Cape Escape

[On the windshield, Orleans, MA; 9/30/12]

We went out to Cape Cod over the weekend with friends from California who had rented a large B&B suite for Saturday and Sunday night out on the outer Cape. Unfortunately, it poured rain for most of Saturday and Sunday, but we had a nice time anyway.

[Nauset Farms store, Orleans; 9/30/12]

I took a walk on Sunday when the rain let up and the others were watching the football game. It was a quiet neighborhood, no doubt more so being off-season, but likely a welcome respite from summer tourist traffic.

[Cape Cod chair lift?; Orleans, 9/30/12]

Orleans is about 25 miles south of Provincetown up the mid-Cape highway. D and I left around half-time to drive up to Ptown in the rain, but we arrived just as the skies were clearing. We'd spent two vacations in Ptown in summer in 2009 and 2010, staying at a motel at the quiet West End near the moors, so we went there first to take in the scenery.

[Moors, Provincetown West End; 9/30/12]

The West End is about a 15-minute walk into the center of town on Commercial Street, which is lined with cafes, galleries, shops and B&Bs. In summer, Ptown center is bustling with tourists and, if you go during one of the gay festival weeks, some ebullient men in drag. An evening stroll is thoroughly entertaining. Off-season is obviously much quieter and walking along the street much quicker without the crowds. We parked in the center and had time to wander awhile before our friends came up to join us for dinner. 

[Provincetown Harbor; 9/30/12]

[Clouds over Provincetown Harbor; 9/30/12]

Monday morning we woke to clear and bright skies as we packed up to return home. We stopped first at Nauset Beach, down the road from the B&B, finding big waves and strong winds.

[Boardwalk to Nauset Beach, Orleans; 10/1/12]

D and I also stopped for lunch on our way back at the Chatham Bars Inn, a rather posh resort that has a restaurant with a spectacular view of the bay. We'd discovered it in August 2009 while looking for any eaterie on the water in Chatham -- not easy to find. It was a bit nippier this time around. The sun was warm, but the wind was strong, with gusts blowing over furled table umbrellas. We  had to hold onto our linen napkins to make it through our rather pricey lunch, but it was nice to be outdoors with the lovely blue skies and the view.

[Chatham Bars Inn, Beach House Grill; 10/1/12]

See more photos from the Cape in my Flickr set.

Comments

[Lorianne]

I love that first photo! It sounds like you and D had a great getaway. I love beaches during the off-season.

[Leslee]

Thanks. Well, we would have liked to see more beach, which the rain precluded, but it did clear in time so as not to be a total washout. We could also probably have used less of the constant TV yakking -- our friends turned it on from the moment they awoke until they went to bed! -- but we were grateful to be invited along on their vacation. Plus they were very low-key and easy-going company. :-)