Provincetown

17 July 2012--Took a drive to Provincetown yesterday, about an hour and 40 minute jaunt, but it was beautiful day so we didn't mind.



We thought we would start at the Pilgrim Monument so we headed into town from the parking lot, but found this memorial to the Pilgrims in a park along the way first. The 2nd picture actually has the words to the Mayflower Compact, so I thought that was interesting...especially where they talk about their "dreaded king".



As you can see there wasn't a cloud in the sky, and of course being right on the water lended itself to a beautiful breeze, so we walked all around to see everything we could in an afternoon. We were actually distracted at first away from the Pilgrim Monument we were headed to, so half these pics were taken before we got to our original destination. I have never actually been here before, and we are generally not into a day of shopping, but with all the people, shops and restaurants there was lots to see. The last picture in this grouping is a stitch picture of the bay...quite pretty!



So we made it to the Monument and were not deterred by the imposing height of it...at over 252 ft, the top of the monument is actually the highest point on Cape Cod!!!



As you approach the entrance, you can see and walk straight thru to the back side where the bay is...again, beautiful!!!



Up we go! The ascent was remarkably easy...there are 116 steps to the top, but 60 ramps in between lots of them so you never even get winded going to the top. And along the way, there are stones carved with state's/city's names and when they were incorporated in the state. I posted some of the cities where I know someone who lives there.



This is a shot from the top, inside and looking down. If you blow it up, you can see some of the ramps that make it so easy to get to the top.



Views from the top...I heard someone say that on a clear day you can see clear to Boston, but being geographically challenged doesn't allow me to confirm that! haha I couldn't begin to tell you in what direction Boston might be.




At the bottom again, out the back of the monument.



So then we head into the museum. What a hodgepodge of stuff they had in there! Needless to say there was a lot of stuff about the pilgrims, but they more interestingly had lots of different stuff I didn't exactly expect to see. From dolls and doll houses to whaling and glass blowing information, and from fire engines to small boat carvings, they certainly made sure there was something to catch every visitor's eye. I thought it was funny that this little boat was called a "woman's boat"...the women had the privilege of rowing while the men steered!!! Too funny!!!



This is one of the more unexpected displays...these animals were bagged by Donald MacMillan, a favorite son of Provincetown, who went on many Arctic expeditions in the 1st half of the 1900s. The only thing of note that I will mention is that there are only 2 mounted white wolves in the world; one in New York and this one here!



This arch is the jawbone of a whale, and the next 2 pictures are of a display set-up featuring a whaling captain's bedroom and dining area. I wish I could have gotten a side picture of the bed...I swear you would be hardpressed to fit a current day American over the age of 6 in it...incredibly short! Notice on the table that there are slats of wood breaking up the table, helping to keep plates, etc. in place.



I don't know if I was more surprised by the polar expedition display or this, part of the civil war display? They had both federal and confederate money on display, this 2nd pic showing some of the northern "fractional currency" used during the war. Blow up the 3rd pic to see the advertisement put out to get men to join up...check out how much they were paid!!! And notice it says they will collect some of it only at the end of the war...probably expected it to be over pretty soon after starting. The bottom 2 pics are of what was called "parlor memorials". They were made in memory of someone serving in the war, and made of sea shells. The smaller one has a picture of someone pasted into it, while the taller of the 2 has a clock.



As we came home, right at the entrance of the RV park, we saw our 1st deer in Massachusetts. For a state that has a gazillion trees and and is highly forested outside of the Boston area, we have been quite surprised at the dearth of animals to be seen. Not even any roadkill to speak of!!! And these 2 hawks are making a nest that we had seen and stopped to look at when Marie and the kids were here...as long as I was looking at the deer, I took their picture, too!



This morning we took the RV into the shop to have the slide-out fixed...took a few hours but everything is like new again, so we are ready now to head out on Thursday to Sturbridge. Hopefully nothing else breaks...keep us in your prayers! haha