A Backlog of Fun

Oops, it's been awhile since I last posted.  Since finding no lodging in Connecticut, we meandered our way across state lines to RI and hung out in Newport for a few days.  It rained alllll day long the first day so we didn't do anything except catch up on some much-needed sleep after driving for almost 12 hours the day before.  The next day we headed into Newport to do the Cliff Walk, which is about 3.5 miles (one way--you have to walk back then) of a walkway along a line of cliffs (bet you thought it might be a misnomer with a name like Cliff Walk).  On one side is the ocean and on the other side is mansion after mansion. And a few restaurants too.  We didn't go the whole 3.5 miles but we went far enough in to see the Forty Steps, which is again not a misnomer and is indeed 40 steps.

An elderly guy feeding the birds.  Tuppence, Tuppence a bag :)

No it's not summer. Yes it was cold. And yes those are people surfing.

There were funny pictures spray painted along the walk. This one is a sleepy bear.

The coastline is where we started

At the bottom of the Forty Steps

At the top of Forty Steps

The way to the Forty Steps was uphill. Downhill was much easier. I just met Josh back at the car haha.

We definitely enjoyed RI but the drivers here are a bit....different. They're not mean or aggressive but they are rather vacant and indecisive.  It's like they'll wait until the last second to do something and then all the sudden decide to turn right in front of you and you just have to slam on the brakes. That's literally how everyone seems to drive up here. And they don't seem to mind. No one beeps or flips the bird or hairy eyeball.  They just all seem to know that everyone else is going to do something stupid and they're all very accommodating.

Last night we drove to Boston. We were going to hit Martha's Vineyard before we left but decided that would be more fun if it were summer so we're just gonna have to do New England again in the summer sometime.

Awesome suspension bridge as you enter Boston

Today we went to the New England Aquarium which I was SUPER excited for.  I love love love penguins and I've never seen one in person.  I felt like the kid in the Disney World commercial last night, "I'm too excited to sleep!"

We were first greeted by the Harbor Seals just outside of the aquarium.  Then just inside the building were the penguins. They were so much fun! We stayed to see them be fed.  They're greedy little suckers! They fight really hard to get food from each other. It takes a lot of people to feed all of them.  They have to work in pairs. One person keeps track of each penguin and how much they eat and the other feeds. No one escaped the pool without a few nips!

This guy needed to get his armband cut off and replaced with a new one. He didn't like it at all.

Late in the afternoon, all the penguins spent some quality time with their mate. You knew it was their mate because they had matching armbands on opposite wings. How cute is that?

Feeding time! Can you imagine keep track of all those mouths?

He's showing off for the crowd.

We also got to see a Northern Fur Seal show. They are awesome animals! They train really well and can do some sweet tricks including giving you a kiss! Inside the aquarium is an HUGE tank that goes from the floor to just below the ceiling of the building.  Inside, there were sharks, fish, turtles, coral reef and pretty much anything you could think of.  Two divers went inside to feed the animals.  It took them a long time to make sure everyone got fed.

Northern Fur Seal named Rosie :)

Huge fish tank!!

Just look how close to the shark this diver is!!!

Much to my surprise and delight, the sea turtle came right up to me to say hello!

They had an entire floor devoted to different types of jelly fish. These guys  are called European Moon Jellies.

On another level of the aquarium, they had Touch Tanks where you could experience some of the animals up close and personal!

Josh meets a starfish! The water was SOOOOOO cold, only 47 degrees!

We got to pet sting rays and sharks!!!!!!!

The black one was super slimy :)

Pretty much the coolest meet n' greet ever :)


It's hard to say which was the best part.  So many fun things to explore and experience...which is why there are so many pictures.  Although we did take 561 pictures at the aquarium so you got off easy :)