Martha's Vineyard

CEBU, Philippines - Our trip to Martha’s Vineyard was set, so I asked my co-worker who is a travel buff,   “Is there anything I have to see in Martha’s Vineyard?”

“No,” she replied.

For once, it’s nice to have a relaxing getaway instead of being pressured to sightsee. And just because there’s not much to sightsee doesn’t mean a place is not worth visiting, as proved by the thousands of visitors who flock to the island.

My husband said the fast ferry that took us from Rhode Island to Martha’s Vineyard reminded him of the Supercat or Weesam Express in the Philippines, which he took to travel between Cebu and Bohol. There were no crowds waiting at the dock at Martha’s Vineyard: no stream of kargadores competing for customers, no whole families waiting to welcome one person, no vendors selling kalamay or fresh mangoes. Instead, we were greeted by a frigid wind. It was early June, but it was 30 degrees colder than it was in New Jersey where we live. I had packed capri pants and shorts. Only as an afterthought had I included a pair of jeans which would be my necessary wardrobe at the Vineyard. I had to purchase a warm sweater with the words “Martha’s Vineyard” on the front and “South Beach” on the back. Great, now I was obviously a tourist!

Not that I could have disguised the fact, anyway. I did not see another Filipino on the island. I saw a few Asians and African-Americans, but not a lot of Latinos, which is a big change from NJ. Instead, I noticed many Eastern Europeans, working at restaurants and other shops. According to The Martha’s Vineyard Times, many students from the American University in Bulgaria work there in the summer.

Martha’s Vineyard is an island which is part of the state of Massachusetts, and can be reached either by sea or by air. It is the perfect place to spend an extended weekend. It’s close enough from NJ and if peak season hasn’t started, the Bed and Breakfast inns are more affordable. By the end of June though, visitors swell to six times the population, and prices at the inns rise, as well. Personalities like Bill Clinton, James Taylor and Carly Simon are known to enjoy summers there, and more than half of the homes on the island are summer residences.

I didn’t see any Starbucks or McDonalds on the island, which are staples on the “mainland”. Instead, they have many family-owned businesses that are passed on to the next generations. The island has six towns, but I was glad my husband and I picked Oak Bluffs, which seems to be the busiest town. Oak Bluffs has many quaint boutiques and none of the large brand name stores on the mainland. It has its own brewery (Offshore Ale Co.), and a variety of restaurants: Thai, Mexican, Italian and several seafood restaurants. In the Philippines we have plenty of rice; Martha’s Vineyard has plenty of lobster.

There’s lobster roll: a lobster salad served in a buttery hotdog-bun. They serve lobster in salads, in appetizers or as entrees. There is even an ice cream flavor called Lobster. Seafood in ice cream? I had to try it. The shops oblige you with a little sample before you buy. My favorite shop there, Ben & Bill’s, describes the Lobster flavor as follows: butter base, lobster chunks, butter. “Yes, there are real lobster chunks in the ice cream!”, the label says. And they say Filipino Cheese ice cream is weird. I’d take Selecta’s Quezo Real over Lobster ice cream any day.

But have no fear: lobster is not the only flavor available. There is plenty to choose from, and ice cream shops at the Vineyard are like Starbucks in New York City: you’ll find them everywhere.

We were stunned by the size of the servings. This is what they call “kids’ size”: two generous scoops of ice cream crammed into a tiny sugar cone. We had to ask for extra cups because our “cones runneth over”. But, I bravely faced this challenge. In fact, I conquered it every day.

Having noticed our young server at an excellent Italian restaurant called Giordano’s, it occurred to me that the workforce on the island are mostly college kids, probably trying to make extra money during the summer. Another guy working at a Bike Rental shop was from Ohio and worked eight months on the island and was off the rest of the year. It must be nice, I thought. He said, “I like five months out of the eight.”

Like I said, there isn’t much to sightsee in Martha’s Vineyard. “Lighthouse tours” did not sound appealing to me. Neither did the Flying Horses Carousel—the oldest wooden carousel in the country and a National Historic Landmark. They are still operating, serving fresh Popcorn and featuring a gift shop. Maybe it’s time to retire it? A 2007 book called Exploring Martha’s Vineyard suggested that “Cemetery buffs might like to explore the Proprieteer’s Burial ground behind the town hall…” Lighthouses? Cemeteries? Let me go get another ice cream cone, instead!

What is worth visiting is the Cottage Museum at The Methodist Campgrounds: a little village with candy-colored cottages with names like Summer Love, Gingerbread House and Descheneaux. They have been there since the 1800s. It’s like stumbling into Fairytale Land. You almost expect Goldilocks to emerge from one of the cottages.

I love that the island is only around 233 square kilometers, small enough to enjoy fully in a few days. On a rainy day we rented a car and drove to the quieter town of Aquinnah, where the Wampanoag Indians settled. Bike riding is also popular on the island. Motorists are mindful of bikers, unlike in New Jersey where biking on the main road is like signing a death warrant. The beach road from Oak Bluffs to Edgartown is the best scenic route to take, with a view of the Atlantic Ocean on one side. From Edgartown, South Beach is only three miles farther. The water was still cold, but several people were lying on the sand, enjoying the sun.

Martha’s Vineyard is the perfect place for a vacation—and for ice cream. (FREEMAN)