Cape May

 

So the Mrs. and I motored down to the southernmost end of New Jersey, “Exit 0” on the Garden State Parkway, and spent the weekend at a bed and breakfast in Cape May.

It was a relaxing two days. The weather here is finally turning from winter to spring, and though it was still a little too cold and too windy to go sans jacket, the sun shone brightly both days with nary a cloud in the sky. Saturday we walked close to 9,000 steps (according to the wife’s Apple watch) as we walked among the shops and the streets lined with bright-painted Victorian gothic mansions.

Our bed and breakfast was this sprawling two-century old complex located two blocks from the beach and two blocks from the town center in the opposite direction. We were able to park in a spot on the street right in front – metered parking was not enforced – which helped greatly in unloading our bags. The room was on the third floor, a large bedroom / sitting room / bathroom affair, with six windows overlooking the town. Two church spires highlighted the landscape. There was an extremely comfortable couch, ancient hardwood floors, and, best of all, a king-size bed! I was so enamored with the layout I pronounced that if we could only take the room, put it by itself in a cottage a mile from a beach anywhere, that would be the Platonic form of a retirement home for us.

We ate like royalty all through the weekend; me, specifically, like King Henry the VIII. Friday night, after sitting in Jersey shore traffic for nearly four hours, I was craving a burger and a beer. We checked in, and in less than twenty minutes I found myself sitting in an old Irish pub, drinking a fruity, chunky IPA and downing the messiest burger I ever ate. This set a trend for the weekend. I tried a whole slew of IPAs and wolfed down fish tacos, crab cakes, apple waffles, and egg soufflés. (Though I had my breakfast with OJ, not IPAs.)

In our down time relaxing in the room or in the early morning hours I’d read while the wife watched her newest British historical melodrama on her iPhone with her ear buds. I finished The Fellowship of the Ring and put away fifty more pages in The History of Venice. During our shopping strolling time I slipped into a book store, found a well-stocked World War II section, but could not justify paying full price for what would be a roll of the dice.

One of the sights of Cape May is a gorgeous Catholic church, Our Lady Star of the Sea. Two years ago on our last visit down here I was able to go inside and soak up the atmosphere. Saturday, however, there was an Irish funeral going on (there was a shamrock on the Hearse and a horde of green ties), someone very major based on the turnout and the fact the church was essentially walled off. But I did get to take in the amazing stained glass windows all about the outer stone façade. It was quite transcendent.

All in all a refreshing 40-hour break from the daily grind.   

Our room was at the top, the two windows on the right ...

Annnnnd the picture doesn't do the room justice ...