Jackson jokers

Nearby golf course - they all use buggies!

- except us!

No we weren't swept away by hurricane Earl but arrived in Jackson in northern New Hampshire to find very flashy 'condo' but the place up for sale with the owner in Mexico having omitted to renew Cable TV and  Internet  sub so depriving us (well Kirsty really) of essential facilities. We managed after a visit to Wal-mart and much exasperation to connect the DVD player and have been well appraised of the American version of "The Office" which I have to say after some 10 or 12 episodes grows on one a bit.
Anyway the area is quite interesting but a bit strange as it's really a ski resort so rather soulless in Sept!

The truly impressive and famous Mt Washington Hotel

We drove up to the 'Cog Railway' on Mt. Washington intending to ascend but met a couple who had just got down who told us of 60mph winds, 32degF and total fog. However the good news was that apparently the museum was open! We declined - well at $68 each it's not a great prospect.
Food is, in general, appalling. For example they seem to serve a yellow, tasteless plasticky substance that I think they call cheese with everything, usually along with countless spineless relishes of various colours but lamentably little flavour. I thought I'd get round this by buying 'Extra Sharp Mature Cheddar' in the supermarket as this seemed to be the most dangerous version available, only to find a paler version of the same that would barely be classed as 'mild' at home!
Now down in southern Vermont after a delightful drive with some early Autumn colours staying in a town called Brattleboro (yes, with the 'r') at what seems to be a very good and reasonable town hotel with complementary Wi-fi and the prospect of a birthday tea with Kirsty and a choice of 20 draught beers next door. All is well again!

The 'Cog Railway'

Tomorrow (Tue) heading off down nearer New York prior to flying home on Wed evening. Love to you all. Really looking forward to hearing about the wee ones.

Acadia National Park, and dodging Earl!

View of North Atlantic from Mt Cadillac

Some spectacular scenery yesterday at Acadia - but to be honest we're really spoiled for that sort of thing in Scotland. Very hot and temp rose to around 100deg F ! Feels like its going to break and we're busy watching hurricane Earl creeping up the eastern seaboard. We currently have a 'tropical storm' level of warning for Sat a.m. here on the coast of Maine so we're making provisional plans to move inland tomorrow (Fri).

Imaginatively named 'Sand' beach

Rare 'old' (1928!) stone bridge

Coastal view

Kirsty now, sadly (for her), coming home with us on Wed / Thurs. Otherwise apart from plumbing / drainage problems with current holiday house all is fine here. Sorry to hear about further roof leakage at the Lakes flat - I don't know, there's always 'b..... something' as JKW would say. Love to you all. D,H and K xxx

Maine road to Belfast!

Left Cape Cod yesterday (Mon) and stopped in Plymouth and visited mock-up of the original pilgrim settlement with very plausible role players as pilgrims and indigenous Indians.

Also their ship the Mayflower (replica) and the rock that marks where they landed. 
Extremely hot here - reached 98 deg F (about 36 deg C) yesterday and very humid. 
Meant to stay last night in Salem (of witches fame) but Travel Lodge let us down and lost our booking. So we decided to cut our losses and carry on to our next destination in Belfast, Maine on the coast, arriving a day early which was fine with the very pleasant owner.
Now have a wonderful view and frontage overlooking the bay and found all the amenities. Barbecue tonight and plan to visit Acadia national park tomorrow.

Our holiday let!

Kirsty admiring the view!

Helen melting

Love to all and good luck Mike and Claire in your 10k if it's imminent. Hope it's not as hot as this!

Having a whale of a time!

Milway Harbour in Cape Cod bay

Kirsty and Michael did their own thing yesterday so we thought about going to Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket island but chose a 'whale viewing' trip instead. Absolutely beautiful day as you will see from the pics. 

One I caught earlier (a little Minky!)

Humpback and Minky whales feed about 30 miles offshore at this time of year apparently, due to an underwater plateau directing food-rich arctic currents upwards. They then go on to their breeding grounds in the Caribbean - lucky devils.

It was really amazing to see the families, with lots of mothers with calf in tow. 

Teenage humpback - a mere 20 tons or so!

Tomorrow (Mon) have to move on so planning to go to Plymouth where Pilgrims officially made their first permanent settlement. Then to Salem overnight and on to the coast of Maine on Tue.
Fabulous pics. of Gregor. Missing the wee ones. XXXX

A couple of shots at the end of the day on the way back.
Love to all.

Island Paradise

Easy day today. Walked / waded over to small (Squaw Island) just off the beach here and walked along past beach shack owned by one of the Kennedy clan and close by another house owned by a certain Herr Schwarzenegger whose is, I learn, married into that dynasty. Didn't dare take pics of his house as would risk being 'picked off'!

Later took Kirsty to meet up with boyfriend Michael at his camp near here. We were very impressed with the amount of effort he has quite evidently put in there and he briefly showed us around. Will meet up with K again tomorrow. Back for fried clams for tea - yum!

Starting out!

Clutching "essentials" at deepest bit

Squaw Island beach - with 007's Squaw emerging from the deep!

A view inland from beach

Another unexpected celebrity

A gaggle of cormorants - more beautiful birds!

Horseshoe crab shell - I think! (not so attractive)
  

Queer happenings

Tower spiral staircase

82 deg and went to Provincetown at the very tip of the peninsula today (the gay capital of Cape Cod!), site of where the Pilgrim Fathers first  landed from Southampton on Nov 21st 1620.

Provincetown main street

Tall ship off the point

Although on the map this looks quite remote, there's a dual carriageway all the way and it's really quite built up. 

There was a 'tall' ship in dock in the harbour which added to the atmosphere as well as several 'million dollar' craft - not much 'credit crunch' here!
Had a lovely lunch served by a 'lovely' waiter.  
The final point of land was beautiful and we ascended the memorial tower some 350ft with great views, again with help from a 'lovely' man at the desk!
Tomorrow wading over to Squaw island just down from the house for the remote and private beaches. Struggling on!
The TV here is full of ads. and displayed on a 'massive' 14" 1980's Sharp monitor. Wonderful! Love D,H and K. 
P.S. Hope you're watertight and back at school Lin! XX

Cape Cod, Hyannis and JFK

The British Beer Company!

JFK Museum

JFK residence or close!

pp

Another wee seaside retreat!

Boston to Cape Cod by hire car was eventful. Mr Hertz let us have a Toyota which I checked over all round before setting off and we proceeded down the main Interstate 93 a three lane motorway in torrential rain and spray for 20 mins before discovering it had a cracked windshield (windscreen in English). Fearing this could fail dramatically over a big bump and / or being blamed for it if we didn't report it we decided to phone about it. To cut a long story short we got lost anpd found again, took a long detour back to Boston and started again in a Chevvy which is pretty c..p but it does have cool smoked back windows which is all that matters here in the US of A! And it did get us here.

Here being Hyannis, JFK country - the Kennedy compound at Hyannisport is close by and I think visible from our 'private' beach! The house we're renting is so reminiscent of our family's properties. Previously owned by present owner's parents and mostly managed by the daughter (familiar ring to this) it's a really characterful wood faced cabin with lots of 1970's features!
Visited JFK museum in Hyannis which was interesting but tragic. Their house is for sale if anyone's interested, previously valued at $11.5M now a real snip at $6.5M! 

The cool but c..p Chevvy

A local property!

Our house

Tomorrow (Thurs) to Provincetown where the Pilgrims first landed before pushing on to the mainland at Plymouth in 1620. Love to all. Sorry pics still out of order!

Further sufferage!

Our 'lounge'

Greyhound bus from NY to Boston yesterday was comfortable but more like  Dachshund speed however we  arrived safely despite H having a brief disagreement with an escalator.

Now find ourselves in amazingly salubrious quarters with a 3 person suite. Unfortunately they had failed to realise that Kirsty was a person not intending to share our bed. However a 'roll up' one was speedily produced and set up for her for her in our 
'lounge'.  

Complementary umbrellas and 'menus' for everything including choice of bath plus attendant - pic (hope you can read it!)

Very wet and windy today (Mon) but Boston lovely and went to see the 'Old Statehouse' which was the British HQ until the American War of Independence about 1783 when they were kicked out. 

 

Old Statehouse

Off tomorrow to collect hire car and drive to Hyannis at Cape Cod - staying  for 6 days so hoping for better weather and will try to post from there. Hope all well - love to everyone especially the 'weenies'. Love D,H and K.

All that jazz!

Last evening walked over to Central Station to see the magnificent entrance and then on to Times Square at night - see pics (a bit out of order). Astonishing. Wouldn't like to pay Manhattan's electricity bill. 

Today (Sat) got cab (realised this is most cost efficient and comfortable way of conveying 3 people about NY) to Empire State Building but didn't go up it! We were interested in the lobby - see pics. Marble to die for (or even lay on once your dead). Newly restored to previous 1930's splendour it was floor to ceiling. 

Then to Macy's wee store! Real 'compass and a packed lunch' territory here it is staggeringly huge but unfortunately staffed by Neanderthals, so buying anything was a testing exercise in self-control. Kirsty and I started with a fit of the giggles 10 mins into Mum attempting a purchase from a saleswoman who was so slow that at one point I wondered whether she was having a stroke. Then to Madison Square Garden which was closed for renovation and on to the highlight of the day, lunch standing up in a McDonald's establishment - well it is America!