29Sep05 - Blogger Image Upload problem, Mystic CT and Newport RI
Well I haven't updated for a week or so because I have been unable to upload any pics to the blog! Now I know you are all awaiting my latest ruminations with baited breath but if you're like me, reading without pictures is just plain painful!

The picture is of the drawbridge in the Seaport of Mystic, Connecticut (about an hour or so from Wethersfield). It's a quaint little place on the coast. It's claim to fame is that the first movie that had Julia Roberts in it was filmed here. The movie is called Mystic Pizza and the Pizza shop actually inspired the writer to film there! We stopped here for a coffee and a watering break for the dogs on the way to Newport, Rhode Island.

The journey to Newport took another hour and involved crossing two very long bridges (one with a toll). Newport is quite different than most of the regular tourist trap seaport cities that we have visited on both coasts. Many of the houses date back to the 1600 and 1700's and a great number of the old port buildings still exist (mind you they have been converted to Pubs etc.). We parked the car a few blocks away from the water and wandered around the upper part of Newport looking for a place to eat. While on our walkabout we happened upon a restaurant that was inside the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The building was a 17th century wood frame building that used to be a Casino in it's day. Very cool place that had a courtyard restaurant that enveloped a grass tennis court. I will post a picture when I stop getting errors from Blogger!

We couldn't find a place to eat that would allow the dogs to sit outside (off the deck and leashed) so we meandered our way down to the water area and found a Subway shop to get a sub. I know I'm not supposed to eat wheat but man sometimes I just gotta have a metaball sub!!! We walked around Newport people watching and taking pictures with the dogs for a while and then decided to head back to the car (that was parked in a 2 hour zone) and head off to do a tour of the Newport Mansions.

The Mansion Drive in Newport is something quite spectacular. The houses and properties are indeed magnificent. Many of the mansions are open to the public (those without dogs) so you can walk the grounds and some common areas. Since we had the dogs we didn't stop and so I don't know if the tours are free or if they charge money for them. Eventually the drive circles the waterfront with some truly beautiful vistas and a large State Park right on the ocean. The money in Newport must be very old because the mansions make those in places like the Uplands (Victoria) and Shaugnessy (Vancouver) look like guest houses (which many of them have). Oh well, I bought a ticket for the powerball lottery down here today maybe I'll buy one with the 167 million I'm gonna win!

I'll continue on with our trip to Fenway Park (home of the Boston Red Sox, Mom that's baseball) next time, hopefully I'll be able to upload some more pics by then...

Ciao