Time travelling

This morning I was in an 1800's colonial village. Now I am embedded in the consumeristic future world of Newport, RI. I took a short side trip to Sturbridge to visit my dad and his wife, on my way down to the Zentangle Master Class here in RI. Visiting Old Sturbridge Village seemed like a natural, since I had a few hours to kill anyway and my membership runs out next weekend. It was really quiet for a Monday morning, with skies threatening rain. But that's the way I like it. I hate crowds and tourists. And walking the dirt roads, alone, really feels like I have gone back in time. I sat and munched on my muffin next to the little pond and saw a girl in a huge sunbonnet fishing using just a stick with string. The horse and carriage trotted past me and clopped through the covered bridge. And in the background was the musical beat of the old sawmill. Of course, I snapped pictures of interesting patterns to make into zentangles! Fence posts, plants, stones, wallpaper in the town house.

Now I am sitting on a rooftop Deck above the Admiral Fitzroy Inn. Up here, it is hard to believe that there are so many people and cars down below. It is so quiet, I can hear the seagulls calling near the harbor. The buildings are beautiful and ancient, but filled with Starbucks and tacky tourist shops. I walked as far as I could on Thames Street in either direction while waiting for my room to be ready. There's pretty good people watching though!

In another lifetime (teenager) - I biked Long Island Sound. I haven't ridden a bike since. But I remember riding over the bridge and into the city, past the mansions, the "cottages," down to the beach. Ah, my peace and quiet were just invaded by a yuppie with her cell phone and her cigar smoking husband. Retreat!