S-a adunat mult stres la servici si cu noul meu proiect care se "naste" teribil de greu, un proiect nou si un nou drum, vorba unui bun amic...nu ma intorc cu mana goala din State. Dar despre asta intr-o alta poveste, pana una alta ca sa combat stresul mi-am luat nefiresc o zi de miercuri libera, taman in mijlocul saptamanii. Si ce sa fac cu atata free time decat sa calatoresc asa cum imi sade bine. Am profitat ca buna mea prietena Elizabeth are si ea liber fiind in preajma calatoriei ei in Europa (i-am deschis apetitul spre batranul continent se pare), si ne-am urcat in forjatul Saturn (brand american) cu destinatia Rockport sa vizitam niste prieteni comuni.
Adulmecam bucuros ca un copil mirosul de road trip in benzinaria in care ne oprisem inainte de urcarea pe Interstate 95 North, asta pe langa vaporii de benzina care imi gadilau narile. Pe monitorul de deasupra pompei rulau stirile Fox News, iar prognoza meteo nu arata bine deloc, privesc in zare si ceata care imbraca dealurile din jurul Bostonului intr-o zi umeda de vara imi confirma asteptarile. E septembrie oare sau inca suntem in miez de cuptor. Hai sa fim optimisti zic eu, si fix o ora mai tarziu ne regaseam in Gloucester... cel mai vechi port al Statelor Unite, un oras pescaresc fondat in 1623 reprezentand una dintre primele colonii britanice in America de Nord. Masina isi croieste alene drum pe soselele inguste ale micului orasel de 20 000 locuitori si in a nick of time ajungem la casa amicilor nostrii. Shayla care uda florile ne primeste bucuroasa ca in sfarsit are oaspeti si facem planul de bataie in timp ce eu tot cu gandul la plaja eram desi afara norii negrii amenintau desfasurarea zilei. Pana la urma vremea s-a dovedit un aliat, renuntand la statul cu burta la soare am hotarat sa vizitam Rockport si mai tarziu aveam sa ne bucuram de soare pe nisipul din Gloucester cu apa sensibil mai calda decat alte golfuri unde am poposit prin New England.
Rockport, un satuc de 6000 de locuitori, inconjurat din 3 parti de apele nervoase ale Oceanului Atlantic chiar pe varful Capului Ann (cape Ann). Inainte de colonisti zona a fost locuita de triburi de indieni agawam, si reprezinta chiar si acum unul din cele mai bune locuri de pescuit din New England. Rockport este faimos si pentru carierele de granit care acum au lasat loc acumularilor de apa, iar zona a devenit o mare arie protejata, unde fiecare casa detine cam 4000 de metrii patrati de pamant. Exista reguli stricte de constructie, iar casele noi aparute trebuie sa respecte arhitectura zonei. Plimbandu-ma pe strazile inguste ale satului am observat cu bucurie casele tipice americane. Plasticul ce imbraca casele moderne lasa
de data asta loc lemnului, iar geamurile au obloane autentice nu doar de decor. Ceea ce observam prin Banat unde unele case sunt marcate cu anul ridicarii si familia care locuieste in ele, am putut observa pentru prima oara si America. Case vechi de pe la 1700 - 1800 care inca se tin bine si sunt ingrijite si restaurate in cele mai mici detalii.
Spre deosebire de Gloucester care cunoaste o puternica urbanizare, Rockport si-a pastrat farmecul unui satuc pescaresc, desi la o plimbare feerica pe soseaua de coasta privirea va descoperi vile uriase de vacanta cu vedere la ocean, case ce valoreaza milioane de dolari. Locatia e faimoasa pentru pictori si artisti, iar atelierele de pictura precum si oameni de profesie sunt la ordinea zilei. Ne indreptam spre port pentru a vedea ceea ce Americanii numesc "Motif No.1", zic ei cea mai pozata si pictata locatie din zona...o baraca pescareasca, de un rosu bordo, care se spune ca ar fii cea mai pictata cladire din America.
O regasim in filme ca The Proposal sau Finding Nemo si bineinteles acum si in fotografiile mele, doar nu se putea altfel. Timpul zboara si stomacul cere de mancare, e deja ora 3PM. Urcam pe treptele de lemn ale unei terase care ne ofera o vedere superba a oceanului si simtim briza sarata mangaiati de razele soarelui care a decis intr-un final sa isi faca aparitia. Cu o seara inainte mancasem Fish and Chips...ceva ce nu o sa mai incerc prea curand (am descoperit ca nu imi place carnea alba de peste), dar fiind intr-un satuc pescaresc nu puteam comanda un
hotdog, era total nepotrivit si o lipsa de respect din partea mea. Asadar dupa o analiza amanuntita a meniului, papilele mele gustative s-au oprit asupra unui sandvis cu somon afumat, si nu am gresit deloc. Pestele desi crud, a fost delicios, iar fetele s-au delectat cu salata de homari (ceva ce aici in New England e un simbol si il gasesti la orice restaurant de pe malul oceanului la preturi accesibile).
Alimentati si forte proaspete, dupa o ora de pauza si aranjat pozele de pe camera foto, pornim in cautare de suveniruri prin Rockport. Le las pe fete sa probeze rochii de vara si bijuterii facute din sticla de ocean (cioburi de sticla care petrec ani si ani in apa si astfel sunt slefuite pana prind o forma interesanta), si imi caut de pozat in liniste. Case vechi la tot pasul in culori vii, trafic aproape inexistent si multi turisti. Micul sat este una din putinele locatii unde pana de curand consumul de alcool era ilegal, iar in prezent acesta poate fii consumat doar la restaurante (nu gasesti de cumparat niciunde). Artistii si pescarii sunt la ei acasa aici, fiind una din locatiile favorite pentru o
plimbare romantica pe plajele stancoase de unde poti contempla puterea Oceanului Atlantic inconjurat de pescarusi lacomi. Un satuc fara autostrazi, traversat doar de route 127 si 128, si cu sosele pitoresti pe coasta, face din Rockport destinatia perfecta pentru a evada din stresul cotidian.
Bineinteles ca orasul reprezinta si o locatie pentru nenumarate filme, dintre care mentionam "
I'll Be Home for Christmas", "The Next Karate Kid ", sau "The Proposal". Se lasa seara, si dupa o vizita la casa parintilor Shaylay ne indreptam spre plaja. Nimic nu poate fii mai frumos decat sa inchei ziua cu o plimbare prin apa oceanului, lasand valurile sa spele toate relele in timp ce soarele apune molcolm printre nori. E timpul sa revenim in Boston, sa revenim la realitate pana la urmatorul weekend break...sau week break.
So another day in the suburbs of Boston, Mass...what to do and where to go because it's wicked hot. This wave of moist and hot burning sun is overheating my brain and messes with my well being. If home in my country I can do well with temperatures over 36 (100F), here.. because of the humidity I struggle and I make use of the air conditioner which I dislike so much. Alrighty then, we've set the back drop so let's return to how my day was. Last year during the same period I was still adjusting with life in the US so the Sand Sculpture Festival at Revere was sadly just another news in the papers I've read one day to late. No sir, not this year I've said to myself....hence early Saturday morning in order to avoid rush hour traffic I've found myself in the car with a friend (always good to make friends that like events and to travel, they come in handy you know, sort of speaking), and rushing towards Revere. Onward to the beach...but rushing is sort of speaking, because by the time we have reached Storrow drive, the weekend campers have already swamped the road like ants trying to get out of a flooded home. Taking the bus and then switching to the red and blue line seemed now like the better idea. No time to despair because 30 minutes later in a nearly empty parking lot (do people know about this event at all?) there we where and I could feel the slightly cooler ocean breeze stroking my sweaty face.
The guy at the parking lot was nowhere to be seen so as good faith people we left a 5$ bill and just self served ourselves with the parking ticket. A short walk later found us on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean 
Huge Sand Castles, art deco sculptures, all made out of sand and a ‘Boston Strong’-themed sculpture that 
served as the centerpiece of this
weekend’s 10th annual National Sand Sculpting Festival at Revere Beach. Spent about 20 minutes studying a white bearded old man who was slowly carving the staircase of a beautiful castle while he was telling his story to the crowd gathered nearby. Using water to spray and protect his work from the burning sun that was already carving on my pale white skin (forgot the sun screen this time), he took time and had patience to do this crafty work of art, because let's face it...this is art. Amazing Walter
take for example the most recent "The way way back" I've seen at this gorgeous cinema in Brookline at Coolidge Corner. I couldn't believe my eyes when I recognized the place as Marshfield on the same beach I was soaking my feet one summer ago, in the cold Atlantic Ocean. All the houses, the scenery..everything looked familiar and of course I could relate to this coming of age story even better as memories came back to me. About the theater...just magic, one of those restored old places with bright red curtains that pulled to reveal the screen just like in the old silver screen days. A place I will visit again and again to see some classics, cause you know...they run midnite specials, hence for my next visit to the movie world I will see for the first time The Karate kid and Mister Miyagi play their story on the big screen.
Back on the sandy hot beach because I lost track and I could go on and on about my adventures here and you don't want to read about all of them in one long post, do you now. Our day there was drawing to an end with some treasure hunting organized by the History Channel with a guy that has a new show this year. Always wanted to do this and play my Indy side so we got those metal detectors you see often on a beach and I mingled amongst kids to find hidden pennies or the key to the treasure itself, to big old pirate chests. Ok ok, I am a kid but wouldn't you have done this...let's face it, that's one thing for the books! After 15 minutes of sweeping and digging the sandy beach I've returned with 15 pennies in my pouch but no key, nevertheless I got a prize and my first metal detector experience. Felt like a kid again, enjoying those little things and as usual a little burned from the boiling sun. Tired after the long day I get into the showers to wash the sand off and call it a day. So I encourage you to go see the festival, amazing sand sculptures, free food and drinks, live bands and that good old American atmosphere of a carnival that you see in those summer flicks. Go to Revere Beach and enjoy America’s first public beach.
