When I met G several years ago, I was introduced to Walden Pond. Walden entrances G about as much as it did Thoreau, although Thoreau's retreat and sactuary has been developed enough to now include a man-helped beach and a boat launch. G loves that the lake water is clean and warm enough to swim (unlike the chilly Atlantic, even in summer) and likes the trees, nature and peace that can be found at far ends of the pond.
Having grown up in the middle of the country where a vacation to the beach (either a loooong drive to the Gulf or a flight out to Massachusetts) was a luxury, I never take the close beaches nearby for granted and try to go every weekend in the summer, weather permitting. Two summers ago I assumed G would feel the same way. But the beach for him is a tempting, yet prohibitively cold body of water...and roasting in the sand amidst crying children and my own personal favorite, leathery Boston natives oiling their wrinkly dark skin, all while smoking cigarettes, causes him to be grumpy.
An article in last week's New York Times almost perfectly captured the eternal dilemma-- go to Walden or the beach? While To Beach or Not to Beach argues the merits of purchasing a second home either on the beach or in the mountains, on a lake, the sentiments behind each choice resonate clearly, 'Both money and memories have played starring roles in the vacation-home debate that has long occupied Tom and Kathy Kingston. "We've been happily married for 37 years," Mr. Kingston said. "But 30 of them have been spent debating the merits of beach versus mountains."' I identified with Ms. Fox: "Being the ultimate New Yorker, I don't have a driver's license, and my husband didn't want to be involved in my getting there," she said. "Even when we go to the beach as a family, it's always on a timer, and after a few minutes he starts to complain about being sunburned." G is well known for his propensity to get "cooked" and guards our water supply closely. But in the article, "Mr. Kingston will counter that there is more to do in the mountains — there's biking, there's hiking. If it rains at the beach, what can you do besides head for the movies?"
Since G and I don't even own our first home, so are clearly not in the leagues of those vying for a second, vacation, home, our main arguments can be reduced to scouring the weather-- if both weekend days are sunny, like this last one, we can go to the beach one day and Walden the other. That works much better than resorting to civil disobedience recommended by Thoreau.
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About Me
- Zandrea!
- The friendship of Zara and Andrea (together, Zandrea!) is as varied as the range of letters between A and Z. Andrea is a committer to plans, and plans must be made. Whether it be a quiet dinner in or a weekly bar night with the ladies, Andrea likes to fill her social calendar. Nights in might include reading a book or a New Yorker, but would rarely entail tv watching (although a well-groomed Netflix list is a must). She is a member of many frequent flier "clubs", but due to her democratic nature, refuses to cash in for the upgrade, instead hoping for that elusive (just waiting for those additional 15,000 miles) future trip around the world. Zara is going to update her information when she finds the time.
1 comment:
Interesting. Although France is a tiny country compared with the USA, there in the summer many people choose to vacation by inland lakes - les etangs - rather than the often crowded seaside. Les etangs ar murky but warmer than the sea. I never did gett over the mystery of where my feet were treading, imagining some toothy eel lurking in the silt and rotting vegetation. I love the beach, the sand, the timeless hours, the chill of the water and the turning of the waves but having visited Hampton Beach in New Hampshire, I know what you mean about irritating Bostonians in the sun with their frisbees and cigarettes.
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