Summer in Provincetown

Last updated on March 2nd, 2024

Provincetown is at the very end of the Cape. It is an out-of-the-way place that has long attracted a mix of artists, loners, and outsiders of various sorts. That history gives it a racy, artsy reputation that attracts lots of day-trippers looking for something different.

There are interesting galleries and shops, but there is a lot of junk too and there are lots of people. Too many people. Still, I like the architecture and lively streetscape.

On Commercial Street, the main shopping street, it’s hard to think that this was once a hardworking fishing and whaling center. However, closer to the harbor, that history becomes more evident and  alive.

I’d like to come here in the winter, when almost everyone is gone and grey skies and solitude are the order of the day, when the shops and restaurants are closed and dinner is a meal cooked at home. I think the past would come to life, the cold winter wind bringing with it memories of isolation and difficulty and joy from days long gone. Memories of a way of life long gone.

Today, in the hot sun, it is just a cute tourist town, a brief summer escape.

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