Sleeping here on the Cape, in our little Cape Cod cottage is easy. It is super quite outside as we are off the main road and traffic has lessened with the onset of Fall. Darkness keeps up with the quite for there are few street lights to lessen the pitch black that surrounds us. Stars are lite brilliantly above us and the trail of the Milky Way can be seen as it weaves a faint trail through the dark sky like pixi dust.
The cream and pink plaid curtains gently flutter as the crisp outside air finds it's way into our bedroom through the window I have opened a few inches. Our bedding reminds me of my childhood with several quilts layered just perfectly entices sleep to settle on you as soon as your head hits the pillow.
After a fabulously relaxing sleep i woke earlier than Jeff, had breakfast, got ready for the day and then proceeded to stir Jeff from his slumber. He was not as enthusiastic as I was to wake early and start on our day of sight seeing, so I gently helped him along. I think this bothered him a little as at one point he looked right at me and said 'you trying to make me hurry?'.
We left the house at 9am and started on our day trip to Rhode Island. One thing that is quickly apparent in New England is that nothing is very far away and our destination of Newport, Rhode Island was only about 70 miles away. Mummy, I know you will want to know our route so this if for you, they are the highway numbers. We left the Cape on highway 6 and continued west on highway 25 to the 195 to the 24 to 138 which takes you into Newport. This was standard highway driving and it was our first glimpse at Fall colors. The highways were quite wide and edged with thick forests which had patches of beautiful Fall leaves. Red, gold, orange and browns mixed with yellow and green. I found myself constantly oohing and aahing, twisting and turing in the back seat trying to see everything and miss nothing. Heading southish, we took our first detour leaving the usual path and routed ourselves to highway 138. It has amazed me how rural it is back here and the same thing applied today, very rural, with the rolling hills home to beautiful homes of all sizes. In my planning I had found a 'recommended driving' route that was almost 9 miles long but worth the look and see. At the eastern tip of Newport the drive looped around a total of only 6 streets but was breathtaking. We saw classic New England architecture, tightly constructed stone walls, rolling farmland and magnificent homes. The loop begins and ends on Indian Ave, a straight road that goes through a collection of large, opulent coastal homes. It dips under a canopy of green for several miles, the trees lining the little 2 lane road meeting above the street forming a living tunnel. We stopped at a little stone church and as I tip toed across the graves surrounding the church I found myself apologizing to those beneath me. Surrounding the church were huge trees that must have been hundreds of years old and it was all encased inside the boundaries of the stacked stone wall. Onward we drove through this tranquil setting marveling at its peace and beauty. Indian to Hanging Rock Road, Paradise Ave, Berkeley, Wyatt and Peckham. If we had done nothing else it would have been a great day. But that was not the plan I had. We drove back tracked and ended back on 138A taking us into the heart of Newport. Newport is home to yacht sailing the likes of Americas Cup and homes the likes of which are no longer created. In the late 1900's the truly wealthy had grand mansions built that compared only to those in Europe, estates, palaces and were so lavish that the period was often referred to as the 'Gilded Age' and then referred to them as 'cottages'.
We found parking after navigating our way through a series of small streets often one way and tons of 'no parking' signs. Once we got out of the car we walked up hill to Bellevue and Memorial where we walked in to a little fair celebrating 'Italian Day'. Dan bought a canolli and Jeff and I had a hot dog, so not Italian. We started our walk down Bellevue, southish, and as our feet encountered cobblestone sidewalks, our eyes were mesmerized with magnificent wrought iron gates and entrances to hidden homes that ranged in such an architectural styles Gothic, French chateau, Italian Palaces; it kept me continually saying things like 'can you believe this?'. I was in heaven as we walked the tree lined street with it's old beauty, witnessing a glimpse of a past age and wealth that I have never seen before. These homes were owned by the most powerful families in American history. I had wanted to tour The Breakers, a replication of the Palaces in Italy and the home of the Vanderbilts, The self guided tour latest about 90 minutes and was incredible, over the top, out of this world. This mansion had so many details from the painted ceilings above the 2 story ballroom, gold leafing on everything, stained glass sky lights, carvings, sculptures and woodworking details that literally took your breath away. Everything was imported from Europe, the marble, the wood, the craftsmen themselves, the story and history of the house was remarkable. While I found so many of the details to be to me, gaudy, I appreciated the workmanship, the details that had been put into every room. The velvet covered chairs, the tile flooring, the details of the every small stone of the mosaic floors, walls and ceilings, the paintings, the double staircase, the balcony and the chandeliers, This was a house like no other and it was remarkable to able to see it. We walked back to the car along the coastal walk 'the cliff walk'. This walk was on the perimeter of the mansions but I was very disappointed that we could not see the mansions due to fences and shrubs.
it was for me an extraordinary day, filled with extraordinary memories. We arrived back on the Cape around 6pm and went to the Olive Garden for dinner.
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