Ptown!

Bo made the brilliant suggestion that while our friend from high school, Alexis, is in Boston, we should take a trip to Provincetown, the oddball beach resort (and gay mecca) on the tip of Cape Cod.  Monday we loaded up (Seth's) car and the three of us spent two nights away on a fanciful girls' 'vacay'.  But first, we had to make a stop to see the Rock in Plymouth.     

Bo and Alexis checking out the Plymouth shoreline.  I wonder if the pilgrims had to rinse off their sandals, too, when they stepped off the Mayflower and into the sand? 

The famous Plymouth Rock?  Seriously?

Despite the unexciting rock, at least Plymouth was a beautiful little town

The Marconi Area, location of the first trans-Atlantic wireless communication system, also a nice spot for our picnic lunch.

We arrived in Provincetown, MA!

The 'hunky' singing string quartet, Well-Strung, promoting their show.  Unlike what their posters may suggest, they are fully clad while out performing on the street. 

Our hotel hosts the famous Tea Dance every afternoon in the summers.  I really liked the flag twirlers. 

Heading back out onto the main drag, we see this cooky contraption come gliding down the street....

....and there it goes.  Weird.

The tools of the lobsterman

Waiting for dinner outside the Lobster Pot

Appetizers! :o)

The next morning, all is quiet during an early run

Looks like an ad for this B&B

Breakwater leading out to a lighthouse

Tidal flats

Cape Cod National Seashore

Herring Cove

Lovely residential streets

The access point to the Tea Dance at our hotel, the Boat Slip Resort

We spent the day at Race Point Beach.  It was a perfect 79 degrees and sunny, and the water was cold and shark-infested.

"Let the water come to you" seemed to be the appropriate strategy for entering the water

A fair number of beach-goers, but not many swimmers!

The lifesaving museum

I love all the cute, colorful Speedos

Yay for a spectacular lunch at a South African restaurant (Karoo Kafe)

 Bo sampling ostrich satay

Durban Bunny Chow (curried lamb stew in a bread bowl, oddly reminiscent of my previous dinner of clam chowder in a bread bowl)

Bo sending her parents an e-postcard at the Pilgrim Monument Museum (how cute!)

One of only two white wolf mounts in the world

Freaky doll gallery

*shudders*

Someone's watching...  (look closely)

We got to climb the Pilgrim Monument (aka the Tower of Sienna)

The view from the top

The sailboats are awesome

Tea Dance day 2.  Not too many ladies out there.

Getting ready for our first 'professional' drag show.  Not sure why they gave us 3D glasses. 

The last morning instead of a jog I started the day with a yoga class on the deck of our hotel.  It was a unique and quirky class of about 30 guys and 5 ladies.  At one point the (male) instructor got excited and suggested we cancel class to 'watch the men of the US Coast Guard do their physical training on the beach'.  Heheh. Only in Ptown.    

Thanks, Bo and Alexis, for a really fantastic trip!  Who knew Massachusetts could host such a town?

Wrapping up the Carolinas

Here are some highlights from our final few days in Raleigh: 

I had a major overhaul done to my poor, neglected clarinet.  It is so beautiful again!  After not picking it up for a good 10 years, I am determined to get back into it!  I think joining the Waltham Philharmonic would be a suitable goal (maybe...), but first I must overcome a very weak mouth and wrists that ache after 10 minutes of practice.   

My cousins, Emily and Erik, and their parents (Uncle Mark and Aunt Gayle) came to visit Raleigh for a couple days post-Myrtle.  We spent the afternoon at the newly renovated NC Museum of Art.

Relaxing!  This is similar to how we were arranged at night as we watched the Olympics together.

Seth had a gig at his favorite haunt, The Cave.  Meghan came out, woo!  

We couldn't leave without NC style BBQ!  Though I am not a big meat eater, this is always a treat. 

 

Now that we are back up north, I noticed on the weather in Waltham is now actually HOTTER than Myrtle Beach, SC.  This makes me want to cry... or go back to Myrtle.  Oh well.... 

The Landstroms go to Myrtle

Yup, we braved the hot, hot weather and had a good ol' time in South Carolina this week.  Out of 194 total Landstroms (and quickly growing!), there were 110 who checked into a resort just north of Myrtle Beach.  I felt like a bum, avoiding the water--I am the definition of the anti-beach bum, especially when the sun is out--but I still found some good activities with my cousins, aunts, and uncles.  It was so wonderful to see everyone, though it was hard to leave feeling like I didn't have enough time to get to be reacquainted with the more distant relatives.  Looks like I will have to wait 3 more years...

I spent a day with Aunt Dee and Darlene in Charleston, SC, a very beautiful, old southern town.  It was stinking hot so we petered out early, but we did get a taste of what was there.  First, however, we took a diversion to Fort Sumter.  

View of the USS Yorktown from Patriots Point

Fort Sumter

 

 

A fantastic private garden in someone's backyard in Charleston.

 

Catfish Row was the inspirational setting of the Gershwin opera, "Porgy & Bess"

The first of many of the week's fried meals: my first fried green tomatoes!  They were worth it. 

 The third night was a casino cruise night.  I was excited to go but in the last moment I recalled that I get SEASICK and I refused to go.  Thank goodness I stayed a landlubber because I was later informed that It was indeed rocky.  The waves, combined with alcohol, blinking lights, bells, and a buffet, would have made for a long, unpleasant night!  Seth and I instead spent an evening out: Tex-Mex followed by a walk along the colorful, cruisin', thumpin', boardwalk.

The SkyWheel and Slingshot at N Ocean Blvd

Fireworks visible from the beach boardwalk

The next night was our big cousin+significant other outing.

Mrs. Fish had THE BEST seafood.  Wow....

Kevin eying Nathan's plate

Seth was pretty well obsessed with his fish sandwich

The night got even better with a group activity that I swore I would never do past the age of 8: mini golf.  I felt suckered into going, but was so glad I did!  Oh, we had some cheesy, kitschy, fun.

Hehe, Minotaur Goff

I loved the art

A view of all of Mt Atlanticus (not be confused with Atlantis)

Team 1 (out of 4)

Team 2 was last place.  I am 98% sure it was completely because of me.

Just like the grande Uffizi in Florence, one of the best things about mini golf is the sculptures and art

...Seth agrees

Happy hour!  This is the best time to meet with everyone and catch up.  It is also the perfect opportunity to realize how many family members you don't know/remember but probably should.

The last night out, the cousins head out for more seafood :o)

Table 1

Table 2

Random picture of some family's plate of food at breakfast.  The sausage must have been pretty good. 

Here are some pictures from our family photo session:

Uncle Kevin couldn't keep away from Sawyer

Carter was also a hit with the new Kevin.  (By the way, it is really nice having a second Asian in the family, hah!)

The first generation

The original first cousins

Second cousins

My first cousins+significant others

Summer in the South

Not being big fans of the summer, Seth and I ironically find ourselves on our way to South Carolina!  We flew down to Raleigh a few days ago and have been spending some time with my parents, Jennifer, and two nephews, and today we all drive down to Myrtle Beach for our week-long Landstrom Family Reunion.   Not sure why they chose 'Myrtle' for the big family get-together--land of Spring Break, drunk parties, hot cars, and even hotter weather--but whatever.  It will be fun to see everyone, especially since we only have these reunions every three years.

It is always a bit of a culture shock being back south of the Mason-Dixon line.  I had forgotten about the mandatory afternoon thunderstorms, gigantic bugs, turtles crossing the road, and radio preachers.  Two days ago I heard a program about why women must be submissive to their husbands so that their husbands can fulfill god's will.  I thought at first it was satirical, but it was, sadly, a totally serious radio show. Ugh.  At least sweet potatoes are cheaper here, and the BBQ is pretty darn good, too.