Although I’ve been to Maine before I haven’t been to Portland (that I can remember!) and I’m very excited to be visiting the other “Texas girl” Renee. I fly from Austin to Boston and take a bus to Portland which is an easy and comfortable journey and I’m met at the bus station …
After getting settled at Renee’s house, we take a walk to the pier and go to Js Oyster Bar which is a long established unassuming eatery known for its fresh local seafood and served with no nonsense around a bar.
The food is delish – we have fish pie, chowder and mussels and wine is sold by the glass and served in small glasses filled to the top – love it!! We have a bit of craic with the barman who pours a pint of Guinness straight all the way to the top, no waiting for it to settle or anything… he plonks it in front of the guy beside us (who happens to be the oyster shucker on his break) and I can’t help but slag him over how bad a job he did. In fairness he accepted the comment with a chuckle and made a better effort on the next one!!!
There are lots of bars in Portland and they have a bit of a craft beer reputation but as I’m here with Renee and not himself, we hit a cocktail bar! I have a really tasty gimlet and then decide to have another… yep, its that good!
We are staying out a little late tonight as Jennifer is flying in from Austin so we can do a road trip tomorrow. We get the call before midnight for the airport pick up and we are on it… the 3 amigos are reunited!
Next morning we are ready for our road trip to Montreal – that’s in another blog post! Before we hit the road, we see a bit of town and some beautiful houses en route to stock up in the local bakery!
We see the Portland Observatory, which looks like a lighthouse in the middle of town!
Now I’ve jumped past the Montreal weekend (see other blogpost) and I’m back en route to Maine with Renee (Jennifer flew back to Austin this morning).
Back on US soil (yep, they let me back in!), we stop to view this amazing place…. Standing to the east of Mount Washington the namesakes Hotel was completed in 1902 as one of the largest, most modern grand hotels in the White Mountains, one of the few built in a single campaign. Served by as many as 57 trains a day, the Mount Washington Hotel became known as one of the most luxurious summer resorts in the United States. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986.
Spring has sprung while we were away and the weather is gorgeous. Tonight we go to Renee’s sister’s house and have the first bbq of the season, sitting outside and enjoying a delicious dinner and the lovely garden.
I have two full days to explore Maine before I continue on my travels. Next day I have a leisurely morning catching up on some admin and then I take a long walk through town and along the Eastern promenade.
In Renee’s words, the people of Portland are aggressively polite which I think is both hilarious and accurate!
When I have 10,000 steps logged, I stop for lunch at Luke’s Lobster which has outdoor seating and looks out to the water. I have the most delicious lobster BLT and enjoy the sunshine and a little rest.
I spend some time in the beautiful Sherman’s bookstore which, as the sign says, is the oldest bookstore in Maine!
This evening, once Renee is finished work, we head out to Fort Williams Park.
The park is home to the very famous and iconic lighthouse “Portland Head Light” that you see on all the Maine postcards. It’s Maine’s oldest lighthouse, built between 1787 and 1790, and commissioned by George Washington. It is still active today and is the most photographed lighthouse in America.
We walk along the coastline and see it from the other angle. It really is beautiful.
Tonight we are dining at a local institution – The Lobster Shack! Apparently there are 49 species of lobster in the world and Maine lobster is the most highly coveted species because of its sweet and tender meat. Additionally, Maine lobster has a less salty taste than other lobsters as a result of the cold-water temperatures of the Northeast. Having had it for lunch and now again for dinner, I can confirm it is truly delicious. We also try a whoopie -pie for good measure!
Next day I set off for another walk around town and explore some new streets. I just happened upon the holy donut – donuts made with potatoes – gonna have to try something from here.
I continue downtown and spend a couple of hours at Portland Museum of Art as a guest of Renee who’s a member (happy days!). It exceeds my expectations on a number of fronts. It’s much bigger than you would think from the outside and it has an impressive collection including some European impressionists.
Some of the paintings I enjoyed….
At the back side of the building, it leads into an old house that’s been preserved for viewing – it’s very impressive.
I wander back to the house and Renee has finished work so it’s time to try out some pickle ball. We were rocking those courts!!
After all that we deserve a nice meal and so we head to Kong Tu Bot where we watch the funky chef cook our meal (while teaching someone) and serve it up to us at the counter… it’s delicious and we are happy out as we enjoy our final evening together.
Next day I have a little time before getting the bus to Boston for my onward journey home (well home via Iceland!). I decide to go for a half run/walk and this time head west. There are so many trees in bloom and I want to say these are cherry blossoms but I’m not sure… whatever they are, they’re everywhere and they’re beautiful.
This part of town is super fancy with lots of big expensive looking houses.
I run through an old graveyard, stop at the award winning ZU bakery and then my time is up and I have to say goodbye to my Texas Girl – I know we’re in Maine but she’ll always be a Texas girl to me.
Until next time!
odohertyelaine 