After Irene's Visit.

The Morning After.

Blue Sky & Gentle Sun Light, almost like a early fall morning.

What a difference a day makes !

We had a visit by Irene. She was the first Hurricane to land on New York City past 20 years. Of course I got e-mail from friends on the West-Coast and in Europe and in Japan.  
No matter where you live, information will reach everywhere.  You can see what is happening all over the world.  Today's news in New York will be heard by tomorrow on TV everywhere. 
After Irene passed thought New York City, I went to the "Chelsea Pier" to see what was going on in Chelsea. It was quite a sight, many Europeans are there to see the skyline of New Jersey and Manhattan.  As you know, all Subways & Buses were stopped from Saturday noon to all day Sunday, those tourists were stuck in the City with nowhere to go. So it seemed, they were all there to take pictures to bring back home to show their family and friends how exciting to be in New York City when we had the hurricane of the century....
I couldn't help not taking photos for myself.  Since many friends are asking me how I am doing, I decided to post some of those photos on this blog page.  
Here they are.....

This is West 22nd Street on Sunday Early Afternoon.

Almost nobody was in the street except 2 runners. 

Even if Hard Rain was stopped, I needed to have my Rain Boots on.

I found these "French Boating Boots" in Barcelona.

The Art Installation on 22nd Street got 1 additional Black Element.

This was the only evidence of Irene's passing I could find .

 This was the Hudson River yesterday.

Sky was still grey, but Air was already fresh.

Can you find our "Gracious Lady" in the harbor far away ?

New Yorkers do our best to protect our home against anything. 
When we expect Hurricane's visit, we are accustom to place tapes on windows and doors. Even though, it does not do much for protection, it gives us some sort of comfort.  Stores do it, so do residences. Some do it neatly some do it more Artistically. I thought those windows were telling me to take pictures, so that they can show us how ready they were for Irene's arrival.

Even a Basement Entrance on the street gets special tape treatment.

I hope this graphic taping kept the rain from going into the basement.

"Carnival Parade" in P-Town.

Have you ever visited P-Town on Cape Cod ? 
"P-Town" is the nickname for "Provincetown in Massachusetts." 
I just got back from there, after the short visit to a friend in Cambridge.
It is located at the very tip end of Cape Cod. The very end of Route 6A. There is no place to go after P-Town, its the end of the road.
My first trip to P-Town was in the Summer of 1981. I remember I took the mid-night train to Boston from Penn Station. There were no Fast Amtrak Trains, nor morning trains early enough to catch the ferry at Boston.
Then I walked to the pier from South Station to catch the 8AM Boat.
The difference is that the pier was middle of nowhere. And Boston South Station was still in a very shady area. That area changed so much, it has become a happening area of Boston now, but it was almost scary back then.....
I remember that I had to follow close to people who looked like they're going to P-Town, so that I was not walking alone on the street in very early morning. 
There was only 1 boat which took 4 hours to get to P-Town.
I got to the upper deck, find a spot to open a blanket to lay down for the long trip to P-Town. There were no seats, some people were putting sunscreen already. 
( I believe that Slow Boat is still operating, but now we can also take the fast ferry, it takes only an hour and half, more than 3 ferries per day are scheduled durling the season.)
On the way to P-town in the middle of the water, the captain of the Boat made an announcement that he had to stop because a whale was passing in the ocean. As we waited for the whale to swim by. That beautiful creature came up to see what was happening above the water. It was the very first time I saw a whale. He jumped up from the water and flipped his fins, almost saying hello to us.
That was my very first boat trip to P-Town.  I have been visiting there many times since then by plane, by car. But I love getting there by boat, maybe because I'm still waiting to have a welcome by a whale on the way again. By the way you can do "Whale Watching" up there which I've done many times as well.
Jonathan has friend, since their Art School years, who lives there year around with his legally married husband. We have been visiting them every summer. And the last 3 Summers were during Carnival Week. 
The 3rd week of August is Carnival Week in P-Town every year. The "Parade" happens on Thursday late afternoon. I had forgotten how much fun the Carnival Week was until a few summers ago. 
My first trip to P-Town was at Carnival Week without knowing it, and three summers ago we happen to visited during that week again by accident. 
We had so much fun.  Since that summer, our friend's couch is reserved for us every Carnival Week.


This time we had a chance to get to the East End of Town which becomes the staging area for the Parade.
I thought that it would be fun to see how people prepare. 
The Parade would reach the middle of town 1~2 hours later. 
On the way to the starting point, we even spotted men in costumes, a float with shiny blue fringe was driving along Route 6A. 
We knew, we were not too late to see the gathering.....

Red Costumed Men or Women are hurrying to the start.

Floats are ready for Parade. 

Before the Parade starts, must have a picture taken !

Hurrying to the Hospital ?

Put a WIG on, ready for start !

2 Lizas, Divine, Bette, and who and who, only in P-Town.

Police Bikes are heading for the starting line !

Must have Flags for escort.

  

One and only "CHARO" 

This year's Grand Marshall for the Parade.

After seeing the Pre-Parade, we had to get back to the spot where we were meeting friends.

It is a perfect spot on Commercial Street, almost at the center of town. People who own the upstairs condo, put great decorations according to each year's theme. This year's theme was "Can't Stop The Music"  They play loud Music to go with it.  Even if the Parade hasn't reached town yet, the party has started already. People on the sides of the street were dancing and singing with the Music. 
Songs from "Glee" to "Sonny & Cher".....

Tee Shirt for Parade Marshals.

He had to wear "Disco Ball Carnival Beads" with it.

Playing music loud, waiting for the PARADE.

Here comes the parade !

Pink Wigs & Naked Men, what else can we expect ?

They are supposed to be "Von Trapp Family" from "Sound of Music" 

There are the things called "Records" before CDs, remember ?

Shake, Shake, Shake!

Whip it, Whip it Good !!  Remember "DEVO" ?

Every year you will find "GOGO BOOTS"

"Cassette Tape Dress" 

Do you remember those ?

Where are the rest of "The Village People" ?

"Chicest Theme Dresses" of the year.....

"Synchronized Swimming"  BRAVO !

Where is ESTER ?

Legend in the town, "The Hat Sisters"

Music Notes Everywhere !

Gay Silver Santa in the middle of Summer ?

Why Not, we can always use Santa's magic.

The Theme for Next Year:  A Space Odyssey.

So, you have 1 year to think and make your costume.

See you next year, same time same spot .


Thank you so much B & R and Provincetown !

We had Such a Good Time !!