Exploring the Coast

After four days of non stop action we finally got the chance for a day of winding down before heading off to Brown tomorrow. We left the hotel around 9 am and went to Small Point Cafe near the hotel for breakfast . Afterwards we went shopping at CVS for last minute supplies and then we went to Providence Place mall. We only had about an hour to spend at the mall but we had a great time exploring Providence's four story mall. Once we were all done we meet back up and made our way to Newport, Rhode Island.

A home in Newport

It was a really quick driver to Newport and I was very excited to be there. After finding parking easily, we had a hard time finding exactly where we were supposed to be for our boat tour. We walked up and down the strip of Bannister's Wharf many times. We started to get panicked when we thought we were running our of time to collect our tickets. But eventually, after a lot of wandering, we found the right place and even had time to stop by Ben and Jerry's. Once we got on the boat we got to sit back and enjoy the ride. 

View outside of the boat

On the boat, the captain and the tour guide alternated in telling us information about the places nearby. The boat we were on was actually called the Rumrunner II and was used to transport liquor illegally during the prohibition. Now, the boat doesn't look like how it did when it was first created but it was interesting to learn about a part of America's past. As we traveled around the harbor we saw many extravagant houses. Most of them were really large with a lot of land surrounding them. It was fascinating to see how residents here lived on a daily basis. We learned about the history of Newport from the beginning of this country being founded and even before. It was a really great experience and a beautiful day on the water. 

Outside The Breakers Mansion

Once we returned to land we all packed back into the car and headed to The Breakers Mansion. The Breakers is a summer home for the Vanderbilt family that has now been turned into a place that many people come to tour. From the outside I could all ready tell that this house was going to be extravagant. The sheer size gave that away. When we got inside my suspicions were confirmed. Even the main doors of the home were huge and very detailed. Everyone was given their own personal head phone set that gave you an audio tour as you traveled around the house. It was really interesting to hear about each of the rooms and what they were used for. Some rooms told you specifically about the people who resided in them. We couldn't take pictures inside but it's something that I will not forget. It was very fascinating to me that this gigantic home was only used in the summer. I couldn't even imagine having lived this extravagantly all of the time, nor do I think I would want to. Overall, I had a wonderful time.

The View from The Beakers Mansion

Next we went in search of a beach. After driving around a lot and coming up short, us disappointed Brownies decided to give up and head for food. But just in the nick of time we stumbled across a beach and got to spend about 30 minutes playing in the water. 

After a long day I was really looking forward to eating. We ate at Anthony's Seafood which was a great local restaurant that was really low key. The food was amazing. I had mussels and pasta with breadsticks. And for the first time I tried clam chowder which was also very delicious. After a hearty meal we headed back to the hotel.

Tomorrow we are heading off to Brown and I am really excited. Finally we will get to meet our roommates and get a chance to explore the Brown campus. But most importantly begin taking our class. I can't wait to see what these next three weeks has in store.