A Very Special day

June 15 Newport

We had planned to go to the museums today and indeed the first one was the maritime center. I would highly recommend it. Very interactive and I had the opportunity to take the virtual helm of a boat and was going to dock it. I didn’t make it in time! ‘Well done’ it said … ‘you were within three minutes of docking!

I loved the honesty of the child who wrote in the comments about his most memorable day sailing.

We putzed about a bit and then headed to the history museum. On our way we asked a lady the directions and it was almost in front of us. We arrived there at 4.07 and it had closed at 4. The lady who we had spoken to ( Carol) was driving past and asked us had we not found it. When she discovered we were too late she said she was driving up to see the sunset on The Bluff and did we want to come along. And so we jumped in.

Our first stop was by Fort Adams where we saw more of the super yachts preparing for the race on Friday. The middle one there had 16 sails. ( I personally thought that was a bit excessive but decided not to tell them). On first one someone was drilling while the girl vacuumed up the bits. Drilling the day before the race??

Carol then drove us on to where she would drive with her sister and took us into places we would never have found.

These pics are up in the Portuguese memorial. We then drove on to see the most amazing houses all along a stunning cliff walk. The weather was perfect and I wish I could reproduce the smells for you. Fresh seaweed and something like gardenias.

She showed us Jay Leno’s house (above) which he bought with all its furniture in it. He fell in love with it when he saw it. Apparently when he comes he visits a hamburger joint and buys everyone who is in the joint a meal as well. Great business for the joint as people flock to it now.

We then drove down oceans drive to see more mansions. Carol was so generous saying that she had plenty of time. We had great fun with her. We travelled to Purgatory’s Chasm and then up to the wildlife sanctuary.

Loads of bunnies and deer and she told us to go and talk to the photographer who was waiting for the hawk to turn up. He had some great photographs and when I was saying how amazing it was to have seen the snowy owl that was there this winter she remembered that she had photographs she had taken as well. They were fabulous and she insisted I take them with me. I took two that she had taken when the owl looked up at an airplane flying by. Ive taken photos of the pictures.

This was a part of Newport we would never have seen. It was not just the fun that we had but it is so special to meet someone you can really connect with and her warmth that day was special to both of us .