Having been without wi-fi the past 5 days, I shall post one long post about the part of the trip I haven't told anyone so far.
Get ready, this is one massive post. Photos of the entire trip are on facebook if you haven't seen it already.
*****
Day 3 - Aug 11, 2010
I woke up at 7am (how easy it is to wake up so early when you don't have to work) and had two servings of pancakes from the hostel's free breakfast plus two cups of coffee. I got into my swimsuit and hopped on my bike and got on the bike trail intending to take a dip at Eastham's great pond. At least that was my intention anyway, for I got lost and went around in circles. I don't even know how that's possible since the bike trail goes only one way up and down, all I really had to do was find the lane that would lead me to the pond. Eventually I gave up and decided to head to east to Nauset Beach. Being the idiot that I am, I got lost going there too. When I finally got on the separate trail leading to the beach, I was ill-prepared for the subsequent up and down slopes that followed within that 2-mile stretch. My original intention of taking that short 3-mile bike trip in the morning turned into a 10-mile adventure. It was a good thing the breeze, scenery and clean air helped keep my mind away from the exhaustion. I am currently feeling ass muscles I never thought I had.
When I finally got to Nauset Beach, I nearly collapsed on the sand. I dropped my bags, laid out my towel, stripped my overalls and nearly ran towards water. The ocean was F#%$^@* freezing but I didn't care. I kept to the shallow parts, not allowing myself to go further than hip deep and always making sure I was behind other swimmers because I still had that article from the Cape Cod Times in my head. The one where they found THREE GREAT WHITE SHARKS in the waters of Chatham (about two towns down) just LAST WEEK. The sharks were reportedly only 100 yards from shore!!!
I had to make it back to the hostel in time for checkout so I pedaled back as fast as my legs could allow. I parked my bike, took my stuff out of the cabin and hopped in the outdoor shower. Then came the hard decision of how to return my bike to the bike rentals (1.5 miles away). My original plan was to drive the bike to return, walk back, pick up my bags then walk back out the same way to the bus stop carrying all my shit. I gave it a great deal of thought and if I hadn't just come from that long bike trip, I might have actually done it. In the end, I put on my backpack, balanced my duffel bag and lunch box on the bike's handlebars and pedaled to the bike place on an UPSLOPE crossing the bridge on Route 6. I pedaled real slow and I must've been quite a sight to passing cars. It was seriously hilarious I have to laugh. From the bike rentals, I carried my bags the rest of the way to the bus stop. The small stretch was exhausting, I wonder what might have happened to me if I carried them the whole way.
Imagine seeing me with my heavy backpack, pedaling on the side of the road balancing this on the handlebars.
When I got to the parking lot of Stop and Shop, I grabbed the first shopping cart on the side of the parking lot and dumped all my stuff in and rolled them to the bus stop.
Dinner on a budget: bell pepper sticks, radishes, hummus and boiled corn
I still had the 2-mile walk to the hostel at Truro to look forward to and this time I had an extra bag of food to add to my already unbearable load. There aren't any stores or establishments within two miles of the hostel and I would not be able to buy food anywhere else so I had to get myself a few items to eat for dinner and for the days to follow. I conceded and called for cab service. I paid a ridiculous amount for such a short trip but I would have not been able to get to my destination otherwise.
After seeing the hostel at Truro, I began to realize and accept the fact that the last leg of this trip will be kind of a retreat of some sort. The hostel does not have wi-fi access, no stores of any kind or public transportation within 2-miles of the area and I am currently sleeping in a co-ed dorm located in the basement with 14 beds (7 bunk beds). The good side? The beach is yards away and stretches for miles and miles in both directions. The sands are fine and the cleanest of all the beaches I've seen on the cape. Also, this being the middle of almost no-where, the beaches are not as populated, only travelers from the hostel or residents from nearby surrounding houses visit the beach.
kitchen and living room after hours
The kitchen here closes at 10pm which discourages people from making any fuss late into the night. This is the earliest I've gotten into bed this whole trip. They serve freshly baked chocolate chip cookies before bed which is not usually my thing but being here makes me want to partake in everything they offer (which is not much). I am completely disconnected from everything except for the fact that I have 3G on my phone which is still able to check mail and Facebook (hehe). No photos will be posted until my return to NYC and I am typing this on notepad and posting them all at the same time once my internet access is restored.
Tomorrow begins once again at 7am, followed by a dip at the beach, maybe walk the shore a bit to explore then head out to Wellfleet to meet Louiie's friend Alex at PB Boulangerie.
Day 4 - August 12, 2010
Hostel's front porch
I woke up later than I intended so my morning visit to the beach before heading out had to be canceled. I got ready to head out and walk the 2 mile stretch to the bus stop when I noticed a couple from New Zealand, Monique and Jeremy, who I briefly met at the hostel in Hyannis and coincidentally were also here in Truro were checking out and going the same direction so I joined them for the trek to bus stop. That half hour walk went by fast and all the talking we did kept our minds off what would have been a long, exhausting trip. They told me about their 90-day tour of US and Canada and all the places they've visited so far. I've never had the knack of talking to new people but hanging out with Mike has changed that a bit. I also met two girls from Germany (whose names I failed to get) who I shared rooms with in both the hostel in Hyannis and in Eastham.
We parted ways at the bus stop since they were taking the bus that's to take them to Newport, Rhode Island. When I got to Wellfleet I walked on over to PB Boulangerie and met up with Alex, Louiie's friend from Vegas and he was so nice to give me the tour of the bistro and bakery's kitchen. I was also introduced to the kitchen staff including the head chef Philippe Rispoli and head baker Boris Villate. I felt so privileged at having had the chance to meet the great people behind Cape Cod's very famous bistro/bakery. Both P(Philippe) and B(Boris) have worked at the Wynn, the former having worked with the famous Daniel Boulud. The lines that snake out of the bakery and onto the streets are well known to locals and tourists alike but that doesn't seem to stop anyone from standing in line for god knows how long just so they can buy some of the bakery's offerings.
baked goods
before and after the bike ride to the beach
Alex ended my tour by handing me a box of tarts and eclairs plus a baguette and a loaf of bacon and cheese bread which he swears made him want to work for Boris the first time he tasted it. I have yet to try mine as I'm waiting for a good time to save it. I might have it on the beach on my last night here.
I rented a bike from the bike shop across the street and pedaled over to Lecount Hollow Beach a mile from PB. I sat there devouring the pastries I've acquired despite them being squished and basically destroyed from having been in my backpack during the bike ride. I hopped back on my bike and headed 2 miles south to Marconi Beach. The trip was short but was filled with winding roads and up and down slopes. My knees were shaking as I was parking my bike and hobbled to the nearest vacant spot on the sand to drop my pack, strip off my overalls and run to the water. The water was in the 50s but felt so damn good after the long sweaty ride. I sprawled on the sand until I was dry enough to put my clothes back on and got back on the bike to return it to shop. I bought a carton of eggs and milk since I was getting tired of eating pancakes in the hostel every morning despite it being free. I was prepared to take the 2 mile walk back to the hostel from the bus stop with my bag of groceries in my arms until two ladies passed by in a car and offered me a ride. I've never hitch hiked in my life but was so grateful I didn't have to walk that I couldn't stop thanking them.
I was making eggs and an avocado sandwich for dinner when a guy I briefly conversed with the day I checked in (Guy B), came in the kitchen and asked about my day. He told me about his day driving up to Provincetown and taking his bike and wandered the busy streets of town. Later a lady whom I also chanced upon the first time I hit the beach in Truro named Judy came in and we all started talking about what we've done on the Cape so far. Later that evening while I was on the hostel computer checking map trails, Guy B came over and asked if I was doing anything later that night and if I wanted to join him in Provincetown and explore the streets at night. I was faced a with a bit of dilemma as I hardly know this person and he just invited me to get into his car to a town I'm not familiar with (although very interested to see) at a time when busses no longer operate. Also, I have to point out, that I knew he was interested the moment he first said hi to me the day of my arrival in Truro and in the way he's been trying to muster the courage to strike up a conversation the first two days I was here. The thing is, I was not in the least bit interested in him but he did seem so nice and the way he nervously asked me made me feel awful if I had refused. Besides, I would have never had the chance to see Provincetown at night because busses stop running at 8:00pm. I also figured that there was no reason we couldn't just go as two people who just wanted to see the town at night. I later find out that I was right the first time and he indeed was interested but I tried as gracefully as I possibly could to make sure he saw I wasn't quite where he was. God I felt awful.
doggie in hawaiian shirt
interesting candy items
What made that trip to Provincetown really fun though was when we bumped into Lady J who also happened to be in town. We walked along Commercial St and talked and talked. Lady J is a 48 year old divorced mother of three but you could see none of that just by looking at her. Turns out we had a lot of things in common. She was holding the book Eat, Pray, Love and we talked about a lot of the things in the book about a marriage ending and how it all applied to us. She was also a child portrait photographer for 25 years. The three of us eventually decided to get drinks and we ended up in a karaoke bar where we soon realized was a Drag Karaoke hostel by a guy in drag and pink hair. It was such an amazingly fun night. I managed to convince Lady J to get up on stage and sing despite her earlier refusal. We got back to the hostel around 2am and were greeted by a cloudless sky peppered with stars, it was absolutely beautiful.
Lady J on the mic
Day 5 - August 13, 2010The next morning, Guy B was to check out of the hostel. We saw each other over breakfast and he sat with me while I ate at the front porch sharing a conversation with a French family of 4 who just checked in the day before. They have two beautiful daughters named Maia(1) and Adelle (6). We sat there until he had to get ready to leave. I gave him a hug and thanked him for inviting me out the night before. I was nice. At least I think I was.
I spent the morning sprawled on the beach by the hostel. At noon, I headed back, packed a few things and headed back to Wellfleet where I bought more goodies from PB Boulangerie. I got myself a chocolate croissant, an apple tart and the same fruit tart Alex had given me the day before. I ate the first two out on the benches of the bakery and saved the last one for the beach. The apple tart was so good I wanted to cry. Letting me describe it would be futile. BASTA POTEK MASARAP SOBRA. NAKAKALOKA. If only I wasn't carrying so much stuff already and the bakery being out of the way, I would bring a box of that tart with me to NYC just so the people there could try it.
head baker Boris hard at work
I went back to the bike shop, once again rented a bike and pedaled back to Marconi Beach where I was greeted with stronger waves than yesterday. Battling the waves was so much fun yet it saddened me because it reminded me of Niki and when we were riding the waves in Bohol and I flashed her when my bikini top came off. Exhausted from the biking, swimming and high from the sugar tarts, I napped on the sand amidst crowds of people sunning themselves, kids screaming, parents chasing toddlers and teenagers giggling. I returned the bike a few hours later and was struck by an urge to screw my budget and have dinner at the PB Bistro. I had about 30 minutes to order and scarf down my meal before I had to make my bus and I did it in record time. I had a chilled creamy cauliflower soup and a pepper crusted yellow fin tuna seared rare with sweet and sour broth served with basmati rice infused with lemongrass. The people behind PB are brilliant. This time I'm talking to you LOUIIE. This is what you should be doing, what WE should be doing. These guys who have had experience with the big leagues, worked with the greats decide to ditch the hundreds of covers a night cooking for fancy restaurants in big cities and chose to take what they've learned and bring it to a small town where no one else can compete with them. THEY ARE EFFING BRILLIANT. Now their small bistro/bakery has a constant swarm of people just dying to taste what they have to offer. DUDE, I AM SERIOUS. This is our destiny. YOU, ME, CAITLIN and MICA. This is what we have to do. I already told you about Caitlin's proposal, you know it's possible, but we need you to make it work. Think about it biatch. This won't happen anytime soon anyway, the New York front have yet to have our fill of the city anyway before we eventually decide to settle our asses upstate. You got time.
So anyway, I had to make my bus at 6pm otherwise it was a full hour before the next one came. I walked out of PB and proceeded to walk towards the bus stop only to see the bus already pulling up the stop when I still had about a hundred meters to go. I tried to run but I watched sheepishly as it pulled away and disappeared into the highway. I got to the bench by the bus stop and within a few minutes, a car pulls up behind me with a Jamaican man asking me where I was going. He offered me a ride to the next bus stop. I figured me might be able to chase the bus and I could still make it and even if I didn't, that stop had a lot of nice shops around it and it would give me something to do while I waited rather than sit in that stop which was located on the side of the highway. This would be the second time I hitch hiked and I'm starting to get a slight hang of it. But no sooner than we turn on the exit to the nest stop, we see the bus coming in towards us, he hastily flags the bus down to stop and I thanked him while I jumped out of his van and chased the bus, running across the highway. I got on the bus and got an earful from the bus driver about flagging busses down along the highway. I let him do it as it indeed was my fault and I wouldn't have gotten on if he wasn't nice enough to stop for me. I walked the 2 mile stretch to the hostel, took a nice shower and sat down with my mac and download my photos and type all this up.
Tomorrow's my last full day. I have to make it count.
Day 6 - August 14, 2010
I had planned nothing for the day. I had originally intended to go to Provincetown but felt that after seeing P-town at night with Guy B and Lady J two nights ago, that I had seen the essence of what's to see over there. But when I went up to the kitchen for breakfast and saw Lady J sifting through her P-town photos the previous day, she showed me photos she took when she went whale watching at sunset. I was instantly jealous. Whale watching was definitely NOT in my plans or anywhere within my budget but I simply HAD to go see the whales! What excited me the most was the fact that these are animals in their own natural habitat and not from a theme park where they're taught to do silly tricks like jumping through hoops (I'm looking at you Sea World, you evil swindler). These were also full sized humpback whales which are loads bigger than orcas seen at water parks.
So, ignoring my now bleeding ATM account, I went to P-town for the day. Lady J was nice enough to give me a ride to the bus stop which saved me a 2-mile walk under the hot noon sun. The bus was either late or had already just left so I had to wait an hour at the bus stop for the next one. I was soon joined by a taiwanese girl named Sandy who was coming from DC and had also gone to the cape for a weeklong solo trip. She stayed at three hostels just as I did only she went to Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and ended in Truro. We sat there waiting for the bus and kept talking until we got to Provincetown where she was to catch a fast ferry to Boston then fly back to DC. It was such a shame I had only met her on the day of her departure. She was really nice and kept talking about all the fun stuff we've done and how all our friends were concerned about us traveling alone for a week. She even gave me a flashlight in case I had to walk two miles back to the hostel in the dark when I got back from P-town.
I spent the day walking up and down the streets of Commercial st which was littered with odd shops and art galleries. A little after noon I had gotten hungry and was foolish to have left my food at the hostel. I was really short on cash and could not afford to eat out, even at the side joints that sold mediocre sandwiches for $8-$12. So I tried to be creative with the little money I had left. I walked inland to the nearest Stop and Shop Grocery store and got myself a cup of broccoli and cheddar soup from the deli counter ($1.99), a cheese bagel (69c), a banana nut muffin (99c), and 3 peaches (about $2). So I was armed with lunch (soup + bagel + 1 peach) and a late afternoon snack (muffin + 2 peaches) all for $6! I walked back to the main street and sat down by the side walk with my soup and bagel and watched people walk by. I continued taking photos until I headed back to the pier to buy my whale watching ticket (with $3 discount coupon from hostel, yey!) and walked to the docks so I could be one of the first to board and get a good spot for photos.
As soon as I got on the boat I sat up by the nose of the ship and stayed there. I felt that had the best view since I'd be able to see the whales when they came from either sides. I also was armed with an 18-200mm lens which helped a lot when the whales would pop out several meters away. That boat ride was one of the best things I've done on the cape. There were a dozen of them, most of them full sized adults and a couple of young babies. There was one time though that a whale was swimming over on the left side then dove down and came out, face first on the other side, right where I was standing and I let out a big "WHOA!" which was followed by laughter from my fellow passengers. Up until that time all we could see was just the whales' side fins, blowhole, back and tail fins so seeing it's mouth and face so close like that freaked me out. There were a couple of whales that breached but I was much too awed by the sight that I forgot to take a good photograph. I captured one by accident as I was alarmed when it suddenly came out of the water and I pressed my shutter button (drive set to continuous) which managed to capture, albeit blurred, the whale as it came out, landed on it's side followed by a giant splash.
The boat ride took longer than I anticipated and I got a little nervous since the last bus leaving P-town was at 8pm and I wanted to catch a much earlier bus since I still had a 2-mile walk and wasn't looking forward to doing it in the dark. By a stroke of good fortune though, Lady J, called me saying she was in P-town and waited until I got off the boat and gave me a ride back. On the way to the hostel, we both decided to shower then head back out to Wellfleet to watch Eat, Pray, Love. We returned to the hostel around 1:00am but seeing the sky was once again peppered with stars, we made ourselves tea, laid out blankets outside on the hostel lawn and sat there watching shooting stars before calling it a night.
Day 7 - August 15, 2010
BEST VIEWED WHEN LARGER
*CLICK*
I've been meaning to climb the hill infront of the hostel since the day I checked in but I keep postponing. It being my last day, I hurriedly finished my breakfast by the front porch, packed as much of my stuff, showered, then proceeded to climb the hill. I was greeted with fantastic views of the ocean and surrounding hills. It was absolutely spectacular. I would brave the two mile walk here every year (next time, I'll have a rolling luggage). The cape will be a yearly tradition now, I think. I think I've convinced a lot of other people who've seen my photos to join me next year.
Joe and Tito Ans are back in NYC after their three month trip to the Philippines. Joe called me up as soon as they got back to remind me of my promise to take him to Coney Island before they head back to Syracuse. I was still sick but obliged. I was supposed to take both Joe and Omar out on Sunday but it turned out to be one big family trip since Tito Ans, Nana, Tito Chon, Tito Mo, Ana, Poy and Santi decided to join us and we all hopped on two cars and ventured out to Coney Island. Of course, the rest of the party came just to eat hotdogs and sit by the boardwalk while me and the two boys went in the amusement parks. They went on a few rides and I joined them for the famous Cyclone roller coaster. I personally love coasters but that was one of the scariest rides I've ever been one. It's an old wooden ride and the entire time it shook and rattled and felt like nails would come loose and send us flying in the air. I was sent slamming from one end of my car to the next with every turn since I sat by myself. Joe and Omar had each other to cushion themselves every time the train took a mad, sharp turn.
