Oak Bluffs (Martha's Vineyard)

Today we took the bus up to Oak Bluffs. It has a real-life old-timey carousel where you try to grab the brass ring for a free ride, just like in The Catcher in the Rye. We figured we would let the kids ride it once and then we'd move on to something else. Matt paid to go on the ride because he wasn't sure the boys would be able to reach the rings. Well, we didn't have to worry about Conrad and Mark missing any rings. They had no trouble at all.

In fact, Mark got the brass ring, which was exciting but presented a bit of a dilemma because, of course, Conrad did not win a free ride. We decided to avoid a scene and paid for Conrad to ride again. Then Mark got the brass ring again. The second time, we didn't pay for Conrad to ride. This resulted in tears and recrimination because, of course, "It's not fair!" On the third ride, the girl in front of Mark got the brass ring, narrowly averting further disaster.

We visited the Back Door Bakery, which is famous for its gigantic apple fritters. It is also famous for selling hot donuts and fritters out the door to the back alley at night. I was not that excited about the fritters because although I like fried dough as much as the next person, I usually prefer to waste my calories on things like ice cream and chocolate. The apple fritter, although not hot, was the best fritter I have ever had. Matt said he could totally see how a slightly inebriated consumer buying a hot, gooey fritter in an alley at night could have a life altering religious experience. Upon seeing all the donuts that Matt bought (really only a dozen donuts and two giant fritters), Mark said, "Dad, why did you buy a lifetime supply of donuts?" 

The Campground section of town contains a packed together collection of colorful cottages, many of which  resemble fairy-tale inspired gingerbread houses. They are very charming but I would get tired of all the tourists walking by, staring and taking pictures. By the looks on some of the residents' faces, they seemed to share the sentiment.