| We travelled from Philadelphia down through the New
Jersey peninsula down to Cape May. This meant that we bypassed some of the
seaside resorts such as Atlantic City (known for its casinos), Ocean City
and Margate. The latter might have been of brief interest but we chose a
different road. Cape May is right on the tip and has a number of waterways
almost cutting off the town. This is small boat country. |  |
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The town itself is disappointing. We camped just outside and cycled in.
This house is typical of the construction methodology with timber frames
covered in 'siding' panels. This is probably described by the realtors as
'in need of restoration'. |
| It is in this row of houses set unusually close together
(for the US) and
looking like most seaside resorts anywhere which have seen better days. Some
of the houses, especially just back from the front are huge, but it all
seems a bit past its prime. Its heyday was of course in the early 1900s
when it was VERY fashionable. |  |
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You have to pay to go on the beach, about $4 a day. It not being prime
season, the beach was rather empty. There is a broad promenade just like
many English resorts, marked 'no skateboarding','cycling only between 4am
and 10am'. We ignored it! |
| The town centre is just off the front and full of arty
tourist shops full of things you don't want, wouldn't give house room to or
just can't afford. This painting caught my eye, I'm a sucker for a woman in
a red dress and this was striking in a studio of mediocrity. It was also
half price, always catches the eye. A snip at $6950 |  |
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The houses in the town are more ornate but mostly either converted to bed &
breakfast (above hotels in the pecking order in the US) or split into
apartments rented out at astronomic rents. |
| But the odd little gothic towers add a touch of
zest. This must have been 30 flats. I wonder who had the top one.... |  |
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There is something rather desolate about coastal flats with sandbars etc. We
have realised we have left the binoculars behind, not that there are that
many birds. We have heard more this year but still not as many as at home. |
| So we cycled back over the waterway past this railway
bridge. We think the railway is used in high season but not for most of the
year. |  |
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