At the beginning of June, my sister was back in the hospital because her cancer was causing new symptoms. Although the worst of the symptoms were brought under control fairly quickly, there were a couple weeks when we thought only a miracle would get us to Provincetown for the late June weekend we’d been counting on. My sister wanted to show her husband a part of Massachusetts she loved, as he had never seen it.
We had that miracle. Suzanne nudged it along by working on transportation, accommodations, and other details, but the main thing was that my sister was feeling so much better. Unlike me, she was able to walk miles without needing a nap!
Provincetown lies at the very tip of Cape Cod, and having a National Seashore there ensures that much of it is breathtakingly beautiful. The center of town is too hyper for some visitors, but I really love the manic energy. Drag-show Sunday brunch anyone?
No, we didn’t do that, but we had great walks, window shopping, and meals. The weather was perfect.
Below you can see beautiful clouds over the beach, with the Pilgrim Monument in the background. (Next year will be the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims’ landing at what is now Provincetown.) That photo is followed by a picture of Commercial Street, which in summer looks this peaceful only in the early morning.
After the mural in the ice cream place that my sister likes is a wildly decorated shop building. Next up: a welcoming bathroom sign. (My younger grandson thought it was pretty odd of me to take that photo, but what can a kid do? Grandparents are sometimes odd.)
The Portuguese roosters around town are promoting a bakery. I found that Portuguese culture was well represented in P-town. And Wikipedia further explained that, historically, many sailors who spoke Portuguese landed there, often coming from the Azores.
I loved some of the shop signs — and much of the kitsch. Only in P-town will you find proper appreciation of Betty Boop. Isn’t she cute?
The final three photos don’t need explanations.
Suzanne's Mom's Blog 
I am happy that you could carry out your plan to go to P-town with your sister and her husband. I love all your photos; they are telling a story about the town and what you met and saw. Then I love odd Grandparents. ….
I’m feeling more and more freedom to be odd!
It’s so good that you’re sharing special times with your sister–and great to hear that she’s doing pretty well! This trip will add to your set of shared memories and it looks like it was lots of fun. I haven’t been to Provincetown since I was 18 — maybe time for a re-visit!
Summers may be more congested than when you were 18, Kerry, but there are also improvements—public parking that is not expensive, safer crosswalks, and numerous public bathrooms. I didn’t find a coffee I liked but others did.
I’m so glad to read you got your miracle! The bathroom sign made me chuckle, the other photos made me wonder what the pilgrims would think about P- town today if they landed there,and marveled at the beauty of the last photo. Enjoyed the tour!
I think the Pilgrims would wonder if the Mayflower made a wrong turn somewhere. Actually, it did. Wasn’t the original idea to go to Virginia?
It was,but a storm blew them off course. Can you imagine starting out in a undeveloped land instead of joining a colony?!
And crossing the Atlantic in that tiny boat! How spoiled we are today!
One of the benefits of old age is the freedom to be odd. Who the heck cares anymore? 😉 Fun pictures and so glad your sister was well enough to go on the trip.
It could be beneficial for quirky elders to give kids a feeling that there are a lot of different ways of being.
Love!!
Wouldn’t have minded staying longer.