Newport was the home of the America's Cup, and so the Marriott (situated on America's Cup Ave), where the conference was, was quite nautical in its theme. the rooms had delightful rope-on-water carpet...
That's enough to give any girl nightmares... I managed to escape the conference at various points and explore the place. Newport was founded in 1639 - 201 years before the signing of the treaty of waitangi! - and has the oldest synagogue in the US - dating from 1659. One of the attractions of the is the 'cliff walk' - 3 1/2 miles along the coastline of the next bay. Quite scenic but the warning sign certainly overstates the risk... even for someone like me who has in the past proved quite skilled at falling off or down things...
It was gloriously sunny and bitterly cold - back into the minuses... not that you'd know from the picture.
I have to say, I am a fan of the sunny winter! and it was wonderful to be back by the sea... I've been feeling quite ocean/sea deprived here, even though I see water pretty much every day, it doesn't feel like the ocean is right by. There, you couldn't miss it.
The other thing about Newport which you really start to appreciate on the cliff walk is that it was the summer playground of the uber-wealthy in the 'gilded age' of America. So all who wanted to see and be seen built incredibly OTT mansions along the 'cliff top', so the Astors, the Vanderbilts, everyone who had, and wanted to display, incredible wealth:
No detail was spared. I liked the pelican gate markers from one:
Architecturally they seemed to hark back far more to Britain/Europe than the US, in contrast to the rest of the town which seemed very 'US'. But what was nice about it for me - gave me a pang of homesickness - was all the weatherboard houses... different designs, but the basic concept was familiar. Someone else at the conference from Auckland remarked that it reminded her of Devonport, and it did have a sense of that.
I enjoyed two particular features: an open-air petrol 'station' at the intersection of 5 roads:
and what I think has to be safest ATM in America - perhaps the world? In the very same building as the police! you'd just be asking for it, trying to mug someone at that machine...
Speaking of mugging... I think I walked past someone being mugged the other day... I was completely absorbed in thought, not paying attention, and as I walked past these three guys, on a quiet street, at dusk, i half noticed that one had his arms up, and the others were talking at him, and standing very close. Of course I had passed by the the time I processed it, and didn't want to look back (alone on the street), but it was freaky.
No such actions in Rhode Island, it has to be said... in contrast to this city, where people assiduously avoid all eye contact, and no-one says 'hello' when out walking or running, there everyone said 'hello', even in the most unlikely of circumstances. very friendly.
It was sleepy and quiet, for the most part. I can imagine it's heavingly busy in summer, and probably quite awful. We were there the weekend before St Patrick's day, and there was a huge parade on the saturday, and that was bad enough. It's quite a tradition, apparently. At least they didn't dye the harbour green (as they do with rivers in other cities). The morning after the harbour was grey/blue, and perfectly still (with very small patches frozen) - quite stunning without boats at the moorings:
One of my favourite moments on that morning walk was seeing a seagull try to wrestle a starfish... I don't know how the great battle between the gull and the echinoderm ended. While the starfish was adept at escape, the gull was persistent in recapturing it. Clearly, the answer to one of life's great questions will have to remain a mystery.
Back to NYC - yay! Only here for a bit before the next trip, to Arizona (another conference). Arizona is going to be hot and sunny and I'm taking togs! But here spring is almost upon us, which is very exciting! I have seen the odd daffodil out already, and there are sprinklings of crocuses throughout central park. I can't wait! I'm officially over winter, even if it is sunny. Humans were surely not meant to live in such conditions for extended periods.That said the excitement of spring was tempered somewhat this week. Simon came to visit for a few days from London, and on the first morning he was here is snowed all morning. so much for the end of winter.
We've filled the days of his visit with much exploring and eating... it's been exciting having him here, not least because his enthusiasm for the city has made me realise how quickly it had become 'familiar' and 'normal', and that the initial rush of crazed excitement (the city crush, if you will) had been tempered by time. So it's nice to have it back, by proxy, and re-find it...
On that note, gotta head out to meet S & D at MOMA, before heading up to the top of Manhattan to visit Inwood Park, which has original manhattan forest apparently, and then down to the bottom to catch the Staten island ferry for sunset. gotta love this town!
But gin, in case you thought i was neglecting such things, never fear... this one's for you! a black one, in central park... They're extra delightful at the moment, and moving extra fast with 'spring fever'!
over and out...
Wow! I might have to start a fleeing squirrel photographs appreciation society...
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