A main difference, of course, is the serenity and beauty on the Outer Cape, which remains the reason so many tourists choose Wellfleet for their vacation. Over the past few weeks, I have noticed other differences though, that I would like to share:1.) Pedestrians in Boston/Cambridge ride the subway and walk around with their eyes fixed on a smart phone or Kindle. Pedestrians in Wellfleet look up to admire the view.
2.) Wellfleet has one museum, and it’s only open in summer. Boston even offers free museum days, last Monday, for instance, Martin Luther King Day. (In Boston/Cambridge, Wellfleetians can go museum-wild, using passes from the public library.)
3.) In Boston, you can see elderly folks riding the bus, with walkers. In Wellfleet, not so much.
4.) The pace is frenetic in the city. In Wellfleet, people take their time, except in high season.
5.) Boston offers more options for organic food. To buy organic, you don’t have to jump in a car and travel 20 minutes away.
6.) Dinner in a good city restaurant is more affordable, dramatically so.
7.) Like ethnic cuisine? Boston offers Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Indian, Japanese, Portuguese, French, etc.
8.) Eat gluten-free? It’s possible to find whole gluten-free restaurants in the city.
9.) Urban crime is always a possibility so people lock doors. Still, neighbors tend to know each other, which is less likely in Wellfleet with 72% of the housing stock being owned by non-residents.
10.) If I photographed a random group of people on the street in Wellfleet, the median age would be maybe 50. The general population in Boston feels younger, due to the large numbers of students rushing everywhere.
11.) In Boston, pharmacy checkout is now by machine. In Wellfleet we can still stand at a counter and interact with trained personnel.
12.) In Wellfleet, oysters can be found by the bucket, fresh off the flats. They cost $1 an oyster at Mac’s Seafood in Eastham. At Legal Seafood, a platter of six Wellfleets costs $13.95.
Some of you live in the city year-round. Can you add to this list?
