Tuesday, November 09, 2010

Untouristed

I've been having a hard time coming up with a post.  Oh, there have been lots of things going on.  Mostly they have been things that annoy me...like several stop-sign running idiots, or work.  There's been a cram-load of work.  Work stories bug people when they don't really care about what work someone does...so I'll spare you.

So staying on the positive side of things, as I would really rather do, I must comment that it has been delightful to walk about town without having to sidestep around tourists.  It's a love hate thing with the tourists.  Yep, gotta love 'em as they mean nice weather.  If it's sunny and warm and, most importantly, NOT winter, they are here in droves.  This time of year they thin out and that means cold, nasty weather has arrived with colder, nastier weather on the way for the next few months.  To me that is not a good thing.  I like warm and sunny.  Oh, we'll get our sunny days to be sure.  They just won't be toasty warm.

So that means what?  Can't seem to have the good without the annoyance.  At least that's my take on it.  There may be some of you out there that don't mind having to bundle up and brave the wind and ice, rain or snow.  I do.  I want no more than jeans and a t-shirt, thank you.  And I hate socks, too.

'A' and I walked today.  It was windy and chilly.  A cloudy day with the remnants of an off-shore storm.  I was surprised to see a tourist bus parked in town.  I bet they're sorry they dished out the bucks to stop at a dreary town where the majority of the tourist trap shops are closed during the week!

Anyway, we walked out 'the Neck' and out Tuna Wharf.  I looked across to T-Wharf and saw a tourist type taking a photo of...
you guessed it, Motif #1.  Supposedly the most photographed and painted building in the United States.  I waved from my vantage point just beyond "that red barn" as some not-so-informed tourists have been heard calling it.  Maybe she'll not notice me and email me around to all her relatives!  Guaranteed not too many of the tourist folk snap the view that I did today.  (see above)

6 comments:

fishy Scribbs said...

I don't know that the building grabs tourists...I think they just want to have a picture to remind them of Tuna Wharf. Unless there's a bronze tuna statue around somewhere....

Actually, I like the name. After being on so many "Fishermen's Wharves" (where no one is allowed to fish) over the years, it's nice to see one named after the catchee, not the catcher.

deb said...

Well, Motif #1 is on Bradley Wharf, Motif #2 (yes, really) is the shingled with blue trim building on the right in my photo and it's on Tuna Wharf. We also have Lumber Wharf (don't let the name fool you, it's made of granite)and of course, T-Wharf (so named because of it's shape) T-Wharf had a different name, way back, but I can't remember what it was.

dickiebo said...

I think 'S' was before 'T'! (ducks down fast and disappears!)

deb said...

S'wharf...Swharf...nah.

Maybe sthwharf. As is 's th' wharf (it's the wharf)

I know, how about "We are eswharf in silliness?"

Nice new word, thanks!

Bernard said...

This is always a difficult thing to write about unless you have lived in a "tourist" spot, I guess.
Firstly, I am not all that keen on the word "tourist". Not many of us really tour the country any more, we visit different areas and, I suppose, should be classified as 'visitors'.
But, don't we all visit other towns, villages and attractions?
Perhaps it comes down to numbers?
I wouldn't want hundreds of visitors taking up all the parking, causing long queues etc., but it is all supposed to be good for local trade. I don't know what the answer is - perhaps - "Live and let live"?
Or....don't live in a popular area.

deb said...

Basically our population doubles in the summer. Not 'tourists' - summer residents. Then we have the folks that drive in for the day. We don not have enough parking spaces in town and have opened a remote lot where visitors can park for free and pay $1 and ride a shuttle bus in to town. And we have the large bus tours. I don't have any idea how many people fit in those things. We get about 6 - 8 of them each day. Of course there are a few motels and several B&Bs. It adds up to a heck of a lot of bodies!