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| SAILBOATS DOCKED AT NEWPORT NAVAL STATION MARINA |
Newport, RI, has always been my favorite small city in the U.S.
Bob and I were stationed there, at Newport Naval Station, for two months in the summer of 1972, and for six weeks in the fall of 1973.
It has everything:
-- A beautiful shoreline and sandy beaches on the Atlantic Ocean,
-- Gorgeous old mansions, beautiful old colonial and Victorian homes,
-- Numerous shopping areas, and
-- Many sights to see.
We have gone there several times, over the years, on vacation. This time, we left home Friday morning, and returned Monday evening. It is about a 6 to 7 hour drive, depending on the number of stops made. We stayed at the Gateway Inns and Suites ($66/night for a suite - sweet!) at the Newport Naval Station.
Went out to eat at a nice Italian restaurant, Mama Leone's, just outside the base.
On Saturday, we drove around the city. On Sunday, we biked around the city.
Here are a few of my photos:
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CASTLE HILL LIGHTHOUSE -- I HAVE A BOOK SHOWING WHERE ALL THE LIGHTHOUSES IN THE U.S. ARE, WITH SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THEM, BECAUSE I LOVE LIGHTHOUSES!
THIS ONE WAS BUILT IN 1890 AND AUTOMATED IN 1957. |
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| RHODE ISLAND HAS MORE THAN 100 BEACHES, ALONG 400 MILES OF SHORELINE. PARKING AT THIS BEACH IN NEWPORT COSTS $10 ON WEEKDAYS AND $20 ON WEEKENDS. THAT ENCOURAGES BICYCLIING AND WALKING TO THE BEACH! |
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| NEVER SAW THESE BEFORE! LITTLE CARS ARE RENTED OUT TO TOURISTS AND OTHERS. THIS HELPS KEEP A LOT OF REAL CARS OFF THE STREETS, WHICH ARE NARROW AND THERE IS NOT MUCH SPACE FOR PARKING. THEY ARE LICENSED ONLY FOR USE IN THE CITY. |
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| THE PELL BRIDGE, NAMED FOR A FORMER R.I. SENATOR, CONNECTS NEWPORT WITH JAMESTOWN. IN THE FOREGROUND, SOME BIRDS SUN THEMSELVES ON SOMETHING IN THE BAY. |
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| A BEACH ON THE NAVY BASE WAS COVERED 70% WITH THESE SHELLS, 20% WITH LITTLE ROCKS, AND ABOUT 10% WITH SAND. BUT PARKING WAS FREE AND I HAD THE WHOLE BEACH TO MYSELF! |
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| I DO A LOT OF BEACHCOMBING, AND BRING HOME A LOT OF UNUSUAL SHELLS, LOST BUOYS, ETC. BUT I HAVE NEVER SEEN A STINGRAY DEAD ON A BEACH. NO, I DID NOT BRING IT HOME! |
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THIS IS THE APARTMENT HOUSE WHERE BOB AND I LIVED IN THE SUMMER OF 1972, RIGHT AFTER WE GOT MARRIED IN MISSOURI. IT WAS RICKETY THEN, BUT HAS SINCE BEEN FIXED UP AND RESTORED, ALONG WITH MANY OTHER HOUSES ON DIVISION STREET. OUR LANDLORD TOLD US THAT RUMOR HAD IT THAT ONE OF BEN FRANKLIN'S DESCENDANTS HAD ONCE LIVED THERE. THAT TURNED OUT TO BE TRUE, AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE HISTORIC MARKER NOW ON THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE, BELOW.
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NEWPORT LIGHTHOUSE SHARES A LITTLE ISTHMUS WITH A BIG HOTEL.
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| FIRST TIME I'VE SEEN A PARKING METER THAT TAKES CREDIT CARDS! BUT I GUESS THEY HAVE TO, AS PARKING IS QUITE EXPENSIVE IN NEWPORT. IT ENCOURAGES TOURISTS TO TAKE THE TROLLEY OR RIDE A BIKE OR WALK! |
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| ST. MARY'S CHURCH, WHERE JOHN AND JAQUIE KENNEDY WERE MARRIED. SEE THE PLAQUE, BELOW. JAQUIE'S FAMILY HAD AN ESTATE IN NEWPORT CALLED HAMMERSMITH FARM. |
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| SIGN NEAR THE PIER WHERE THERE WERE LOTS OF FISHING BOATS |
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| LOTS OF LOBSTER TRAPS AWAIT LOADING ONTO BOATS AT THE PIER |
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| THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS SARATOGA, MOTHBALLED AT NEWPORT NAVY STATION. BOB WAS ONCE STATIONED ON ITS SISTER SHIP, THE USS AMERICA, WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN SCRAPPED AND SUNK. THESE SHIPS COULD CARRY 5,000 SAILORS AND OFFICERS AND DOZENS OF AIRCRAFT. BUT IMAGINE THE CRAMPED QUARTERS, THEN COMPARE THEM TO THE LIVING CONDITIONS IN THE SPACIOUS MANSIONS BELOW! |
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| ONE OF MANY OF NEWPORT'S MANSIONS. MIGHT BE "CHATEAU SUR MER." I GOT A KICK OUT OF HOW ALL THESE MANSIONS HAD NAMES! I TOURED THEM WHEN WE LIVED HERE IN THE 1970S. |
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| THE GATE TO ONE OF THE MANSIONS. ONLY A FEW OF THEM ARE OPEN TO PUBLIC TOURS. |
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| "ROSECLIFF" MANSION, WHERE "THE GREAT GATSBY" WAS FILMED. |
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| "ROUGH POINT" MANSION, FORMER HOME OF DORIS DUKE. |
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| THE GATE TO "ROUGH POINT." |
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| THEY ARE SERIOUS ABOUT SECURITY! |
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| "THE BREAKERS' MANSION, ONCE OWNED BY CORNELIUS VANDERBILT. |
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PART OF THE "CLIFF WALK," A MOSTLY-PAVED PATH BETWEEN THE OCEAN AND THE MANSIONS.
IT IS BEAUTIFUL, AND OFFERS A PEEK INTO THE BACK YARDS OF THE MANSIONS! |
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ANOTHER PART OF THE "CLIFF WALK," WHERE BOULDERS HAVE COME DOWN AND BLOCKED THE PATH. THEY OPEN TO OPEN IT BACK UP SOON, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, PEOPLE JUST HIKE ACROSS THE BOULDERS.
That's all, folks!! |
