The Maine Thing

Before the weather gets seriously cold, I made the 6-hour drive to the eastern part of Maine and revisited the sights that I haven't seen in more than a decade. Summer is over and the mad rush of vacationers ended weeks ago. Hotel/motel rooms, cabins, and campsites ran abundant, and the coastal highway U.S. Route 1 experiences less traffic at this time of the year. Aside from its awesome natural beauty, Maine is also known for its seafood. People settled the coastal areas in the 1600s, and since then the sea has provided the local population a means of livelihood and a proud maritime tradition. Here's a photo of the dock and bay area in Boothbay Harbor (above). This scene is typical of the area. Maine's lobsters are world famous, and sat high on my must-have list..Together with family, I found a nice restaurant by the water where we chose the lobster(s), and then they were cooked in a huge vat of boiling water right in front of us. In a few minutes, they resurfaced as a dish for our immediate and unabashed consumption. I added an order of steamers, corn, cole slaw, and pints of golden ale to ease them down our systems. This salubrious undertaking was made better by the location of our picnic bench on a raised deck, overlooking the water. In situations like these, conversation is kept at a minimum. Life is good!