of the enclosures looked like they were just the gardens of a house where the owner had died and it was awaiting sale, all a bit small and scruffy.

As normal when we go somewhere, I got asked to take a photo of a family, probably the biggest group yet. Not sure why it is.

Ann wanted to see the lions. There weren't any. Couldn't see the bison as the path past there enclosure was closed.

Eventually we had seen everything so headed home for lunch.

Then watched Everton play in a typically Everton way.

We had planned to go out to the Waterfire this evening, which is where things get set on fire in the middle of the river in Providence, but we decided we couldn't be bothered to go out again so didn't.

States visited - 14

Day Twenty Six

Today we drove a five hour round trip so Ann could eat a $30 lobster roll. That's all I have to say about that.

NB: We went to Provincetown on Cape Cod. Since discovered it is the gay capital of the USA. It had gender neutral toilets which nobody knew how to use. As I came out of what presumably used to be the gents (it had urinals in it), a woman was walking in who then thought she was in the wrong place. Ann went in what presumably used to be the ladies and met a man going in as she left who thought he was in the wrong place. They worked well.

NB2: We had lunch on the beach. Our landlords lent us beach chairs and an umbrella. It was windy. It nearly snapped the umbrella into pieces.

NB3: Cape Cod is as dull as I remember from going there in 1998

NB4: Had a messenger call with the family when we got back. No one could really recall that 1998 Cape Cod expedition with any clarity. Paul said it was dull and there was some anger in the carpark. Sounds eerily similar to today.

NB5: Ann wants me to add that we came home for a nice tea. Currently we are working through Ripley on Netflix.

States visited - 14

Day Twenty Five

First up this morning we headed out back into Rhode Island to go to Blithewold Manor, Gardens and Arboretum. Arrived just after it opened at 10am. The house didn't open until 11am so we did the gardens first. Took a leisurely stroll around as the temperature wasn't too bad at all.

Toad or frog?

Bridge

From the back

Front of House

Sat in the shade looking out Narragansett Bay. There was a photographer taking photos of a woman, presumably a bride, although she wasn't in her wedding gear. They appeared and just stood near us. I said to Ann I bet they are waiting for us to leave. We had no plans to so carried on sitting. Eventually the photographer said I hope you don't mind if we take some photos on the path. Ann said we'll watch. We did. It all seemed a bit bizarre.

Eventually they left so we then did. Went and stood on the rocks by the bay. Ann stole a clam shell.

The bay

One of the bird sculptures - Peahen apparently

Headed back up to the house and did the tour. It wasn't massive and it was only built in 1908, the previous one having burnt down, so there wasn't masses in it. Wedding guests were turning up and looking around to, so we decided to head off. Bought a magnet and saw the moongate before heading off.

Moongate

We were going to have a packed lunch whilst out, but the bridge which connected to where we were heading was shut and our detour route would take us back past our house, so we went back for lunch.

Headed out again and back to Rhode Island to go to the Newport Car Museum. When we got in the guy on the desk motion towards a bloke and said this is whoever and he will start you off before you have your own look around. The bloke who he'd motioned towards then started walking backwards whilst talking to us like we were a tour party of thirty. Wondered how long this was going to go on for before we could go and have a look at the cars. After a short time he walked off and left us too it. The museum was laid out in seven different rooms, so we slowly made our way around. Here are some highlights.

Lambo

Porsche

Chevelle

Bugatti

Shelby Mustang

Shelby GT

McLaren P1

Just as we were leaving a little girl ran across the room. A museum man shouted at her that there was no running. He had to repeat himself three times as she was running.

It was a different type of museum to the Gilmore car one as this had much newer things which meant it wasn't the same things to look at. Went to the shop and bought stuff. 

Headed to the Blue Plate Diner for dinner. It was slightly early but we had nothing else to do before our final activity of the day. I had a waffle with chocolate chips. Ann had something. Sat there and killed as much time as we could before heading off.

Arrived at our next location about fifty minutes early but just sat and chilled in the car. Then we changed our footwear and headed over and checked in to Rail Explorers. Waited for a while. Prepared by covering ourselves in bug spray. Then eventually we had to go and find our vehicle which we eventually did. Then we set off.

Pedal to the metal

Last time we did one of these it was about 35C and absolutely no shade and twelve mile round trip. This was much more pleasant at only six miles in total and far cooler temperature. It was just starting to get dark and we had a lantern on our bike. Lantern stopped working so I took it apart as we peddled and fixed the issue of a loose bulb. 

Faster!

At the halfway point turnaround we got to dismount and sit in front of our own private firepit and make s'mores whilst looking over the Narragansett Bay. It was absolutely beautiful. I set light to both my marshmallows. 

The bay

S'mores kit

S'more

Idiots eating s'mores

Eventually they said we had to go back, so we boarded our bike thing and headed off. Caught the people in front who appeared to be looking for something they had lost on the way up, so we basically crawled along barely peddling which was a little annoying. Ended up with loads of groups caught up due to their slow pace.

Unloaded ourselves when back at base and headed home.

States visited - 14

Day Twenty Four

Woke up at 9am but not too worried as we were just travelling and not too far compared to other days we have had. Eventually checked out at 11am and then headed east again. 

Travelled the short distance into Connecticut to Danbury as Ann wanted to go to a bookstore. Popped into Barnes and Noble and eventually found some books.

Carried on east on I84 past the infamous Sandy Hook before joining the 2 southeast bound at Hartford. We were getting low on fuel so decided that we would stop for lunch and fuel at the same time in Norwich. Ate lunch in a Friendly's diner. Had the normal. Ann has something.

We passed on dessert

Continued up the 395 before joining the 6 eastwards into Rhode Island. Got caught in some Friday afternoon rush hour traffic in Providence but not as bad as some places we have been through this trip.

Eventually arrived at Somerset, Massachusetts and our home for the next six nights, a small cottage on Angus Street by Mount Hope Bay.

Unloaded and then made a rough plan of what meals we needed to buy for and then headed out to the local supermarket to stock up as we are here until next Thursday.

Whilst shopping I got challenged to a race by some High School Senior girls. They explained they were doing a Senior scavenger hunt and they needed to beat someone in a race. Told them that I wouldn't let them win, but also I was in flip flops and had a dodgy hamstring. Eventually they went away. Ann told me afterwards that she thought I almost got swayed.

Then we found a small British section on a shelf, with an eclectic mix ranging from Irn Bru to Club biscuits. Got myself some Robinson's sugar free squash so I don't have to keep drinking 7-Up.

Memories of home

Used the self checkout and it accused me of putting things in the bag without scanning it. Even showed me an action replay of me looking in a bag before I scanned and item to see if there was room for it. A woman had to come and tap the machine to make it work again. She said the problem was there was too much weight on the shelf and we needed to move one of the bags off. Did so and carried on.

Back to the bungalow for dinner and TV.

States visited - 14

Day Twenty Three

Up early, packed and in the car by 8.20am for a travel day and a look at two opposite ends of the US social spectrum.

First up we travelled the short distance to Hershey and parked up at Hershey Chocolate World, For the uninitiated, Hershey is the American equivalent of Cadburys. The place, Hershey, is named after Mr Hershey who chose it for the site to build his factory. Now it is a capitalist's dream of an area. A theme park, stadium, Chocolate World. We thought we'd stop by as the likelihood of us ever being back to the area is small. 

As we were travelling our plan was to be in and out in an hour, so we were only going into the free bit. Parking was also free if you were under three hours. As we arrived we saw the vastness of the parking lot. We arrived ten minutes after it was open so it was not too busy. Parked up and went straight in to go on the free factory tour. Being early there was barely a queue. If you've ever been to Madame Tussauds imagine the taxi cab bit at the end. We sat in a moving car and it took us around an animated show of how the chocolate is made.

Entrance

Cheeky fellas

Animated mixing

Reese's!!!

I'd say it was average, but it was free unlike everything else and we got a bit of chocolate at the end. At the end, there is the obligatory end of ride photo op. I pretended to be asleep. As you exit, it kicks you out into the shop. There was a lot of chocolate and chocolate related things. We bought stuff including a magnet and were back in the car just a touch over an hour. Excellent work. As we left, hundreds and hundreds of people were arriving and the car parks were filling up.

Headed on eastwards. Stopped for a Starbucks after a couple of hours in Wilkes-Barre. Woman heard my name wrong. Man then called this out.

Richar

Carried on for another hour and a half crossing into New York State before we pulled into to our second stop, the small village of Bethel which became famous exactly 56 years ago when it hosted Woodstock.  Parked under a tree in the carpark and made lunch using food we still had. Once we had finished we made our way into to the museum which now sits close by to the site. 

It took us through how life in America changed during the sixties and the events leading up to the festival. As we had been driving, I said to Ann I hope it explains why it was called Woodstock even though it was miles away from Woodstock. It did. It was originally going to be held in Woodstock but the locals kicked up such a fuss they moved it at the last minute, fifty miles away to Yasgur's Farm in Bethel. They were expecting about 70,000 people. 450,000 turned up causing chaos. The fences hadn't been completed and people just walked in. There wasn't enough food etc. It rained heavily. We watched a video in a theatre that showed some of the main performances.

Bus

Bug

Immersive

Went to the shop and spent money. More capitalism built on the opposition to capitalism from those festival goers.

Back to the car and drove just down the road to the actual site.

Marker

Stage was to the left

Onward east for just over another hour to the Holiday Inn Express at Fishkill. Walked into reception to find an argument going on between a bloke and the guy on the desk. We had to join a queue going nowhere whilst the guy on the desk was dealing with him. It seems that the bloke's employer had paid for his room but then his credit card had been used at the desk, so he was saying it had been paid for twice. He wanted his money back. The guy was on the phone to IT trying to sort and told the bloke, you'll have it back by the time you leave and was trying to give him his key. Bloke wasn't having it. 

Another man came in, I think he knew the guy on the desk and was waiting to talk to him. He then looked at Ann who was holding a Hershey bag and said is there chocolate in that? We said a bit. He said you won't make it upstairs. That provided a brief comic relief to the main event.

Eventually the guy on reception said to the bloke 'I don't know what you want me to do? I can give you the key! I have all these people waiting!' The bloke said I just want my money back. Guy on reception then just ignored him and started serving others including us. Bloke seemed upset by this. Look forward to reading his online review.

Lugged our stuff up to the room and then headed out to the Red Line Diner which was a short walk away. 

Busy Diner

It was big and packed. Had some nice food. I had a grilled cheese and fries. Ann had something. We then got desserts to go and headed back to the hotel.

Started writing this and then stopped to eat some of the cheesecake. When we got the desserts out they were massive.

Hand for scale

Gave up after about a quarter. Especially difficult trying to eat it with a coffee stirring stick.

States visited - 11