untold blisses

Miles travelled
77

Where we stayed
Omni, Providence, RI.  Super nice hotel.  We’d booked a room with two beds (queen or double – still confused) but it was the type of bed that wasn’t quite big enough for two people so we took a bed each.  I then became paranoid that people would think we were some sad couple that slept in separate beds – like who?  Who would care?  Still, we both had a really nice sleep!  We also were entitled to a free drink each at breakfast (Husband had a coffee) and we had a great view of Providence.  I’d definitely go back.

Where we ate
Lunch at Panera.
Dinner was at  Joe’s American, because literally everywhere else was packed!  The hostess couldn’t give a crap when we walked in, so it wasn’t a great start, but our waitress was much nicer.  We shared some nachos to start, then I had a cheeseburger and Husband had Maine Crabcakes.  I bought some Oreos from CVS, so dessert back in the room was cookies 🙂

Photos
Day Eleven

Today was definitely one of my favourites.  It was also the day where I almost ruined the rest of the holiday.  How exciting.

We were kept awake for hours on our second night in Hyannis by what felt like hundreds of people banging doors, yelling and arguing in the corridor, stomping to their rooms.  I think we were lucky that of all the hotels we’d stayed at so far, this was the first hotel that we’d had a bad experience in.  Fortunately, the front desk staff were amazing, and immediately offered us an apology and a refund.  Such professionalism (and it bumped my Trip Advisor rating up!) and so much more than I expected.

We didn’t have far to drive today, and we’d already driven through Providence a couple of days ago on the way from Foxwoods, so we knew we were expecting a big city again.  Our hotel was connected to the Providence Place Mall, the Convention Center, and the Dunkin Donuts Center, so had a massive parking garage next to it and was really well signposted – we pretty much took a right off the I95, then another right, then PARKED!  Phew!  No difficult driving at all.

We walked around the mall for what felt like hours, not because we were shopping but because we couldn’t get out.  We could see the outside, but we just couldn’t get to it!  Finally, we found the doors and walked over to the State House to take some pretty photos, and then we decided to walk up to Brown.

I completely fell in love with Brown.  It was a Sunday so very few of the students were around cluttering up the place and the Main Green was stunning.  I want to work here SO BADLY.  I’m so glad we visited – it was like an absolute dream.  I was treated to a lovely tour by Husband (who claims to have a double doctorate which I’m pretty sure isn’t a thing) and most, if not all, of the facts he was giving me were nonsense, so I wouldn’t recommend it.

We had done online check in for our hotel (didn’t even know you could – how modern!) but we hadn’t actually been to our room, and we also need to collect our Providence Bruins ice hockey tickets, so we took a really leisurely walk back to our Hotel/Mall/Convention Center/other-things complex through beautiful Providence.  It was so quiet and peaceful – no one was about!  I guess everyone stays in on a Sunday.

We stopped at Panera for some cinnamon rolls and free WiFi, went over to collect our ice hockey tickets, then took our bags to our room (once we found our way to the lobby).  We hung out in the gorgeous room for while, before walking back to the Dunkin Donuts Center for my first ice hockey match in over a decade.  First up – shopping and I bought myself a puck and a cute little zamboni.  We found our seats, sat through three anthems song by children, and then the bout started.  We managed to get buy-one-get-one-free tickets so it cost us barely a thing, and it was genuinely a really great match.  The Providence Bruins were playing the St John’s Ice Caps – both in the American Hockey League, although the Ice Caps are Canadian so that’s confusing.  It felt so American – Fan Cam, people cheering the fights, and Husband and I even got on kiss cam.  To complete the American experience, I decided to get a hot dog after the first period.

I should not have done this.

Walking back down the stairs to our seats, I was concentrating more on not dropping the hot dog then where I was putting my foot, and I inevitably fell down the stairs.  It was so embarrassing – I fell right next to a bunch of people and the usher was yelling across the bleachers “Ma’am?  Are you ok?”  I just wanted the floor to open up!  It was only when I stood up (hot dog still in hand – hooray!) that I realised my left ankle was killing me, as was my right big toe.  I honestly thought I had broken my ankle, but thank goodness I hadn’t, and I managed to limp down the rest of the stairs without further incident.  I suspect I may have broken my toe though, as I still can’t really bend it that well over three weeks later.

Obviously you’re thinking that my wonderful Husband rushed to my aide.  No.  He was checking the weather back at home.

Anyway, we watched the rest of the match with my leg up on the chairs next to me.  The Bruins won 5-2, everyone cheering and going home happy.  I dragged my sorry ass back to the hotel in excruciating pain, stopping at the CVS on the way to get some ankle support.  But hey, if I hadn’t have gone in this CVS, then I wouldn’t have found the Cover Girl Hunger Games display and bought some nail wraps from the Capitol Collection, so maybe I was meant to almost break my ankle so I could find them (bright side).

Back at the hotel, I propped my foot up on the bed and googled sprains, whilst Husband looked at what dinner places were nearby.  We thought we’d be ok as there was a bunch of restaurants in the mall (including the Cheesecake Factory – WOO!) but as I hobbled up and down Francis Street, we soon realised that everywhere was packed solid.  The last place we tried was Joe’s American Bar and Grill, which fortunately had a table (a table with a crappy broken booth, but that’s ok).

Dinner eaten, I realised I wanted/needed painkillers for my hideously swollen ankle so into the CVS we went again – no Cover Girl for me this time – and then back to the room where I watched Revenge whilst elevating my leg, all the while wondering how on earth I was going to survive the next three days walking around Boston.

And I’m still wearing my ankle support over three weeks later.  Oopsie.