A Friend Through All Seasons: Through Thick & Thin

As I am writing this blog, my trip to France is only a month away. When I started counting down there were 66 days left. Having but  a month left before the trip, a dear friend, who has been a friend through all the seasons, and I decided to squeeze in a getaway weekend. We decided to go to Provincetown, Massachusetts because we both love the ocean.

Road Trip to Provincetown

We left the following Friday morning and 6 hours later we were driving into “P’town.” Before we left we had made reservations for  Saturday morning for a whale watch boat tour. As we were driving down the Tour company called, having to cancel the Saturday morning tour due to rough seas the next day. Fortunately, we were able to reschedule that very same day Friday afternoon. Once we arrived at our Airbnb we dropped off our stuff, grabbed a delicious bowl of food , Moroccan carrot salad that Lisa had made and off to the Whale Watch we went. P’town is a small town at the tip of Cape Code. It is very quaint with small streets lined with all sorts of shops, art galleries, and  restaurants.

A Day At The Ocean

The town was overflowing with tourists young and old alike.  You can imagine driving through the narrow streets. We were able to park the car in a municipal parking lot and walk to the docked boat next door. It was a beautiful clear sunny day. The way the sun was hitting the ocean water made it look like the water was sprinkled with golden glitter.  Along with the sounds of the sea gulls diving for fish in the water or finding dropped left overs from the tourists. The boardwalk was busy with tourists and the ongoing sea gull activity.

All of these sounds and visuals are such wonderful affirmations that you are at the ocean. So beautiful! Walking to the tour boat it was impossible not to stop at the cute little shops along the boardwalk. It always amazes me that at these times I realize that I really needed that stunning sun catcher, “where else could I find this, really!” As I am paying for the suncatcher the designer gives me her card and states that I can find her products on Etsy. 

Whale Watching

The 4 hour whale tour was amazing. The boat brought us out to a protected 800 mile waterway where the whales are able to swim and be observed by the Marine Biology Institute. We were able to witness many Humpback whales. The boat would stop quite a bit away and shut off the motor; we were instructed not to talk.  It was amazing to hear the whales communicating with each other. One of the most striking observations was the elegance of these majestic beings . The elegance in how they swam, breached the water and dove back in.  Once they surfaced and extended their bodies above the water often followed by an impressive water spout followed with the beautiful finale of their impressive tail presenting itself in stages. This was all done in such silence despite their size. 

The moderator of the tour was able to identify the whales by their tail markings.  The researchers have 3200 recorded whales and they were able to relay some family history of many of the whales we saw. As most return every year, the whales summer in the waters of Cape Cod and winter in the Caribbean after a 2,800 mile swim. 

My First Drag Show

That evening we bought tickets to a drag show. We saw Tina Burner. Neither one of us had ever attended a drag show and we were looking forward to it.  As we were buying the tickets Tina walked into the ticket kiosk. We were able to meet her which was such a treat!  She was so personable and down to earth.  The show that evening was very entertaining and funny, well worth it!  Tina is a seasoned professional as she has been on the tv series RuPaul’s Drag Race. Here’s Tina Burner’s Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/thetinaburner/?hl=en

The next day we were able to sit at the beach, read  and walk along the shoreline. All in all it was a great weekend. Being able to get away from our day to day lives and do something totally different was so special . This weekend was re-energizing for each of us individually, as well as being able to share this experience with such a good friend. I am glad we are able to find the time to do this before I leave.. A friend can add such richness, stability and joy to one’s life.

A Friend Through All The Seasons

A good friend is someone who  accepts you for who you are and is able to help navigate both the good and the bad times. Being retired having a friends and a social circle helps provide support during the transition from working to being retired. It’s so important to have a friend through all seasons of your life. As well as staying socially connected and keeping you engaged. Spending time with friends can significantly lift your mood, reduce stress and prevent anxiety and stress. 

Thanks for being here,

-Soraya

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