Newport, RI

The weather was not cooperating today, so instead of doing a walking tour of Boston, we took a driving tour of Newport, RI. A beautiful coastal port and popular summer destination with yachts in the harbor and old mansions to tour.

We toured the Vanderbilt Marble Mansion but photos were not allowed inside. It was a gorgeous combination of marble, wood and gold gilding throughout with heavenly murals painted on the ceilings.



We came across a unique topiary garden. Complete with sculptured shrubs and beautiful flowers.

A walkway through the garden



Colorful gardens of a variation of flowers



My favorites



Snowball bushes are very prevalent here in the northeast.



and multiple manicured scupltures, like this nice chair to rest in :)



a duck



an elephant



and some bears



And no day would be complete without some good sustenance ;) A little surf and turf at the Barking Crab!

Martha's Vineyard

We took a ferry from Wood's Hole, MA over to Martha's Vineyard for the day.



While waiting for our trolley tour of the island, we decided to try the infamous lobster roll and and some New England clam chowder overlooking the harbor. And it was so good, I forgot to take a picture before we ate! lol



Following lunch, we took a narrated tour of the beautiful island. The guide pointed out homes and lanes of the rich and famous. We went through old, small, quaint towns along the way.

We stopped at Gay Head Cliffs mid way for a coffee break and to take in the scenic beauty.







As you can tell by the dark clouds in the sky, we fought rain on and off for several days. Wish it would go to Texas instead!

Cape Cod Lighthouse

Next stop, was a visit to tour the Cape Cod Lighthouse.



You can actually go up into the top of this one via a narrow spiral staircase of only 69 steps! I figured I could do this one with no problem after climbing the Pilgrim Monument ;)



There have been different types of lenses used over the years. This is an example of one of them. Each lighthouse has it's own signal that is indicated on a navigational map for sailers.



The views from the top were beautiful, but the photos through glass didn't turn out so great. But I for one was grateful to be back on solid ground again ;)

Provincetown Pilgrimage

I met up with a special guest in Rhode Island to tour the Cape. Yep, another Texas Ramblin Rose sister all the way up here! :) Tuesday, Kathy and I took off for Provincetown. It's a such a fun place with a lot of history and great food! ;)

We visited the shops along Commercial ST like all good tourists do ;) And we also found the Portuguese Bakery! And look what we had for brunch! ;)



Then off we went to "view" the Pilgrim Monument. I have a great appreciation for our forefathers and it's only right to pay respect to a monument dedicated to those first settlers that signed the Mayflower Compact here. And I could have done that just fine from the ground. And as most of you know, I have an aversion to most forms of exercise other than walking ;)



However, Kathy shamed me into going to the top of this 252 ft structure with no elevator, and I caved. So off we went, trudging up 116 stairs and huffing and puffing over 60 additional landings!

And, I have to admit, the views from the top were awesome!

A view of the coast



and the Wharf



After all that, we were way hungry for some good seafood! ;) The Lobster Pot just happens to be my favorite restaurant here :)

Kathy went with the big guns, she got the whole thing and was raring to dig in with cracker in hand! LOL



True to form, I on the other hand got the Lazy Man's Lobster with stuffing ;) Already out of the shell! hahaha!!!



And it was all good!

Hershey Heaven!

The Sweetest Place on Earth! Amen! :)



There is no way I can be in the area and not go smell the aroma of chocolate, no less indulge in some! lol

I took a side trip to Chocolate World! The tour is still free, and you ride through a demonstration of how the candy is made from the bean to the bar. All the while, the scent of chocolate wafts through the air! :)



From the cocoa beans...



to the chocolate liquor...



to the bar...



and the kisses!



And at the end, you get a free sample! :)

There is another area where you can make your own candy bar. You choose your bar chocolate from milk, dark or white, and then choose up to 3 ingredients to add into it.




After the tour, I found the bakery! With all things chocolate!



And if that weren't enough, look what else I found. My favorite. Fudge!



Needless to say, I ate my fill and got some to go! lol

RV Sister Visit, Gettysburg, PA

There was another RV sister nearby that I needed to go visit. Lori and her husband Ernie are fulltimers workamping just outside Gettysburg, PA. I met them 4 years ago here in PA.

Enroute to Gettysburg, I had to stop at the Kitchen Kettle in Intercourse, PA. You can't come to this area and not get a homemade soft pretzel! Beth and I were too full yesterday when we drove by.

So, I stopped in at the Pretzel Haus!



You can get them with all kinds of toppings, from traditional, garlic butter, sour cream and onion and my favorite...cinnamon sugar! And they are warm and good! Sorry, I had to take a bite before I could take a picture ;)



And I met another friend along the way. He was just hangin out :)



It was a beautiful ride to Gettysburg. And it was so good to see them again. We had a nice visit catching up and talking over future travels. I even got a personal tour of their brand new fifth wheel! And it is just gorgeous inside and out. The color schemes are unique and tasteful.



I really loved the graphic of the horse.



And look who else I got to meet. Spinner!



Thank you both Lori and Ernie for a great visit! It was so nice to see you again :) Looking forward to seeing you in TX this winter!

RV Sister Visit in Lancaster, PA

I've been having a awesome time visiting family and friends here in PA. Currently, I'm back down in the Lancaster area. I met up with my dear friend Beth, who is a fulltimer and is workamping in the area. She was my mentor when I first got my rig four years ago.

And guess where we went? ;) You got it! Shady Maple :) Here's some shots of our first plates! lol

Beth and her chosen favorites :)



Here's mine...full of veal, potatoe cakes and corn fritters! :)



and my second with all the sweet and sour flavors of the area.



and then...dessert!



Needless to say, we got our fill. Sadly, this will be my last visit to Shady Maple for a while.

Following lunch, Beth took us for a ride through the beautiful Amish country past gorgeous farms, fresh produce, Amish buggies, gravel lanes, and covered bridges.

We stopped at an old Iron Forge restored in a beautiful park setting where the covered bridge was located.



The limestone buildings standing today. Loved the main house with candles in each window. A common practice here in the northeast. It symbolizes a warm welcome.



Beth in front of another of beautifully landscaped buildings



The sign leading to the covered bridge



And the old covered bridge over the Conestoga Creek



Beth can give you a much greater explanation of the history here than I can. Here is a link to her blog.

I also got to meet her precious pup peaches :) We all took a walk when got back after eating all that great food!



Thank you so much for a wonderful visit Beth! It was so great to see you again :)