Thursday, April 20, 2006






It is a magnificent blue day here on the Cape. Spring is in full bloom. We sat on Main Street with clam chowdah watching the MA tourists descend on the town with their kids and were fascinated with those mothers with two kids and one nanny. Must have quite a life going if you can't take care of your own kids, all two of them.

We love the small/tourist town collisions with the MA sophistication/we stahted this countahy, fall in line stuff. They have a car museum not to far from downtown; costs $8 to get in and as a gesture of provocation and seduction, the car museum people park a gleaming Bentley, a magnificent vintage Rolls Royce, a gorgeous racing Audi and a beautifull 240-Z right at the curb so you can see 'em everytime you pass by. Unlike any other car museums I have seen, these cars are all fire engine red. True! Every car in the extensive collection is...fire engine red. When you walk on the beach, the locals with dogs will visit with you and inquire about your stay politely in a tolerant if courteous manner but never fail to leave you with the name of their dog: Lord Byron Blue, Shamrock, Fitzgerald....There are at least ten Dunkin' Donuts in this small town. The Church of Christ Scientist is enormous here in Hyannisport, just like in every other Massachusetts town. The protestant churches are all gorgeous, well-kept and with magnificent steeples. I have been fascinated with the star iconography on the houses and outbuildings and my religious history scholar in the family tells me that it's a Christian icon, noting the guiding light. They're very cool. And so much nicer than fish.

And so it goes. We've been here one week and the seams and creases are starting to smooth out. I could easily spend another week here, drinking Paul Newman's Own Lemonade, wandering around town and foraging and walking the fabulous beach and playing Sudoku until I can't see. But alas, it's not meant to be. We leave Hyannisport in the morning for, well, stay tuned. Life is full of surprises, isn't it?

JBelle
On Location
Hyannisport MA

4 comments:

Julie said...

Jahn, were any of those dogs Newfoundlands? Did you know that Lord Byron had a Newf named Boatswain?

http://www.davidpbrown.co.uk/poetry/lord-byron.html

I'm glad you had such a nice visit. You make me want to visit there sometime and maybe I will.

Julie

Word Tosser said...

WHAT you are almost next door to my home town and you aren't stopping in?? Newport, Rhode Island? The Mansions, the view.. walk Thames street and see the eaterys and bars? Eat clam cakes and stuffies... Oh, you are really missing out, gal.

JBelle said...

Jules, no Newfies. They like expensive, rarer breeds. I only recognize them because of the WKC show in February. I did NOT know that Byron had a newfie but I'm not the least bit surprised....xxoo, where the hell's Michael?

JBelle said...

Ceis! You are from Newport RI? I have been the RI, but not Newport and would really like to go. Now, it's a mandate. I must be there and in the summer. I LOVE the Atlantic Ocean! ( I LOVE being outside anywhere, I guess.)