Well from my previous blogs you will have seen that I have met a girl called Vicky. We have so much in common – she is an Accountant and works as a Financial Controller in Industry, she loves to read, she has been married twice, we both like a beer or two etc etc. – so we have been meeting for dinner and at the pub just trying to build up a friendship. She was going for a week on the beach to Ocean City Maryland and she asked if I fancied coming along for a few days. I thought what the hell, it would be fun to see Ocean City and the perfect chance for us to spend some time getting to know each other better. I got up early on Tuesday and packed up the convertible for the drive to Ocean City. Using a borrowed sat nav from Kim I managed to do the drive in only 3 hours, so I was there by 11.00a.m. After unloading luggage we went straight onto the beach. Vicky had hired an umbrella and deck chairs for the week, which was very handy as the girl set them up each morning and took them in at night, so we didn’t have to lug them around with us. The first day we just chatted for ages on the beach in between hiring a boogie board and jumping around in the surf. The chat just kept coming so naturally and we both were comfortable opening up fully to each other. So much so we barely touched our books. We then wandered up to the Tiki bar at the hotel for happy hour (5.00p.m. to 6.00p.m.) for a couple of beers and to decide what to do that evening. Maryland is famous for its crabs so we decided to find a seafood place and have me try them out for the first time. Two separate guys at the bar recommended one place which was only a block from the hotel – On the Bay Seafood. Quick shower and we wandered down. It was a very basic place with picnic tables outside on a bed of sand but what they lacked in luxury surroundings they made up in their fresh seafood. We got the all you can eat crab deal and landed with a huge tray of steamed crabs rubbed in Old Bay seasoning. It was great fun just ripping the crabs apart and using the little hammers to get all the meat out. They were very messy but as you can see from the photos we had lots of fun. They were so messy that there was actually a clean up station outside the crab place for you to wipe down your hands and arms from all the brine and seasoning. It was also good to try them for the first time with someone who knew what they were doing so I could get some tips on how to get the most meat out of them and which bits not to eat. I will definitely try them again when I go with Jarlath.
After our crab feast we jumped in the car and drove down to the other end of Ocean City where they have a board walk. It is a combination of an old fashioned pier with Blackpool. An amusement arcade, lots of shops and lots of food places. We just had a bit of a stroll to work off dinner and for me to see the boardwalk. It goes on for 28 blocks and there were some sights to see! We were then tired so drove back and had a night cap on the balcony. Vicky had chosen a room that had a balcony that overlooked the beach and the sea and it was just lovely to sit in the sea breeze and watch the stars.
Wednesday we had a lovely long lie and then wandered down to the beach again. It was much the same as the previous day with lots of jumping in the sea, talking and some reading. We also treated ourselves to a couple of beers in the afternoon as they actually had waitresses in bikinis who would go and fetch drinks and food – it would have been rude not to use them!!!! We then decided to drive to Baja Marina to visit a bar diner called Fish Tales. The marina is on the bay side of the road and we had a lovely view over the water while having some lunch and a couple more beers.
In the evening we were fired up for a wild night out so decided to go to a place called Seacrets. It was a waterside complex with several bars, nightclub, dining. It actually has bar stools and tables which are in the water and you can also hire a float to lie in while sipping on a cold drink.
http://seacrets.com/
We enjoyed dancing to a Reggae band and rocking out to a Rock band as well. It was so much fun and we drank way too much and got home about 2.00a.m. Definitely worth it just to see the place.
Thursday we took it easy after our wild Wednesday night. I was originally supposed to be going home on Thursday but we were having so much fun that we decided I should stay another night and go home on Friday. The joys of being a Lady of leisure is that my plans can be so flexible. I did feel a bit guilty about leaving Jar working away to keep us all week, but I worked hard on getting over the guilt.
Thursday night we decided to go to another resort called Folgers Island for a posh last night dinner. It was a bit further away so I drove and just had a glass of wine with a lovely Shrimp and Chicken Thai curry. Vicky had a lovely piece of Sea bass. We were then going to drive down to the boardwalk again but both decided that we fancied just heading back to the room to read our books and have a wee nightcap. We just always seemed to want to do the same things and were totally on the same wavelength. Just chilled on the balcony for a while watching some kids have a bonfire on the beach.
Friday came and it was time for me to go home. Vicky was staying until Sunday but I wanted to go back and spend the weekend with Jarlath. The drive home was pleasant although the sat nav took me a slightly strange route off the main road but as I wasn’t in a rush it didn’t really bother me. I just cruised along with the roof down. Unfortunately as I was coming into Washington I saw lightning ahead and a very dark cloud but luckily I pulled over onto the hard shoulder and quickly managed to get the roof up before I drove into the rain. The rain was torrential so a bit depressing coming back to that after beautiful weather at the beach.
Well that was my week and it was so much fun. Vicky and I have also become so close after spending 3 nights and 4 days in each others pockets. We both admitted we were nervous about how it would go but agreed that we are very alike and will be good friends.
I also enjoyed Ocean City so much that Jar and I are going back there for a week in September for part of our main summer holidays. I booked the same place that Vicky and I stayed as it had everything we would need.
http://www.castleinthesand.com/
Here is some info on Ocean City and it is worth looking it up on a map as it is a strange long thin part of land but still in the state of Maryland.
Ocean City, sometimes known as OC, is an Atlantic Ocean resort town in Worcester County, Maryland, United States. Ocean City is widely known in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and is a frequent destination for vacationers. The population was 7,173 at the 2000 census.
The sun and surf of Ocean City, Maryland, have been attracting visitors since Algonquian tribes first came to our beaches to fish and sun themselves.
Europeans first arrived in 1524 when Giovanni da Verrazano surveyed the east coast of North America. By the 17th century, British colonists had moved north from Virginia and settled in the area.
Due to Ocean City's isolation as a barrier island, the town remained a sleepy fishing village until 1875, when the Atlantic Hotel began welcoming visitors. The following year, the railroad bridged Sinepuxent Bay, and a resort was born.
In 1878, heroes took up residence. The U.S. Life-Saving Service, an ancestor of today's Coast Guard, established a station here. Their mission: to venture out in stormy seas and rescue shipwreck victims. The second station, built in 1891, is now the Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum, enshrining Ocean City's history and saluting the brave men who worked here.
In 1900, the first boardwalk was constructed. Trimper's Amusements opened shortly after. Unlike today, however, the boardwalk wasn't a year-round fixture. The boards were actually taken up in the winter, and stored until the following spring!
The 20th century brought a dramatic separation and some vital connections. In August of 1933, a powerful storm ripped open a new channel from the bay to the ocean. Engineers made the inlet permanent, and with its new harbor, Ocean City became one of the east coast's premier sport fishing destinations–the White Marlin Capital of the World.
And what railroads did for Ocean City vacations in the 19th century, bridges accelerated in the 20th. In 1952, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge offered quick, direct access from Baltimore and Washington. In 1964, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel opened a direct connection to the Virginia Tidewater region. In a few short years, Ocean City, Maryland, established itself as the favorite resort for visitors from all over the eastern seaboard.
Today, Ocean City stretches along 10 miles of beautiful beach from the Inlet to the Delaware state line. Our classic wooden boardwalk offers nearly 3 miles of food, games and shopping. The Roland E. Powell Convention Center is a highly popular site for meetings of all sizes. And with more than 10,000 hotel rooms and 21,000 condominiums, we have accommodations for every need and taste.
Well hope everyone is well and I have finally managed to catch up on my blog. Xx
The link to photos:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=129929&id=626078744&l=571f35c059
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