“Those who deny
freedom for others
deserve it not
themselves.”
Abraham Lincoln

Our first day in Bristol, Rhode Island could not have been better. A fierce storm, with hurricane-force winds, had battered the town the night before, but the sun was shining brightly as the American Star pulled into port for the Fourth of July. 

Bristol holds the record for the oldest continuous celebration of the Fourth of July in the United States. The parade dates back to 1785. People lined both sides of Hope Street in anticipation of the parade passing by. 

My high school classmate, Steve Aveson, greeted us at the dock as Kathy and I disembarked the American Star a day before the end of our cruise. He walked us up to his home on Constitution Street, just a few blocks from the dock. We dropped off our luggage in the guest cottage of Steve and Karen’s home and walked down to the corner at Hope Street to watch the annual parade. It was quite an experience.

When the parade ended, we returned to Steve and Karen’s home for an Independence Day barbecue. The post-storm weather was ideal, as the humidity level was lower than usual. We enjoyed our time with Steve, Karen, and the other visitors. Then it was nap time!

We awoke and enjoyed an early dinner of leftovers from lunch before taking a walk down to the harbor where we were treated to a spectacular sunset. As it began to get dark, we headed back to the house for dessert. A perfect end to a beautiful day.