Contrasts and near disaster (well sort of)

The more that we travel around this part of the world, the more we notice the huge contrasts, usually between wealth and privilege and the not so wealthy and not so privileged.  This trip, to this part of the world, where there is so much wealth on display highlights to us how different New Zealand is.

I can remember going on a workshop in Hamilton about small business development in about 2005, where the seminar presenter was lamenting the NZ attitude to wealth.  He said (several times) that one of the big problems in NZ is that our small business people are happy when they have 'the boat, the Beemer and the Bach'.  When they have that, they stop growing their businesses, and dont aspire to more.  At the time, I didn't really understand it.

Over the years though, it has become more clear to me.  Travelling around this part of the world where the wealth is very evident, we can see what he means.

There is the old money (1600's - 1900's), and then there is the 20th Century money and then the 'new new money' - the 'Masters of the Universe of Wall Street' (and I don't use that terminology fondly.....).

Culture Cringe, condo's at Hyannisport

Bare beachs at hyannisport

Houses on other side of condos at Hyannisport, probably cost millions, these three photos were all next to each other

In NZ it is difficult for us to conceive of a market as big as exists in the US, and then in the rest of the world.  We are limited in our aspirations by our 4.3 million population and our geographical distance from markets.  Probably also too (which is not necessarily a bad thing), by our approach to life and living, the more socialist/welfare nature of our society, and possibly our expectations about what is possible.

The questions to our business people in NZ, and the ones that we ask ourselves while cycling and walking around Cape Cod, Boston central, Nantucket, Marthas Vineyard include:
a. Do we really need to have enough money to afford the $20 million summer residence on Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard?  Yes it is pretty, but then how much is it going to cost to upkeep it, to pay all the staff.  How much time could you actually spend at the summer place?
b.  Do we really need to have enough money to afford the hand polished, varnished, immaculately maintained yacht, parked in the marina at one of these places?
c.  Is the cost to personal freedom/integrity worth that?
d. Would you be allowed to eat anything if you were that person (you have to be so thin and fashionable...)

Nah, we think the way we have things in NZ have it right. If we had that much money, how could we justify going on a cycling holiday!!!

The weather is still fantastic.  But we had a huge thunderstorm on our last afternoon in Cape Cod.  It created a dilemma.  What do you do when all you have are two bikes, and a small (very wet) tent?
We hadn't really thought that part through before.  We had lots of discussions about whether we raced back from town to get in our towels from the 'washing line between the trees' at the camp, buying dinner before hand, or whether to stay in town, read some newspapers (haven't been doing much of that), drink beer and wine and eat pizza and wait for the storm to go through.

The problems with rushing back to the camp were that once we got there, apart from huddling in the tent (and it is too small to comfortably sit there - and it would have to be cross legged...), we would have to go up the main common room.  And do what?  Sit and watch the rain...  We didn't know how long the storm would last for but my argument for the sheltering in town, having pizza, wine/beer was pretty convincing and won out.  Shortly after we had made the decision to stay the thunderstorm hit with a vengenance.  It was nice to be dry and well fed and watered while it was thundering and lightening outside.

Drying out from first part of thunderstorm, Brewster, Cape Cod, Mass

Thunderstorm in full force, about 6.15pm, Brewster, we were tucked up inside with wine and beer and pizza and newspapers

It finished before it got dark too, so we could safely ride back on the bike trail to our campground, rescue our wet towels (get them wetter still after our showers) and crawl into the tent to sleep.  Fortunately the thunderstorm cooled the air down a lot, and we got a better sleep!

We have reached 1300km today with our riding. Sadly, there isn't a lot more to do.  Would like to get up to 1500km, but don't think that will happen.  The riding on the Cape Cod and Marthas Vineyard bike trails is superlative.  Flat, smooth, NO POTHOLES!!, fantastic!  There are lots of purpose made bike trails over Marthas Vineyard, that we have been enjoying today, and will go back to tomorrow.

Near Disaster, I suppose I need to mention it.  We arrived in Marthas Vineyard last night, navigated our way to the campground, via Vineyard Haven (real name Tilsbury).  I went in to the supermarket and bought dinner (salad, cold meat, salsa and corn chips), and thought 'that wasn't that expensive', then got outside and realised I hadn't purchased any wine or beer.  So Peter went back in, as I organised the groceries amongst our luggage, to appear out to say that there wasn't any in the supermarket.  So we went hunting for alcohol in the small town.  Eventually, I stopped and went in to a shop and asked.  Only to be told that Vineyard Haven was 'dry town.' Oh No!!!  We only had 2 warm Corona's with us.

But, we decided, lets forge on, we don't know how far away the campground is, and it won't hurt us to have a non alcohol night. (As it turned out it was to be a non internet night too...).  Got to our campsite (very nice, and campground very nice clean facilities).  Our lovely neighbours (very attractive Canadians in their mid 30's, from Quebec, both with stunning bodies with a 6 pack abdomen, she (Luce) is a triathlete), were so nice and friendly and INSISTED on giving us a Budweiser each, and then came over with the offer of wine afterwards.  By then, we were Bud'ed and Corona'ed up, so said no thanks. 

We have since learned that apart from Oak Bluffs and Edgartown, the other 4 towns and the rest of Martha's Vineyard is 'dry'.  So we made sure we bought a couple of nice bottles of Argentinian Red (couldn't get it at the supermarket in Edgartown) this afternoon, and will ask Luce and Eric if they would like to join us later.

We went on a tour of Nantucket, but I'm not sure how much of the tour I believe.  Yes, all the houses appear to be clad in cedar shingles, but I'm not sure whether you can build new houses, or renovate historic house exteriors.  I found a booklet that said that you could rip out the interior, but please take some care and retain the historic interiors.There are a lot of 'zealous (as the guidebook says)' zoning laws that have kept Nantucket's appearance 'stuck in the 19th Century.  It makes it very quaint and beautiful (and very expensive).  Houses sell from $500,000 to $20 million (with not many available at $500,000.)  Even little 'shucking shacks' sell for over $1 million apparently.  Unfortunately, I haven't had internet access to try and find out the reality, so you are at my mercy for now!!

Pretty street in Nantucket, Privet hedges, used for privacy around the more expensive houses where they grow quite high.

Nantucket Land Bank sign. 2% of the sale price of each property goes iinto the landbank.  It is then used to buy up land, and either used for museums or parks.  This one was in the walking circuit of Nantucket town.

Cranberries, on the cranberry bog on the land banked property in Nantucket.

Luxury yachts parked up at Nantucket wharf.  There were 6 in a row.

Menemsha, Marthas Vineyard, Mass, a real working fishing village, had great fish and chips for lunch there today from 'The Bite' shack

Beach at Menemsha, Marthas Vineyard, Mass.  Interesing how they are still using the word Handicap, and not disabled.

One thing we did find quite interesting is that there is a landbank.  2% of each sale of each property (that is $400,000 on a $20 million propery) is paid in tax to the landbank.  This landbank then buys up properties and either makes them into bare land, or retains the historic homes.  Reading the local Martha's Vineyard newspaper, we have just found out that they have the same here.  Quite a good idea.

Also found out how cranberry's grow.  They are a native US berry and they grow in bogs.  They can be either wet or dry harvested, one by flooding the bog, letting it freeze, putting sand on top, then letting the ice melt and the sand sinks into the bog and lets the cranberries grow (but I'm not quite clear how they are actually harvested....). 

Common sign in Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard, we thought it was amusing

The other place on Nantucket that was interesting was Sciasconset, or 'Sconset.  If you have read biographies of actors who were around in the first part of the 20th Century, you might have heard of it.  This is where much of them 'retired to' to do 'summer stock.'  That, and the Cape Cod playhouses. There were several playhouses in the Cape, would have loved to have gone to a performance, but don't fancy riding bike back to camp in the dark at 10pm at night!

Now, will go and see if the internet is working at this campsite (wasn't when I tried a few hours ago!).