As we wrapped up our cruise near Portland it was time to set out to Ogunquit. Take 95 south to Highway 1 south and you will eventually find Ogunquit. Ogunquit meant "beautiful place by the sea" in the native language. One of Maine's slogans is "Life the way it should be". Both phrases catch the spirit of the place. One needs to take Ogunquit at its pace. If you were to try to be really active you would exhaust your options quickly and become restless. If you did almost nothing it wouldn't justify the costs of staying there. The best approach is to be laid back and take it as it comes.
We arrived at our B and B in the late afternoon and then went to the beach and the Marginal Way. Between that evening and the next morning I saw the major difference between high and low tide. Someday I'd like to learn more about this type of thing. We had some issues finding the Marginal Way from Shore Dr. but eventually a nice hotel employee let us go through their private property and onto the trail. It's a curby path with the jagged cliffs, small beaches, and ocean views to one side and hotels and oceanfront property to the other side.
By the time we arrived to Perkins Cove it was dark. We dined at Barnacle Billy's, a mainstay there with two different sets of atmosphere. Another delicous lobster dinner and we were back on our way for a night of rest. I was now in vacation mode. Life the way it should be.
Showing posts with label Maine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Maine. Show all posts
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Maine vacation, day two, part 3
I have been putting off this post and the rest of the Maine trip essays because of the lack of details I have about the harbor cruise we took that afternoon. No more. You can miss all the details and always go there for yourself.
It was a sunny day, slightly breezy day and optimal for a Lighthouse Lovers Cruise. We chose Portland Discovery out of a few different options. We went out, passed some lighthouses, Cape Elizabeth, other islands that form part of Portland, saw lobster traps and civil war forts, and then eventually went through Casco Bay and around Portland back to the harbor.
Our guide had a nice thick mustache and took his duties seriously. He needed to communicate with the captain, give his talking points, and take questions from the crowd. There was so much to see and learn about that at some point it became overkill. He didn't speak incessantly or any more than he needed to, yet I think cruises like this should have some quiet time to hear the natural sounds of the boat cutting waves, the birds, and any other such sounds. I suppose passengers can choose to tune out the guide, which many people did.
By this time, our full first afternoon on the land or water of Maine, my wife and I were slowly but surely falling in love with Portland. Perhaps it was just the idyllic August weather, the lobster rolls, or the laid back, not-so-big city feel. As the cruise wound down we realized that the time to leave Portland for Ogunquit was near. Fortunately we knew we'd return in just a few days, and it felt like we'd be going to visit an old friend.
It was a sunny day, slightly breezy day and optimal for a Lighthouse Lovers Cruise. We chose Portland Discovery out of a few different options. We went out, passed some lighthouses, Cape Elizabeth, other islands that form part of Portland, saw lobster traps and civil war forts, and then eventually went through Casco Bay and around Portland back to the harbor.
Our guide had a nice thick mustache and took his duties seriously. He needed to communicate with the captain, give his talking points, and take questions from the crowd. There was so much to see and learn about that at some point it became overkill. He didn't speak incessantly or any more than he needed to, yet I think cruises like this should have some quiet time to hear the natural sounds of the boat cutting waves, the birds, and any other such sounds. I suppose passengers can choose to tune out the guide, which many people did.
By this time, our full first afternoon on the land or water of Maine, my wife and I were slowly but surely falling in love with Portland. Perhaps it was just the idyllic August weather, the lobster rolls, or the laid back, not-so-big city feel. As the cruise wound down we realized that the time to leave Portland for Ogunquit was near. Fortunately we knew we'd return in just a few days, and it felt like we'd be going to visit an old friend.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Maine vacation, day two, part two - Portland Lobster Company
Commercial Street is where I'd recommend a first-time visitor to start in Portland. Here you will find most of what you'll want to do. We started by securing our tickets for a cruise of the harbor, and then made our way to lunch at the Portland Lobster Company. A few locals told us to visit, and we were glad they did. This is sort of the standard lobster place: near the water, overpriced, but leaving you wanting more. We ordered a lobster roll, clam chowder, and clam strips. The lobster roll was nearly $16, but I could easily justify it because if you go to Maine you must eat lobster. It may sound trite to those that have never been to Maine, but once there you will accept it. This was the first of many lobster meals for us.
The Portland Lobster Company extends out into the harbor and is adjacent to where the tour boats dock.
Some of it is covered by umbrellas and the rest is a large eating area. The next Maine post will be about the cruise, which was more enjoyable from eating such a satisfying meal.
The Portland Lobster Company extends out into the harbor and is adjacent to where the tour boats dock.
Some of it is covered by umbrellas and the rest is a large eating area. The next Maine post will be about the cruise, which was more enjoyable from eating such a satisfying meal.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Maine vacation day one - arrival to Portland
This February my wife and I marked 15 years of marriage. We've talked for years about taking a major vacation. Italy and Greece were what we talked about most. Alas, it was not in the cards for various reasons, namely lack of time and money. We decided to go somewhere new and Maine in August sounded nice.
We arrived to the Portland Jetport about 6pm. As we walked to the baggage claim area I noticed all the late-middle age and elderly New Englanders. They have pale, tough-looking exteriors but you can see a twinkle in the eye and an occasional smile. They tend to dress better than their cohorts in the rest of the US. With the ladies you can see the usual signs of aging but can tell that probably 20 years ago they were beautiful, not to mention 30 or 40 years ago.
With printed Google maps in hand we left and had an 8 minute ride to the Days Inn in South Portland. If only it were that simple. As expected we got into a category 3 argument because we both were disoriented by the lousy maps and did not know whether to go straight, left, or right at the first stop sign. My instinct was left, which ended up being correct. But I let my wife be wrong about the other two directions first. Eventually it was easy to find.
I didn't know then how easy it would be to move around the Greater Portland area. On our way to the Flatbread Company for dinner we managed to argue some more about which exit to get off, then who to ask for help (or not), and whether the water was this way or that (it was both). A nice pedestrian eventually told us how to get to Commercial Street, and life started getting better.
Flatbread Company is right on the harbor. It serves a number of local and regional beers as well as delicious wood-fired flatbread pizzas. It has a noisy indoor section and a calmer outdoor section. I walked away quite satisfied. After poking around a bit looking for activities the next day, we headed back to South Portland, looking forward to returning the next day, and knowing at least how to find out way back peacefully.
We arrived to the Portland Jetport about 6pm. As we walked to the baggage claim area I noticed all the late-middle age and elderly New Englanders. They have pale, tough-looking exteriors but you can see a twinkle in the eye and an occasional smile. They tend to dress better than their cohorts in the rest of the US. With the ladies you can see the usual signs of aging but can tell that probably 20 years ago they were beautiful, not to mention 30 or 40 years ago.
With printed Google maps in hand we left and had an 8 minute ride to the Days Inn in South Portland. If only it were that simple. As expected we got into a category 3 argument because we both were disoriented by the lousy maps and did not know whether to go straight, left, or right at the first stop sign. My instinct was left, which ended up being correct. But I let my wife be wrong about the other two directions first. Eventually it was easy to find.
I didn't know then how easy it would be to move around the Greater Portland area. On our way to the Flatbread Company for dinner we managed to argue some more about which exit to get off, then who to ask for help (or not), and whether the water was this way or that (it was both). A nice pedestrian eventually told us how to get to Commercial Street, and life started getting better.
Flatbread Company is right on the harbor. It serves a number of local and regional beers as well as delicious wood-fired flatbread pizzas. It has a noisy indoor section and a calmer outdoor section. I walked away quite satisfied. After poking around a bit looking for activities the next day, we headed back to South Portland, looking forward to returning the next day, and knowing at least how to find out way back peacefully.
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