Coastal Maine Forays

My travels north continue with the idea of seeing and experiencing new adventures.  I am using my friend's North Yarmouth home as a launching pad to visit other corners of Maine.   We were getting ready for our camping part of the trip so we went into Portland to stock up on essential supplies.  If LL Beans supplies the outdoorsman then Trader Joe's, in my opinion supplies essentials for your interior.  The store in Portland was stocked with the usuals that I have grown accustomed since growing up by the first store in South Pasadena, California.  It seems everywhere I have moved I have found the stores or they were soon to arrive.  Unfortunately, there is not one in Tarpon, but in Maine they have a store. 

Of course a stop at a sea faring town requires a stop by the docks for some nourishment.  Here by the Portland ferry terminal we found Flatbreads with all manner of American organic style pizzas  which we downed with some fine local unfiltered strong cider.

Outside the restaurant there was this unique chalkboard allowing people to come up with their version of a "bucket list."  I found it troubling that people should be concerned with such a topic given that I have not given it much thought and I suspect I am closer to it than most of those scratching on some kind of place or?  Commercialism is taking on "bucket lists".

All I concern myself with now is hedonism and making sure that I help as many people as I can along the way.  For that matter that has not changed too terribly much.  My idea of a great time is sharing food and drink and meeting new people and seeing new places.  This I hold above all else.  Life must be good or you are doing it wrong.

My friend Scott took me to meet a kindred spirit and lover of gardens.  Hilaria put on quite a spread for us with wines and all manner of snacks for this version of high tea without tea.  Scott's son was visiting from Australia with a girlfriend in tow:  a wonderful couple.  Maybe when I get around to visiting Australia I will look them up in Perth.

For now, I am on a "Lobster Quest".  Here where lobsters are a bit of a god placed on top of buildings like saints you either love them or leave them.  They are everywhere.  

There is even a festival if not more that totally exult the lobster and its effect on people.  The Rockland festival is coming up and there is still time to plan a trip here if you haven't done so.  I normally stuffed myself at Red's in Wiscasset Maine, but the queue is an hour long to get your pound of lobster.  

Thanks to a friend we stayed in Rockport Maine.  This is yet another place of worship to the crustacean.  You can indulge a Graffam Brothers.  They have a restaurant in Camden and a store and a mobile stand in Rockport.  You can get a pound of scrumptiously prepared lobster on a roll with chips, Cole slaw and a drink for $12.00 or simply take one home from the market and toast the role yourself for $8.99.  

Something for everyone.  If you don't believe check out the numbers last week.  I am sure they have added a thousand or two more since then!

Rockland Lighthouse

Camden Maine from Mt. Battie

Mt. Battie from Camden Harbor

Maine is almost like a state of mind.  It comes cool, hot, sunny our cloudy with or without mosquitos.  I really enjoy the chance to get away and connect with friends and share stories and good times.  It is also great to see Limo run along deserted shores.  This time around it has been rather warm up here but well you can't have everything.  Besides I am heading to New Brunswick next where it is a lot cooler than Maine!  Until then...