Well, as my previous opus points out, my wife Sandy’s and my vacation on Cape Cod last month was sweet. Real sweet. I’m back home now in the suburbs of Philadelphia, trying to become acclimated to the fact that the equivalents of quite a few of the Cape’s top features ain’t to be found anywhere in my region. For example, on the Cape there’s Provincetown, where bohemianism is alive and well. And beaches on which an individual easily can escape into higher dimensions by gazing upon waters that go on forever.
There’s a lot to be said for being home. But man, I miss Cape Cod!
Provincetown, located beside Cape Cod Bay at the tippy tip of Massachusetts, is a sizeable village, roughly two miles long and half a mile wide. Still, it comprises but a smallish percentage of greater Provincetown’s overall space. Waters, sands, woods and wetlands account for the rest.
Since my first visit circa 2000, I’ve been in the village around 35 times I suppose. Old and bleached by the Sun, it looks countrified in parts, seaside-y in others, and is artsy and free-spirited throughout. A longtime commercial fishing center (it remains active as such), and once a whaling port, P-Town began to change its colors when The Cape Cod School Of Art, which is still in existence, set up shop in 1899. Before long, the village morphed into a mecca for creative types, tourists following in their wake. And in the second half of the 20th century, gays and lesbians in significant numbers began making the town their home. These days, about 3,600 individuals live there year-round. During summer, the height of the tourist season, many tens of thousands of additional humans appear.
I love to meander through P-Town’s streets. Somehow they both relax and energize me. More important, they please my eyes. The homes, stores and restaurants are, comfortingly, of compatible size, usually one to two-and-a-half stories tall. Yet nearly every one carries a distinct personality. Not only that, many are tucked away in nooks and crannies and at odd angles to their neighbors. That’s why, whenever I’m in Provincetown, I notice buildings that I hadn’t before.
If I had to pick one sight over any other in the village, it would be the Pilgrim Monument. Not in daylight but when, illuminated at night, its gentle glow casts a spell. P-Town’s most uncharacteristic structure by far, it commemorates, if that’s the correct word, the landing in 1620 of English colonists on the shores of what later was dubbed Provincetown. Native Americans, not surprisingly, already occupied the land. I have no doubt that the indigenous folks were less than pleased by the strangers’ arrival. In any case, the Monument, at 252 feet in height, is an imposing creation, visible fully or in part from much of the village and its surroundings. And at night? Ooh la la! For the umpteenth time it captivated me one evening a few weeks ago.
How is it that I rarely exchanged meaningful hellos with sands and open waters until Sandy and I discovered Cape Cod in 1998? I mean, I wasn’t a stranger to them, having spent numerous days of my youth at one beach or another on Long Island. (I grew up on Long Island in a town that’s about 20 miles from Manhattan.) Whatever the reasons, I’m truly glad that the relationship developed. Hell, I’m nothing but putty in the hands of the Cape’s sandy coastlines and the liquid bodies (Atlantic Ocean, Cape Cod Bay, Nantucket Sound) that embrace them.
We always visit Cape Cod in the off-season, which is when there’s no problem finding long stretches of beach that are empty, or almost empty, of other individuals. Yeah, that’s the way we like it. With distractions at a minimum, we’re able to admire meaningfully the perfect elemental combination that is sand, water and sky.
I took two solo beach walks last month and more than several in partnership with my better half. The latter strolls seemed more complete than the former. I mean, when the two of us stopped to stare at the endless waters every five or ten minutes, we kind of Zenned out together, no matter if the waters were roiling or calm. There is no doubt that going eyeball to eyeball with infinity, at the side of someone doing precisely the same, is a good way, a very good way, to spend some time. You can’t beat joint bliss!
(Please don’t be shy about entering your comments. I thank you. All of the photos, by the way, are from October 2021.)
Yeah, Another Blogger 
Beautiful description of nature, and your love for your wife!
Joanna
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Thanks, Joanna. Appreciated.
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Thanks for your very informative, heartfelt post and interesting pictures. Your descriptions give me a strong sense of how you feel about this place. Oceans have such a strong primordial pull on us; very elemental.
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Much of the Atlantic Ocean coast of Cape Cod is quite undeveloped. No boardwalks, no amusement areas, etc. It’s great.
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Thanks for sharing your lovely holiday with us fellow bloggers!
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Hi, Audrey. If it wasn’t for Cape Cod, my blog would contain many fewer articles than it does!
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Looks good, Neil – funny how fishing villages often end up artists’ enclaves, like St Ives, in Cornwall, or any number of places on the French Riviera. Must be the quality of the light, I guess. Keep on Zenning!
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To Zen or not to Zen, that is the question.
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I’ve only visited Provincetown once–long ago. I’m due for another trip there.
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It’s quite a place. Pretty unique I think.
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We’ve been to P’town once, perhaps twice, and loved it too. Unfortunately, I cannot remember if it was during tourist season or not (probably in June or July). But, I’d have to agree with you, it is a very relaxing place to go to just unwind and enjoy nature. Thanks for sharing the pictures. It took us back to pleasanter (is that even a word) times. Take care.
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Hi. Thanks for your input. My wife and I do all sorts of things on Cape Cod, keeping busy. But we do it in a pretty relaxed way.
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👍Take care. We do a lot of things together too but as you two do, in a relaxed way as well.
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Would you ever think of uprooting and moving there?
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We’ve thought about it. But the level of healthcare on Cape Cod isn’t terrific. Plus, we don’t know anybody there, and it would take a good long while to make a new group of friends.
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Yes, friends are important…and so is healthcare. That was something we looked at carefully before moving to Costa Rica.
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Loved your blog but made me sad that l missed going there for 2 years now after going for many years. Definitely next summer!
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You’ll be there next year. Cape Cod misses you!
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Off-season is often the best option when the purpose of your visit is to enjoy the peace and quiet and the natural beauty of the area. Crowds don’t contribute to these situations.
May you have many more happy visits!
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Thanks, Paddy. We’re hooked on Cape Cod!
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Good post. Martine and I first went to P-town in September 93. It was still post-hippy era and we loved it – and the cheap fresh lobster ! Alan
Envoyé de mon iPhone
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Alan, you wouldn’t believe how expensive lobster has become. But I had lobster twice on the trip (in the form of lobster salad rolls, which are fantastic when made right).
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Ahh, I’m glad for you two. I can’t get my better half to the beach no matter what I do. And we live less than 2 km from the sea and our 12-km sandy beach! See it in my Sunday’s post if you wish. The town sounds important for community, well-being and peace of mind, and like my kind of place. Happy returns.
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Hi. Many thanks for stopping by. Within the next day or two I will read the article you mention.
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Very well. Here it is for you to find it more easily: https://manjameximexcessive6.wordpress.com/2021/11/07/cffc-sandy-and-shelly/
I read my comment again and it’s misleading. My last two sentences refers to your post, not mine. 🙂
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Oh, Neil! Your writing muse was well in attendance when you wrote that piece! It spoke, loud and clear, of the deep pleasure felt with your surroundings, nature and the close companionship of your wife- I felt it so vividly. Thank you. I would love to have seen more of America. Way back in 1957,
we were wowed by The Statue of Liberty shimmering in an early bright sun as our ship sailed by, strolled in green Central Park. shopped in Macy’s and savoured the many delights of New York. We had bruises to boast of from riding the fun-fair cars, and licked ice cream cones on Coney Island. Florida too shared more delights. You would doubtless also enjoy the British Cornish and Devon coast-line. And, now that ‘im indoors and i are retired in sunny Spain, we can thank our lucky stars that we have seen at least a little of the wonderful world out there! Keep well. Cheers! x
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Hi, Joy. I’ve always been amazed when reading about the adventures that you’ve had over the years. You have led a vivid life!
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I was just there! (recent post) Loved your take. It would be pretty wonderful to spend more time in that creative and picturesque town.
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Greetings, Ruth. P-Town is so good in various ways. Restaurants, for one. My wife and I really like the restaurant there called Front Street. It’s one of our favorite restaurants that we’ve ever been to.
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Oh, wonderful! Clearly your heart’s home is in Cape Cod. Funny when that happens, isn’t it? Lovely, too, especially when you live close enough for regular visits.
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Ah, if only we lived closer than we do. It’s a pretty long haul (360 miles) from our house to the one we rent on the Cape.
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What a lovely break from the bustle of life. When I lived in NE, I spent many weekends on the Cape, and Province Town made for a fun day when sunburn drove me from the beach. Thanks for sharing your photos and visit to P-Town. 🙂
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Hi, Diana. Did you ever climb in the huge dunes that are between the village and the ocean? Those dunes blow my mind.
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Yes! When I was a kid I did somesaults down them. I had to go to the doctor to get the sand washed out of my ears. True story. Lol.
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A lot to admire in this post but what really caught my eye was this: 35 visits in 20 years! That is amazing to a homebody like me.
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P-Town is so charming and interesting and beautiful, it’s hard to stay away!
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According to the latest climate-change studies, the Philly area will have beaches in 2.3 years, and the Cape will be underwater. So, we just need a little patience.
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Hey, here’s a book I recommend: Cape Cod, by Henry David Thoreau. It’s very lively and very good. In my opinion anyway.
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Is The Portuguese Bakery still in P-Town? Nothing beats their French toast pastries.Yum!
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Hey, Debra. Yes, it’s still there. We didn’t stop in there during this trip, but we should have.
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I smile at the way you’re “zenned out” while walking along the beach of Cape Cod 🙂 I’m a coastlander and have always lived close to the sea, except for one year in Guyana’s rainforest region that broke my free spirit. You’ve reminded me that I shouldn’t take the beach and ocean-view for granted.
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Hi. Beaches and oceans are great, especially when not too many people are around!
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It looks like you got pretty good weather although a stormy sea is definitely a dramatic sight. From what I’ve learnt researching my own Pilgrim ancestors, it was a culture clash that might have worked out had there not been so much greed. The early pilgrims were puritans and they valued the simple life.
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Hi. You know, we had a long string of rain-free weather. But a powerful storm (winds of 60 and 70 miles per hour) hit the Cape and other parts of Massachusetts on the day we were supposed to leave. So we left the following day instead.
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I agree. Viewing the beach through two pairs of eyes is quite different from only one
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Togetherness!
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You’re lucky to have someone to share that with, Neil.
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I know. I feel very fortunate.
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sounds like Byron Bay in NSW, a rich bohemian and artsy town; and hey! if you can find a place that can relax AND energize, you’ve found your Shangri-la 🙂
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Howdy, John. I hadn’t heard of Byron Bay. Have you been there?
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no, have only heard about it —
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Atmospheric shot of the Pilgrim Monument, and I love your descriptive writing regarding your love of Cape Cod and wife, obviously not in order of importance.
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Hi Suzanne, and thanks. I appreciate that a lot.
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Wonderful enjoyable times so happy for you Neil…sending zen thoughts for a beautiful day ~ hedy ☺️💫🕊
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Thanks very much, Hedy. I have a feeling that you’re out and about today with camera in hand. See ya!
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What a wonderful post, Neil. Love flows through your words for Cape Cod and your wife. ❤
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Jane, I’m glad you enjoyed this story. Many thanks for stopping by.
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Hey there Neil, What a great stack of memories for you to carry around. Cape Cod should make you mayor and head of PR. Have a super doodle day. Jerry
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Thanks, Jerry. Enjoy the day!
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Your lovely summary makes me want to visit Cape Cod and the ocean! It has been a looong time since I have spent time at the sea.
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There’s something hypnotic about staring into oceans or other huge waters. It has something to do, I think, with the waters’ motion, and with the sounds of the seas.
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I agree. It’s a wonderful combination of sights, sounds, and smells.
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I could spend some time there. Maybe in the future.
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There are humungous sand dunes near the ocean in Provincetown and Truro. You’d have a blast scampering around on them.
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The whole vibe of the place has me very curious. Nothing CB likes better than scampering around sand dunes. It’s one of his things.
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Great share! I love the old settlement land land with its rich history. Whenever we dislike leaving our favorite vacation spots, we can take parts of it with us in souvenir. Thank goodness too, we can share we infertile photo images. Best regards.❤️🍮🍮
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Greetings, AOC. Yes indeed, it’s easier than ever to take photographs of our vacations, and of everything else. The cameras on smart phones make it a snap. Lots of souvenirs!
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Never been to P’Town, but have similar memories of favourite places, too. Enjoyed the story.
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Hi, Bradley. We are fortunate to have been in places that mean a lot to us. They make our lives better.
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Such a lovely, heartfelt tribute to a locale and person you love.
We did climb the high dunes on the way to P-town. I was pregnant with our first daughter at the time, and I got sun poisoning. I worried that the powerful cream I had to use on my skin would harm my baby. Fortunately, it did not.
I continue to love the area—and the ocean is always restorative.
You can’t write about this area too much, from my perspective. Your heart, soul, and muse enrich what your eyes reflect.
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Annie, those dunes are so unexpected and so amazingly large. I always find it hard to believe that they are there.
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Thanks for another great post about Provincetown, brought back nice memories and the thought of returning once this pandemic is behind us!
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Can you imagine how many books eventually will be written about the pandemic? This situation has a long long way to go before it more or less plays out.
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I agree. I also love to see how the Atlantic shows up in different parts of the world. It’s fascinating to me.
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Hi, Kathy. Circa 1950, Rachel Carson wrote a great book. The Sea Around Us. It’s about how our planet and its oceans formed. Beautifully written and very fascinating.
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Thanks! It’s actually still in print, so I think I’ll check it out.
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This post makes me want to go to Provincetown tomorrow. Alas, it might be a while before this West Coast gal gets out there. Meanwhile, I wanted to comment on your comment about wanting to live near good medical care. I always say that my ideal retirement place is across the street from a hospital!
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I like the way you think!
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Thanks for sharing! I’ve never been to Cape Cod, but now I see what I’m missing.
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Morning, Ann. My wife and I never anticipated that we’d discover a place that we’d want to visit again and again. But it happened!
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Anything that can get you into a state of Zen is good by me. Your love affair with this area continues! Good photos, relaxing.
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Greetings, Ally. In general, I don’t get Zenned out all that much. So, I’m glad when it happens.
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It’s funny how love at first sight can take place with a place as well as a person. Your description of the Cape, and especially of the ocean, is wonderful. I’ve always thought that fire, sunsets, and the ocean share one thing in common: they’re always the same, and yet infinitely varied. It seems to me that helps to account for the out-of-time experience that can come when we watch them.
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Hi. I like your mention of “out-of-time”. It’s a great feeling. Probably doesn’t happen anywhere near enough for most people.
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Have you guys ever thought about moving to Cape Cod? Or would that take away from its magic, being there 24/7?
The shot of the Pilgrim monument is fantastic, btw….
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Hi. We’ve nixed the idea of moving there for two reasons: The level of health care on Cape Cod isn’t too great. And it would be a long process to develop a circle of friends (we don’t know anybody there).
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Two good reasons to just visit.
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How nice that you and your Sandy have somewhere which speaks to your soul. Go there as often as possible…Fondly, Muriel
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Hi, Muriel. Yeah, we never anticipated finding somewhere like that. But we did!
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One of your readers asked if you would move to Cape Cod, and although you said no for practical reasons, perhaps it could also be said the place would lose the Zen if it became an everyday experience. It’s how I feel about Del Mar, just north of San Diego, where my wife & I vacation at the beach two weeks out of every summer. To live there would be to take it for granted and perhaps lose the magic of the place.
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I totally agree. The special qualities of Cape Cid, Del Mar etc. would start to lose their impact if we were there all the time.
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I do love seedy beach villages. Thanks for sharing and the pictures too.
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Hi Don. Enjoy the weekend!
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Cape Cod..I loved seeing the ocean there. Great image.
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Me too. I wouldn’t have become a Cape Cod addict were it not for the Atlantic.
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(I haven’t been, but) Provincetown reminds me of a book I used to teach with sophomores and like a lot—My Name Is Asher Lev. Asher grows up in Brooklyn in the 1950s. He’s an art prodigy, and his father (for religious reasons) opposes his art. Anyway, Asher’s art teacher takes him to Provincetown for the summer (probably the ‘60s by that time). You might like it, Neil.
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Hi. I’ve read it and several others by Potok. He was a terrific writer, one of my favorites. Have a good week, Crystal. See ya.
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“How is it that I rarely exchanged meaningful hellos with sands and open waters until Sandy and I discovered Cape Cod in 1998? I mean, I wasn’t a stranger to them, having spent numerous days of my youth at one beach or another on Long Island.”
Ah, probably just too much testosterone. Even the best of guys–which I’m counting you among–seems not to pause long enough to notice ANYTHING until they’re at least 40. Having grown up a mile from the shores of Lake Michigan, and been a beach bum every day of the summer from the age of five, I completely understand Sandy’s and your love of the sand and the sky and the water. You can never get closer to your primal heartbeat than when in such a landscape.
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Right, the natural world’s beauty and power and grace are in those environments. It’s hard, maybe impossible, to top that.
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Beautiful photos! I’ve never been to Cape Cod, but now, I want to visit more than ever. Cheers!
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Hi. Cape Cod is a long way from where you live. But if you go there some day, I’m sure you’ll like it.
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I loved reading your post, the details made me feel as though I was strolling along with you and your wife. My husband and I love strolling on beaches, your descriptions of the feelings felt in the presence of a beach are spot on! And…definitely beat a yellow Neon in the fog turned to snow story for sure! 😉🤔😂😍
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Hey, that yellow Neon is cool!
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It has been a bright spot in our lives for many years!
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I’ve never been to Provincetown, and I kind of feel like I’m the only one.
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Go, man, go!
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Neil, bless! This is a beautiful post, a celebration of love, for each other, the area, nature. Your last paragraph is incredibly moving and profound. ‘There is no doubt that going eyeball to eyeball with infinity, at the side of someone doing precisely the same, is a good way, a very good way, to spend some time. You can’t beat joint bliss.’ Wow! Sounds like an amazing break … and hope it won’t be long until you can return! Thank you for letting us gate-crash just a little!
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Hi Annika, and thanks very much for the thumbs-up. I appreciate that a lot.
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I agree– Zenning out in Provincetown, off-season, is a hoot! Glad you were able to revisit recently.
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I’m still thinking about the trip. It was a winner.
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