Provincetown, MA

Provincetown is located at the extreme tip of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  The area is a crescent shaped peninsula stretching out into the Atlantic Ocean approximately 30 miles.  For thousands of years it was inhabited by the Native Americans of this region, the Nauset.  They had settlements and farmed, hunted, and fished for their food.  It was May 15, 1620 that the Mayflower carrying the Pilgrims first landed at what is now Provincetown.  It was also here that they drew up and signed the Mayflower Compact.  Although they soon sailed across the bay and settled permanently in Plymouth, MA; Cape Cod was still a valuable fishing grounds.  So in 1654 the Governor of the Plymouth Colony purchased Cape Cod from the chief of the Nausets for a selling price of 2 brass kettles, 6 coats, 12 hoes, 12 axes, 12 knives, and a box.  Cape Cod became a whaling and fishing powerhouse for many years,  After the whaling boom declined, the town of Provincetown also had ups and downs over the years.  Through the years, it has become an important tourist and vacations destination. 

This coastal town has a population of approximately 3,000; but can climb to 60,000-90,000 during summer.  The two days we were in Provincetown was actually their busiest time of the year.  The town has a week long celebration of the LGBTQ community, arts and culture.  On the final day they have a parade through town and this year's theme was Enchanted Forest.  Let me tell you, town was PACKED.  There was not a table in a restaurant or park bench unoccupied.

To stay out of the fray for a bit, Keith and I did the Provincelands Bike Trail Thursday morning.  It is a very nice, paved bike road through the maritime forest and dunes of Cape Cod National Seashore.

We saw some wild turkeys that were not very wild.

After biking in the morning, we returned to the boat to relax a bit before the parade.  I took this picture of the Pilgrim Monument from the boat.  This is the tallest all granite structure in the United States.  It commemorates the history of the Pilgrims landing on the cape and the signing of the Mayflower Compact.  This was the first self governing document to be drawn up in the New World.

The Pilgrim Monument

Once we had a little break, we had to go back into town to see what the Carnival Parade was all about.  This is Provincetown's big yearly LGBTQ community celebration.  Let's just say, Keith and I had not seen anything like this before.  I include some of the pictures so you can get an idea.

Creative shot here

Even pets participated

Pengi played along.

So there you have it.  Definitely a different experience.  Would definitely not need to do it again, so we are off to our next stop.  Friday morning we head to Onset, MA.