Tuesday Montauk

Yesterday I caught the bus to Montauk as planned. The time was spent getting out of NY, speeding along a freeway down the middle of long island, and then going slowly through the last  6 or so small towns before reaching Montauk, the most easterly town. As i had hoped, it has a more low key feel to it than the other towns.

I arrived at a bit before 1 pm and was thinking about lunch. i walked to the place i was staying at, 2km away.  I have a nice room or rather 2small rooms with a view past the verandah, cross the car park, cross the road, thru the 50m of low scrub to the beach and breaking waves.  I asked the proprietor if he knew where I could get a lobster roll ( because i missed out the day before - i can justify anything). He said near the wharf area. He was about to go into town so he gave me a lift.  I knew I would have to walk a fair way back.  I had a lovely lobster roll with a view of fishing boats,  a few people doing odd jobs,  a few boats coming in and out. Great. Then I walked back to my b and b. The first 6 km was along a road with just a row of houses between me and the water. There was a wide range of styles - big and old, big and new, big and pseudo tudor, big and. ... Then I went inland and the houses became more modest. I stopped for a coffee at the town and got back here and relaxed for a while.

Because the season has not got going, and it was Monday, there were no restaurants open between here and the main bit of the town, so back I went to a place that was recommended, the other side of the town. It was a lovely place on the edge of a lake with lovely views,  looking into the setting sun.I had some delicious baked clams and then a seafood plate that had salmon, scallops and swordfish. Then I had what was described as a creme brulee taster - 5 eggcups of 5 different flavours. They were big egg cups, but i had earned it. I walked back,  quite enough walking for the day.

I wondered what the gentle rhythmical sound was after i turned my light out last night  . I have not enjoyed being lulled to sleep by waves in a while. This morning I enjoyed a stroll along the beach, breakfast looking at the ocean and then a few hours of reading on the verandah  before heading back into town, to catch the bus back to manhattan. My only regret is that I should have had this mini-break last week.  I got back to Manhattan at about 3 and  a little souvenir shopping on the way back here.

I have just looked I my little notebook that I jot odd things in.

On the bus going towards Montauk we got offered a muffin or a granola bar. This morning we got offered a choice of pretzels, chips or goldfish.  Goldfish?  Apparently they are savoury cheese biscuits. I chose  chips.

One of the towns that had an exit off the freeway leading to it was called Hicksville. I must find out if Hick has any negative connotations here.

I had 2 maps of Montauk. One was badly not too scale and only had some streets marked, the other was more to scale but the scale was not marked,. It had more streets on it, but not all. 

It was cold and very windy when I got to Montauk. I wished I had taken my thermal pants, but it warmed up as the day got on and was quite mild by the time I was walking back after dinner. Today it was mild in Montauk and cold in NY.

Several days ago I saw a sightseeing bus that had  about 4 rows of tiered  seats  longways down the bus. So everyone was looking out the same side windows.

Technology is great. Several nights ago, sitting in bed,  I finished the book I was reading, did not feel like starting the next bookclub book which I have on my tablet,  wanted an easy who dun-it, so logged into my account at the Belconnen library and scrolled through the available titles in the mystery section, downloaded one and started it – all without getting out of bed in far away New York.  I do have the library’s Overdrive app installed.