Cape Cod

Over many years we eventually become bored with what our town or state has to offer us, due to the fact that we see or experience these places every day and they're familiar to us. Most everyone living in Massachusetts has been to Cape Cod. For some reason though, most people don't find themselves getting bored at the Cape, no matter how many times they have gone. Whether it's the beaches, activities, or people you spend time with there, Cape Cod is a special (and common) vacation spot for many people.

I have gone to the Cape multiple times to visit my family on my dad's side. My grandparents and aunts all lived down there at one point in time. I don't know if everyone enters the Cape the same way, but for me, crossing the bridge leading to the rotary at the bottom, gives me the same excitement every time. I'm not sure if it's the view of the water or the bushes trimmed to form the letters of "Cape Cod", but this excitement rush happens every time. Being with my family at the Cape was also a reason I looked forwards to these mini vacations. After a long period of time, my sister and I would be able to catch up with my cousins. When we were younger, we would play "Cops and Robbers" or "Tag" in the yard. As we got older, we would walk down the streets to the small beach on a pond, and spend the afternoon just relaxing and having fun. A couple of times my mom would take my sister and I downtown to do a little bit of shopping. Having fun and spending quality time with my family was one of the reasons, going down to the Cape for vacation never got old.

When I was a Girl Scout, we would always go on a camping trip in the spring, close to summer, time. Originally we would go to the actual "Girl Scout" camps that they had available around MA. After two years though we would get bored of the same place, so we started to go to Nickerson State Park. We had to make our own fires and pitch our own tents. It was a much better experience than going to an already set up camp. During these brief camping trips we would cook over an open fire, roast marshmallows, and take a swim in the nearby lake. My favorite part of these trips were that for one evening we would leave the camp ground and go to the beach nearby. The beach we went to had a long boardwalk leading to the sand and than the water. During low tide you could walk 200 yards out and only get wet up to your knees. It was so much fun to be with friends on the beach, in the ocean, or on the jetty. Taking a weekend camping trip with my friends is one of the many memories I have from going to Cape Cod.

Going camping, visiting relatives, and wading out in the ocean are all activities that my family and I do time and time again down at the Cape. Spending the time with your family, immediate and extended, are really important moments to treasure. Vacation spots always create new and hold old memories for every person. I don't know what is though, the Cape will always create new memories for me, and I will never get tired of vacationing there.

Word Count: 592

Puerto Rico

Every school year we get a week off in December, February and April. Last year, I wasn’t in Holliston or DC during the April vacation. My family and I went to Puerto Rico with my grandparents for the week. This vacation is a trip that I will remember for a long, long time. It was only a 4 hour plane ride, but it felt like forever as we headed towards the small island in the Caribbean. The amount of time we spent in the plane, gathering luggage, and getting our rental car was all worth it. The island of Puerto Rico was absolutely remarkable.

We landed in an airport just outside the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico’s capital. We didn’t stay there for long though. Our desired destination was down the southern part of the island; a small city by the name of Guánica. The landscape of the island changed dramatically as we drove to the southern end of the island. The northern part is lush and green with trees and shrubs. The middle of the island consists of a mountain range with a very rocky terrain. Once we escaped the valleys of the mountains the terrain was arid and dry, and filled with palm trees closer to the shore. There was little to no vegetation and it resembled a desert at first. It’s amazing to see how many different types of environments are located on such a small island (there is even a rainforest in the north eastern corner of the island!)

Once we made it to Ponce it was only fifteen minutes to our hotel, the Copamarina, in a small town called Guánica just outside the city. The weather was unbelievable down in Ponce. On the resort we were able to swim in the Caribbean Sea or in the resorts pools. The food at the resort was delectable. Every meal had a different menu with all sorts of food that made your mouth water just reading about them. The best part about the Copamarina was that is was located right along the shores of the Caribbean Sea. The water was so clear; you could see the sandy bottom even a good 100 yards out. While my sister and I were swimming back to shore, I stepped in a patch or seaweed that I was swimming over. With my luck, a jellyfish happened to be in there and felt as though I was a threat. So, of course, I was stung on my shin and it felt as though a crab had pinched me. It really wasn’t at all fun, and I don’t think ill go anywhere near jellyfish again. Other than the jellyfish incident, I really enjoyed spending part of my vacation at the Copamarina, but my family didn’t spend all of the time at the resort. We took a day trip in to the city of Ponce, and it was unbelievable.

Down town Ponce was so interesting. There were all sorts of vendors on the streets, pushing carts filled with ice cream (piraguas), jewelry and souvenirs. There was a street in the middle of the city that was completely blocked off from traffic, where all sorts of kiosks displaying food and trinkets were stationed. They all happened to be right around this huge, beautiful fountain. Ponce had many different tourists’ sites, but my favorite was the old fire station. They had old fire helmets, suites, and hatchets in the building. They displayed the old water hoses that were used to put out multiple fires. On the first floor of the fire house, there was an old fire truck that had Ponce written in capital letters down the side. We also visited the old church, but that wasn’t as fun or as interesting as the fire station. Between the city of Ponce and the Copamarina Resort, our stay down on the southern end of the island was remarkable.

For the remaining part of the week, we drove back up to San Juan (on the northern shore). We stayed at the Caribe Hilton Resort just outside Old San Juan. This hotel was set up more like a modern hotel, with elevators and long carpeted hallways. The Copamarina was more open, had tiled walkways and rooms, and was only a series of one story rooms. The Caribe had an open entrance way, with glass walls that allowed you to see through all the gift shops and straight out to the Atlantic Ocean. The ocean was not as clear and calm as the Caribbean was. The Atlantic had more waves that would roll all the way up to the beach. The hotel also had a series of hot tubs and pools. The large pool contained a small waterfall that fed into a smaller pool at the bottom. The food at the resort was more American styled, as the menus included more hamburgers and hot dogs than the menus at the Copamarina. At the Caribe we were able to see an iguana right along the walkway leading to the small restaurant. It was long and green and didn’t move too quickly when it saw my sister and I. It slowly made its way into the bushes along the walkway. Seeing an iguana was something that was new to me and my sister, so it made our day. Just like with the Copamarina, my family and I didn’t stay at the resort the entire time. We took one day where we visited the city of San Juan.

Restaurants, gift shops and people filled the small cobbled streets of Old San Juan. Even with our time restraint, we were able to make time for souvenir shopping and a nice dinner in the city. The restaurant that we went to was called La Mallorquina. It had an unbelievable selection of food for dinner and dessert. Everything about the restaurant was so welcoming and relaxing. They kept the doors to the dinning area open, so the warm breeze would enter once and a while. I can remember the dinner and night perfectly, it was that much fun. Although we were only able to go into the city for one day, it was amazing how much we were able to see and experience.

Both of the resorts were remarkable and memorable, but for different reasons. Guánica was so beautiful and relaxing. The warm ocean and the calm breeze felt so good, as did the feeling of satisfaction from your stomach after eating an amazing meal. San Juan had a very different vibe. It was more modern and busy. The food was still wonderful and the sites were still breathtaking. All in all, it was the best vacation that my family could have taken. Sure, I wasn’t able to go with my friends to DC, but Puerto Rico was a way better experience. Plus, I really wouldn’t want to take an eleven hour bus ride down to DC. If your family is ever itching for an amazing, warm, sunny vacation, tell them to consider Puerto Rico. You won’t regret it, and you’ll have many incredible memories for the rest of your life.

Word Count: 1,186

Summer Camps

During the summer, teens and kids prefer to take a vacation that requires a plane and a large bag of luggage. Nobody wants to stay cooped up in their homes for the entire summer vacation. In past blogs I have said how I always travel to New York during the summer for two weeks. I am lucky to have the chance to go up to the Adirondacks with my family. Unfortunately, there are families where the parents need to work all throughout the summer, and don’t have the time to take their kids on a vacation. There is a simple solution to the problem. Teens and kids all remember their experiences at summer camps. Camps are a great way for kids to meet other people, receive fresh air and to get out of the house. For me, the camps I have gone to gave me the best memories I have.

There are a large variety of camps. The time spans that camps may take up in the summer vary greatly. Some of them are for the entire summer (4-5 weeks) and there are other camps that may last for one week and for only half a day (9am-12pm or 1pm-4pm). What camps offer for kids also varies depending on the camp. There are camps for sports, drama, arts and crafts, and so may others. Another characteristic of summer camps that changes frequently are there locations. Camps exist all throughout the world. Teens probably prefer to go to sleep away camps far away form their parents, whereas little kids prefer the day camps right down the street in their town. I have gone to camps in my town, in other towns nearby, and in a different state. When considering a camp, you should take into account these basic factors, location, time, and specialization, to ensure a memorable experience.

Personally, I have gone to so may camps, it’s hard to remember the ones that I went to when I was three and four. After that though, I can remember every camps that I went to, whether I liked it or hated it. These are the four camps that I loved the most so far, but I am also going to include my worst experience at the camp.

Throughout ages 7 through 10, I was involved in Girl Scouts. When you are a girl scout, there was a camp in Ashland specifically just for Girl Scouts. I really wanted to go to that camp, but I wasn’t keen on going to it alone. So, I convinced my good friend at the time to come with me. This was a camp that offered all sorts of activities, not just one specific one. I don’t really remember my first year going there, but my last two I remember clearly. I was involved in the “Horse Lovers” camp that they offered. Of course it included swimming, hiking, and having fun with crafts, but for four days out of the two five day weeks we went to a horse barn. Ill admits it, I really wasn’t a huge horse fan, but my friend was, so I decided to go with her. Also, I was just a little bit scared of horses, especially when riding them. So of course they assign me to the biggest horse in the whole barn, and I was completely freaking out. They had to basically drag me on to the horse, but once I was on, I swear, the horse began trying to pull me off over its head by biting on the reins that my hands firmly grasped. That was the end of my horse riding interests. Other than that experience, I really enjoyed Girl Scout camp. Any young Girl Scout would find it to be a great experience, as I found it to be.

I was also interested in acting when I was younger. So my parents signed my up for Washington Street Players, an acting camp. I found that I really enjoyed being in a play, especially if I was the main character. I was really good at memorizing things, so I had my lines down in little time. I even began to memorize everyone else’s lines. I guess I took that too seriously, because throughout the play at the end of camp, I was whispering the lines that the other kids had forgotten to them. Also, I didn’t leave all my acting skills on the stage. I guess that they followed me to my house, and my parents would get really angry with me. I embarrassed myself by trying to be the boss on stage and then acting like a “drama queen” at home. So that ended my acting career. Although it didn’t work out for me, any one who loves the theater would enjoy going to this camp.

Just a year or two ago, I when to a sailing camp run by our Recreational Department. The sailing was done on the Hopkinton town reserve lake. I went with a good friend of mine, and we had a blast. We learned how to set up the sailboat, by assembling the sails and rudder??? We were taught how to tie certain knots and how to control the sailboat based on the direction that the wind is blowing. I thought it was really cool how you can tell which way the wind is going by looking at the small “waves” in the water. It was so exciting (and scary) to be in control of the sailboat and gliding over the open water. The dumbest action my friend and I did, was when we were both in the sailboat, we would switch off on who gets to sit on the bow of the boat. We even held on to the bow lines and leaned over the edge above the water. I know, stupid…but extremely fun. I know I said that I would include my worst experience, but I really didn’t have one. I guess I could say that my worst experience was when I was in the sailboat all by myself for the first time. I was turning around, when a big gust of wind came. My sailboat was almost capsized (flipped upside down). That was probably the scariest part of the camp. I loved sailing camp, and I would go to another one in a heart beat.

There are camps that can peak your interest, and then there are camps that you have no interest in at all. The Sarah Behn Basketball camp was the first serious basketball camp that I went to. I had done small basketball clinics, but this was completely different. The camp taught players offensive and defensive skills. It was a camp that included all basketball aspects. Meaning, it wasn’t a camp just for posts or guards. At this camp I made some good friends from different towns and became better friends with the girls that I had been in school with. The camp was fun and entertaining, but it also made you work hard and achieve your personal goals. One time, we were using hurtles to work on our quickness. We weren’t in the gym, so the hurtles were placed on the tiles of the schools lobby. The tiles didn’t prevent the hurtles from moving, in fact, it was a surface that allowed for the hurtles to slide over it. So when I went, I stepped on one of the hurtled close to the middle and went flying across the lobby. Not only did I ruin the rest of the hurtles in my path, but it was pretty embarrassing slipping in front of everyone. I have to credit this camp for giving me a better understanding of basketball, and convincing me that this was the sport I was most interested in.

From my personal experiences, you can tell that the affect that camps have on you (positive or negative), impact your future. I obviously am not going to be a horseback rider or an actress, but I still enjoy playing basketball and going sailing. Everyone has certain interests, now the tricky part is finding the camp that fits to a “t”. Once you find a certain camp that you love, summer vacations can become a lot more interesting and memorable.

Word Count: 1, 374

Niagara Falls

Although I’ve never been to Niagara Falls, I’ve heard the most interesting stories about the experience. My family has considered traveling to the Falls over a long weekend. One of my friends just went up there last summer, and said it was such an amazing experience. Most people don’t think that the Niagara Falls would be a common vacation spot, but they have misjudged its significance.

Almost every year 12 million tourists visit the breathtaking Niagara Falls, and remember it for as long as they live. The position of the Falls probably is a helpful factor when it comes to attracting tourists. Straddling the Canadian-United States International Border and both in the Providence of Ontario and the State of New York, the Falls has a good chance of many different people coming to marvel at its magnificence. There are three different falls that make up the entire Niagara Falls. The American Falls, the Bridal Veil Falls, and the Canadian/Horseshoe Falls are the three components. With a brink of 1060 feet, and a height of about 176 feet, the American Falls combined with the Bridal Veil Falls is pretty large. I know this might be hard to believe, at least it was for me, but every second, 150,000 gallons of water pour over the edge of the two falls. The American Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls are normally mentioned together, because they are only separated by a thin strip of land called Luna Island. The Canadian/Horseshoe Falls are the most famous. This fall has a brink of 2600 feet and a height of 167 feet. Every second that goes by, 600,000 gallons of water are plummeting over the edge. The idea that these pieces of information are true, is what makes Niagara Falls such an amazing landmark.

As mentioned earlier, one of my friends took a vacation to Niagara Falls last summer. She told me about her experience, as if I was actually there with her. One of the attractions that Niagara Falls offers is the opportunity to take a boat into the Falls. She took one of these boats into the center of the Canadian/Horseshoe Falls. Since this part of the Falls is in the shape of a horseshoe, once you get into the center, mist surrounds you as well as the roaring sound of the water crashing down. The passengers on the boat are given raincoats to prevent them from being completely soaked form head to two. Although, they don’t keep you 100% dry, the tourists prefer to have them on. My friend explained to me that once you get inside of the mist, you’re not sure if even the driver knows where they’re going. It’s so loud in the center of the falls, that just to talk to the person next to you, requires yelling. Eventually, the boat driver is able to navigate their way out of the mist and back to open waters. Just from here detailed story of her vacation, leaves me wishing that I can experience Niagara Falls.

Niagara Falls, has many different ways for people to remember its significance. Some ways are by the beauty of the Falls when people see it for the first time. Others associate it with all the daredevils that have tried to conquer it and lived to tell the tale. And still others just remember it by the several lives that have been taken on purpose (suicide) or on accident by the strong waters of Niagara Falls. These few fun facts about Niagara Falls blew my mind (at least most of them did). I am sure that those who read them will be just as surprised as I was.

1. Niagara Falls is the second largest Falls in the world, trailing behind Victoria Falls in southern Africa.
2. The word “Niagara” is derived from the Iroquois Indian word “Onguiaahra”, meaning “the strait”.
3. Of all the fresh water in the world, one-fifth (twenty percent!!) of it is located in the four Upper Great Lakes (Michigan, Huron, Superior, and Erie). The outflow of water empties into the Niagara River, which eventually cascades over the Falls.
4. The flow of the entire Falls was stopped by an ice jam in the upper river on March 30th 1848.
5. The movies Niagara and Superman were filmed in parts of the Falls.
6. In the past ten years, Robert Overacker and Jessie W. Sharp, two daredevils, have lost their lives trying to conquer Niagara Falls.
7. For a long time, dropping over the Falls in a barrel or even just jumping into the water, was a common way to commit suicide.
8. The first person to go over the Falls in a barrel and survive was a 63 year old schoolteacher.
9. Hire wire tightrope acts used to be performed across the river. The most memorable was “Blondin” who once carried his manager across on his back, stopping midway to rest.
10. In the evenings, Niagara Falls is bathed in bright colored spotlights.

Niagara Falls has its breathtaking views and memerable experiences. Many people wouldn’t think of Niagara Falls as a common vacation spot, but the fact that 12 million visitors come every year disproves that statement. I’ve never been to Niagara Falls, but if I ever get the chance, I wouldn’t pass it up.

Word Count: 883