Travel

After a busy week in Boston, we were ready for a weekend of swimming, rockclimbing, and good company. My Zia and Zio had generously offered us a room in their Cape Cod cottage– and we jumped at the opportunity.

After a short drive from Boston, we arrived in Woods Hole. It was my third visit, il Marito’s second, and Bambino’s first. I’ve fallen in love with this little village– and with my extended family’s vacation home (a wonderfully quirky, century-old kit house that is filled with books, board games, art, and animal heads).

During the summer, Woods Hole is filled with tourists (who are often headed to Martha’s Vineyard on the car ferry). But, it is also filled with scientists who study at the Marine Biology Lab, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, and other research facilities. It’s a fantastic combination of beautiful coastline and world-class nerdery. In other words, it’s my family’s kind of place.

After stocking up on good food and drink, we headed to Buzzard’s Bay. Bambino was instantly in love. He swam in the ocean and climbed boulders with his dad.

Unlike Boston, we had no plans. Instead of racing up and down the Cape or boarding a ferry, we kept it local.

On our first morning, we walked to the oldest aquarium in the United States.

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While there, we met Lucille and Thumper, two harbor seals (who are permanent residents at the Woods Hole Aquarium). We learned about our seal friends while they chomped on fish and enjoyed enrichment activities.

We also explored the aquarium’s tanks, which focus entirely on the local ecosystem. Although small, we loved this (free!) aquarium.

We also stopped at the Marine Biology Lab (actually the visitors’ center and gift shop, but that sounds less impressive).

We revisited Buzzards Bay.

We stopped by a fish market for the best, local swordfish we’ve ever had. (Did you know that you can buy bone-in swordfish shoulders? They’re delicious.) Bambino also admired the lobsters.

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We ate at Pie in the Sky (a mandatory stop in Woods Hole). We checked out the public library and watched a Monarch butterfly spin its chrysalis.

We celebrated childhood at Taft’s Playground.

And, in a cottage without television and little technology, we used our imaginations to make racecars out of colanders, pot lids, and a sofa.

(The grown-ups also caught up over some exceptionally good bottles of wine and kept an eye on Hurricane/Tropical Storm Hermine.)

I’m incredibly thankful for my Zia and Zio’s hospitality. My family needed a weekend away from the hustle and bustle of modern life. And, Bambino soaked in all the wonders that Woods Hole offers.

On a flight home, Bambino usually plugs into his tablet and ignores the world. Leaving Boston, he simply stared out the window and announced that he needed just a little more time with “MY Cape Cod.” He also reminded me that Zia invited him back. “Mom, she said ANYTIME. How about tomorrow?”

Sometimes, my parenting skills are questionable. On the first day of school, I packed Bambino up and we jumped on an airplane. I am a huge supporter of early education. I think that the first six years of a child’s life may be the most important in terms of cognitive development. I adore Bambino’s school and his teachers. But, adventure beckoned.

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about why we travel, and why we take il Bambino. In the word of Neil deGrasse Tyson:

History shows that if you let people go where their curiosity takes them, great things unfold.

When I travel (whether near or far), my curiosity is sparked. I find myself chatting with strangers. I ask questions. I am reminded that I don’t know all the answers. I take chances. It’s an opportunity to learn and explore. I feel like a kid again. I love that feeling– and I want my son to understand the power of travel.

Travel also helps us shatter stereotypes and appreciate the cultural diversity that our world offers. While I love a good international ramble, these lessons can also be learned closer to home. For these reasons, I unapologetically boarded a plane on the first day of school.

Our destination also helped alleviate my parental guilt. We were headed to a city that is filled with history, cultural diversity, and beautiful green spaces. We were Boston-bound.

Boston is recognized as a kid-friendly place. However, many of its attractions appeal to older kids (and not to bouncing almost-four-year olds who like to pretend they are Brazilian soccer stars). The Freedom Trail and Fenway Park will wait for another time.

Here is what our preschool truant did (and learned) last week:

Sometimes, You Have To Face Your Fears.

Bambino has always loved splashing in a pool or at the beach– as long as his feet were firmly planted on the ground. However, if he was floating (even in a Coast Guard-approved safety device), he would panic. No amount of parental encouragement and love could calm his fears.

Our hotel (the highly-recommended Revere Boston Common) had a rooftop pool. On our first morning, we spent a lazy morning on the roofdeck and in the water. At first, he was afraid to leave the pool’s ladder. We (sometimes impatiently) reminded him that he had a lifevest on and we were by his side. Then, without further prompting, Bambino literally took a leap of faith. He spent the rest of the afternoon paddling around the pool.

Sometimes, Bambino is fearless. Other times, he is frozen by anxiety and his fear of the unknown. While we try to teach him to self-regulate his anxiety, it’s hard for a little one. His leap into a big, deep pool taught him that some chances are worth taking. I hope he remembers this lesson and applies it elsewhere.

You Can Find Friends Anywhere.

We made a lot of friends on this trip. Bambino met an old high school friend of mine. He also made his own friendships.

The first were at the Boston Common’s Frog Pond. A magnificently large wading pool, he splashed and romped with a pack of wild, happy children. It was beautiful watching him interact with kids of many ages and backgrounds. One little girl (who was probably ten years old) patiently played an extended game of “hide and seek” with our little one. (It’s hard to hide in a wading pool) When we headed out, she begged us to bring him back later.

Watching his crew of newfound friends was a reminder that our world is filled with thriving, vibrant places– as well as kind and open-minded people.

Our other friendship in Boston was less expected. We had given Bimbo the choice between a baseball game or a concert. Unsurprisingly, he chose the Gary Clark Jr. show. While we were wrapping up the night, we started chatting with a gentleman at the back of the venue. We mentioned that this was Bambino’s third Gary Clark Jr. show.

Our new friend told us that he was a photographer and insisted on taking a shot of il Marito and Bambino. He then emailed me the photo and some other beautiful shots from the concert. (Check out the talented Stephen Atkinson’s website for more of his work.)

Photo Credit: Stephen Atkinson

We did a lot of other cool stuff too. We met some ducklings.

Bambino slurped noodles in Chinatown.

He also inhaled a perfectly-cooked tagliatelle at the amazing Sportello. (His parents had one of their best Italian meals in the U.S. too. Seriously, if you’re in Boston, you must eat here.)