Checking in & Checking things out

After our stop in Sandwich, the rest of the trip was pretty uneventful. We made it to our hotel, the Sheraton Four Points in Eastham, MA. Upon arrival, we could tell that it wasn't a new hotel, but it looked pretty good from the outside. Check in was easy and efficient, and the clerk even gave me a choice of three different rooms. We chose room #129 and headed that way. When we entered the hallway leading to our room I was a little disturbed. The carpets were dingy and the walls were scuffed. I even told Rhonda that I was afraid I was going to be disappointed with our room. Thankfully, I was wrong! Our room was big and nice. The bathroom was small, but very clean. We had a fridge and two armchairs to relax in. I was pleasantly surprised! It was a little dark, but when we opened the drapes the whole room lit up.



We ditched our bags and got ready to head out on our first adventure in Eastham. We had come to see the National Seashore, so that was our first stop. I was not prepared for the raw beauty of the ocean in the Northeast. I've been to the beach in the Southern states, but this was a totally different experience.

First, it was COLD! I am sure that for a local the 63 degree temperature with 40mph winds would be nothing. For a Southern girl used to temperatures in the 80s in September it was cold!

Second, the beaches were so steep! There were no rolling dunes where we were walking, just a cliff that dropped off into the sand and then the edge of the ocean.

Third, this beach just looked so powerful! There were surf advisories the whole time we were in Cape Cod that warned of 6-8 foot waves. They were amazing to see up close.

I cannot describe the stark, amazing attraction of the beach at Eastham. I'll just have to let the photographs speak for themselves.





After our visit to the seashore we were ready for more food. We wanted something nearby, so we decided to try Messina. Once again we were treated with the infamous Northeastern hospitality. We walked in the front door of the restaurant and saw a hostess stand, so we stopped there. There was a gentelman standing there chatting with another man. We assumed he was the owner. We waited. And we waited. Finally, after about five minutes of standing there looking awkward, we were acknowledged and seated. This was only after he had finished his conversation with his friend. The service was good, but not excellent. We ordered an artichoke dip for an appetizer and we both had shrimp scampi as our meal. Both dishes were excellent, but we waited at least 20 minutes just to get our appetizer. Our food took a long time, too. I enjoyed my dinner, but I'm not sure I would return. There are so many other places to see!

After dinner we headed to our room and crashed... For two old women, we'd had a pretty full day! It started out in Providence, Rhode Island, and ended up in Eastham, Massachusetts. What a trip! We can't wait to start tomorrow!