The State of Rhode Island

For my 700^th review the state of RI! I am from Michigan but I really love it here. I have been here about 10 years now and it’s great. Providence, South County, Newport, Block Island. I love the beaches and we have nice parks, an airport that doesn’t give you a headache, awesome food, and a good small social scene. Close to NYC, Boston, the cape, and you can get to many other great places within a few hours. What’s not to love

Rhode Island
is called
The Ocean State
A friend of mine from another state once remarked that most of Rhode Island is water. That isn’t far from the truth; If not actually water, most of the state is connected with the water, especially the ocean. If you love the ocean you will love Rhode Island. If you fear or dislike the water it probably isn’t the best place to live.
It is the smallest state in the country and Narragansett Bay cuts right through most of it. Most of the the larger towns and cities are either on the water or very close to it and came into existence because of the water. Providence, Newport, Warwick and Bristol all can be reached from the sea and the many naval installations and forts facilitated the development of the areas. Small kayaks, speedy cigarette boats, luxurious yachts, huge tankers, container ships, cruise liners and even an occasional aircraft carrier can be seen sharing the waters of Narragansett Bay.
Smaller towns along the south coast and the bay still owe their living to either fishing or the tourism that the great beaches bring. Because of it’s small size no place in the state is very far from the ocean and the inland parts have a multitude of rivers, lakes and ponds. Most of the people that have lived here for long know boats, fish, weather and the vicissitudes and power of the ocean. The people that don’t respect the sea tend to die young and all the fisherman know the old saying that the ocean is a great friend that is always trying to kill you.
For such a dinky little state, Rhode Island has a long history and an impressive list of firsts. In 1652 It was the very first state to pass a law prohibiting slavery. In 1772 the attack on the tax collection ship Gaspee was the first armed rebellion against Britain. On may 4^th in 1776 Rhode Island was the first colony to declare independence from Britain. On a simpler and more pragmatic side a whole plethora of seafood dishes got their start in Rhode Island.
Reflecting the pragmatism and direct and uncomplicated way of thinking and living are the state symbols. The state tree is the maple, state flower is the common violet and that state animal is a chicken. Nothing exotic or fancy. Just things you see everyday but still should take the time to appreciate. The state motto isn’t some esoteric or convoluted translation from a dead or arcane language. Just one word. Hope.
Being such a small state you aren’t far from Boston or New York City if you choose to visit them or the hills and wildness of Maine and New Hampshire. Zillions of huge universities or smaller colleges are everywhere and state of the art medical centers are close by. Both the advantages of crowded cities and the isolation and solitude of bucolic woods and uninhabited islands.
Of course the state has the usual troubles of high taxes, crime, crappy roads, corrupt and incompetent politicians and high unemployment that seem to be infesting most parts of the country these days. But no matter how stressful something is you know you can always quickly get to the ocean to clear your mind and soul. No matter how bad things are, being on the ocean, with the wind and salt in your face will always make everything better. If you love the ocean you will love Rhode Island.