The E Journey: Family Vacation

We left 10 am Wednesday morning after feeding the cats and dropping off Midge. We only stopped 4 times for gas, food and potty breaks. We arrived at the hotel at 2 am. The hotel was old and not that clean or well kept but it served our purposes well. There was a queen pull out and a king on the main floor with a bathroom and then a loft with another king and a half bath with a tub. The Admiralty Inn in Falmouth, MA.

Day 1:

We began our adventures at Pairpoint Glass factory. Upon entering, there is a shop selling all the wares made there and glass windows overlooking the men blowing the glass. The kids, and I, had tons of questions so I asked the lady behind the counter for a quick book, 3 ring binder, anything that would help me explain what the men were doing. She told me to wait there and proceeded into the shop ‘Employees Only’, talked to one of the men, then came back up and told us just to walk into the shop and ask our questions. Part of the floor was painted green and we had to stay on the green area. There were 3 men working and they were very willing to answer questions. After a bit, Anika, Brandon and I went back up to the store to look at all the stuff we had just seen be made. Quite awhile later we realized the others had never come back up so we went back down. We found them in a different part of the basement with Anne C Ross, the lady who paints the plates. Then we got to watch her make a plate, see where she puts it in the kiln, take pictures and get a free souvenier from her. The kids each picked out a ‘knock off’ and we purchased an ornament.

I then asked where they recommend we go to each our lunch and they told us to go to the Boardwalk. Turns out it is literally a board walk from a parking lot to the ocean. When we arrive there is a mom there with several kids. They are throwing raw chicken legs into the water tied to a string and slowly pulling the string in. The chicken leg is COVERED with crabs. We watch for a time and head to the beach. Anika starts to collect shells and we decide to head back. The kids all want to hold a crab so I ask the mom if the kids can join her kids. Soon, all four are ankle deep in water throwing chicken and hauling in crabs. They left their shoes on and got VERY muddy. Brandon got bit, and started to bleed so he came to join me on the boardwalk. The mom tells us to come back at high tide so that we can jump off the boardwalk into the river.

We leave to go to the fish hatchery – which is closed and then head to the aquarium to watch the seal show, then the aquarium closes. We walked around Woods Hole looking for a letterbox and found it. We even got stopped by the Woods Hole draw bridge. Then we drove to a place called Knob Hill – a beautiful outlook- for another letterbox, but that one was missing. Jessica turned the wrong way and was momentarily missing – very scary for me – but I whistled and shouted and she heard us and came back.

We found a little hole in the wall diner for supper – Betsy’s diner – and I had some homemade clam chowder – it was delicious! The kids had hamburgers.

Day 2:

We got up and left for the aquarium but it wasn’t open until 11 so we headed out to the fish hatchery. We put the quarters in the fish food and watched the kids feed all different kinds of trout, then read up about the place, how it works, etc. We went to the boardwalk but it was low tide, so we didn’t stay. Next we drove to Scargo Tower to look for another letterbox and listen to the legend of how the tower and the lake got there. While hunting for letterboxes, we became very aware of all the poison ivy. We finished up looking – only finding one- and then went to the beach to wash off with soap and water in the lake! No one got poison ivy – yeah!

Then we headed to the Cape Cod Chip Factory. It’s a self guided tour, but still fun to see and you get free chips at the end. And they are GOOD! We enjoyed the salt and vinegar and the sour cream and onion as well as the plain!

Next we drove to Chatham beach in hopes to see some seals. We saw LOTS of seals in the water, but none on land. We were told to come back the next day a bit earlier. The kids spent LOTS of time collecting shells. We decided to drive by the boardwalk on the way back to the hotel and it was high tide, so we all jumped in. The kids faces when they hit a pretty fast running river, salt water, and chilly was perfect. We all jumped!

For supper, we stopped at a local pizza place and brought it back to the hotel to watch world cup while eating.

Day 3:

We played SkipBo in the hotel room until it was time to go to the aquarium. The aquarium was small, but free and had lots of salt water animals. I was amazed at the model of a leatherback turtle – they can be 6 ft tall! The back of the aquarium is open and you can touch some of the animals.

We headed back to Chatham and walked the beach – a LONG ways – to see the seals. Jessica and I ran part of the way because we were afraid the tide was going to come in and we would miss it. There were LOTS of seals – all ages and sizes – and they were hilarious to watch move around. They are great in the water – not so much on land.

Next we headed to the Cape Cod National Seashore. I went to talk to a park ranger and he told us to go to the bay side to look in the flats – it was free parking there! Maria forgot to pack her swimsuit so she was in a funk, but we all headed out to the flats. After a time, Anika picked up Maria and dropped her in the water – then they all played in the shallow, warm water. It was about 18 inches deep for at least a quarter mile out. They had a blast. We only found hermit crabs and some weird goo stuff, but it was a neat place to stop. We went back to the national seashore – where the water temp was 57 degrees – just to take a picture.

Roses grow wild all along the beach there- everywhere we went they were so pretty and smelled so amazing. We stopped at Subway for supper and walked to get ice cream cones after.

Day 4:

Our final morning we checked out and headed to Plymouth, MA to see Plymouth Rock and the Mayflower. We took a free tour and learned a bit of history. Next we went to the Forefather’s monument which was HUGE.

Then we drove on to Boston to see Frog Pond (which was drained), the make way for Ducklings statues, the Swan Boats. We also went to the grave yard to see Paul Revere’s grave, got some slurpies from 7 – 11 and listened to a very angry man on the road. We drove past the old north church and Fanuel hall, then out to Bunker Hill monument and museum. We all climbed to the top – all 294 steps, took a picture and came down. We went to the museum to use the bathroom and to watch the diorama enactment. Anika remembered lots of it from her studies this year.

Next we headed off to Concord to see the bridge that was defended during the revolutionary war. There was an historian there in full dress answering questions. He was very informed and fun to listen to. On the way we drove by Ralph Waldo Emerson’s house! We headed out and got McD’s for supper and drove until we were tired.