Walk, Eat, Repeat: Newport, RI Adventures

Much to share after an incredible 3-day weekend with my amazing friend Hannah who visited from Maine.  I have been going non-stop at work for a few months now, so having Friday off was a welcome relief.  Judging from the disbelief of a coworker ("they let you take a day off??!  With everything going on?!" this long weekend was both a stroke of luck, and a desperately needed breather.

For a few wonderful days, I felt like I was living life in slow motion - able to truly enjoy each moment, to appreciate the beauty of my surroundings, and to treasure my time with a special friend.  But at the same time, I was SO excited to have a few days away, that I was living in high-speed - trying to experience as many things as possible, and to pack every second of my time off with pure FUN.  When we weren't walking outside, soaking up sunshine and beautiful views, we were eating six meals a day, every day!  It was my kind of vacation!  Here are some highlights from my time away:

 Sunset from the Blue Hills Observation Tower after a fabulous sushi dinner on Hannah's first night in Massachusetts

Walking the Boardwalk - literally a series of planks leading through Ponkapoag Pond in the Blue Hills, for an early morning walk.  After the rain we have had recently, a few planks were completely submerged, which made for a wet, muddy balancing act!

 Lunch on the beach in Newport, Rhode Island - it was a beautiful day, and we walked along the coast after lunch.  Although the first of multiple nature disasters happened to Hannah at the beach when a seagull ate her sandwich (and then two days later, a seagull used her sweater to relieve itself... can you believe her luck??) 

 

We drove along Bellevue and Ocean Ave to see the Newport mansions, and then walked along the Cliffwalk, between the rolling lawns of the mansions and Newport Harbor.  Navigating over the rocks in our flip flops made for an even more exciting adventure!

Just as we were driving along Ocean Ave to head downtown, we passed a huge sailboat regatta along Brenton Point, so we took a quick detour to watch the boats!  I later discovered that we were watching the start of the Newport-Bermuda race - a 635-mile ocean race from (you guessed it!) Newport to Bermuda.

Sunset over downtown Newport after appetizers and drinks at the Black Pearl, then dinner, then ice cream while we watched the sunset.  A day full of walking, but lots of eating to compensate!

We started Day 2 by watching the sun rise over Castle Island in Dorchester.  We were the first ones there at 4:30 am, although as it got closer to sunrise, the viewing spot got busier.  Right after sunrise and a walk along the beach, we were the first in line at my favorite local bagel shop in East Milton.

We spent a wonderful day exploring Providence together, getting lost a few times, and then wandering through Roger Williams Park.  Since neither of us are big cash-carriers (I absolutely NEVER carry cash, which can make life interesting at times!) we only had $11 to spent on a $15 pedal-boat ride.  Luckily, the boat vendor felt bad for the two pathetic girls, and offered to just take what money we had!  I couldn't believe our luck.  It was a beautiful boat ride together, and so much fun!

We finished our day with an Italian dinner on Federal Hill, the Italian section of Providence.  After dinner, the live music started in the courtyard, so we sat along the fountain's edge, listening and people-watching.  The day ended with nutella-strawberry crepes for me, and a chocolate-dipped cannoli for Hannah.  Another 5-meal day for us both!

Day 3 update to follow, once I finish downloading pictures from our trip!  First, I am off to bed, to rest up after my vacation!