Boothbay, Portland and Madeleine’s 30th!!

Boothbay

Our stay is planned for two nights at The Boothbay Craft Brewery. It looks like a fun place to stay. Close to town and lots going on here too! The first evening is spent showering, cleaning up and enjoying the food and beer on site! Tomorrow we are headed to the ‘town’!

Our first stop is the docks. I read about a boat you could rent, with a captain, and I think that would be fun. I am not sure we are up for another boat ‘tour’ right now. We can’t find anything about what I had read so we wander to see what all the companies offer. There’s a whale cruise – too long, and a Puffin cruise, but we missed it. It’s earlier, only once a day. I guess the boat idea is out; off to explore the town.

We found a book store (shocking). Neither of us is able to pass up a bookstore without stopping. There are so many books I have yet to read in the van , so instead I found some reading glasses! I had been wanting to try them, and… they work! I don’t remember to use them all the time, but maybe I’ll get better! Stopped for some lunch and continued dinking around. After a bit Maddy said she would really like to go on the Puffin tour. Our plan was to leave Boothbay early to get to Portland and have the day, but let’s go see PUFFINS! Tour booked, back to the brewery!

Brewery AGAIN!

Thursday night is Oysters with the Owners! I was a tad hesitant. I went to look at the oysters and explained that we are from the PNW and asked,  ‘are the oysters here similar’. He had a very funny retort ASK MADDY. I wanted wine with the oysters, so I asked the manager how the wine was, cuz some of what I have tried really sucks! He gave me a look and said, if you hate it, I’ll buy, if you like it, you have to buy two. It’s a deal! And guess what… I bought another one. Thankfully they were in a can so I took it to go! Staying at the brewery that has an RV park attached was a game changer! (Really nice not to have to cook!)

So the brewery wasn’t Lambert’s favorite place, because there were a plethora of kids! He likes kids, but they are running around and he thinks they want to play, so maybe the combo is not MY favorite thing! We moved around to try and make all of us comfortable and we worked it out. There was this one family there that was cracking us up, probably in a – not so nice of us – kind of way. They were NEW ENGLAND to the hilt! Madras shorts for the men, blue and white stripes for the women, the kids, OMG, and sweaters around the shoulders… too much! I thought they were visitors trying to do the NW thing, Maddy was convinced they just came from a family photo shoot. Pretty sure that wasn’t the case!

Kids at Breweries???

When I was talking to the owner on the way out he asked why we were leaving so soon, I was like, ahhh, too many kids, the dog, yada yada. He agreed! Asked where we were from and what the breweries do in Seattle. ‘I don’t know, I mean there are kids at some but not so MANY’. He said they get phone calls all the time with people asking what they have available for the kids to do at the brewery. His reply, this is an adult drinking establishment. We don’t cater to kids. HAHA But all the games were surrounded by kids! They were playing in the sand in the Bocce Ball court. It was out of control!

Back on a Boat (sorry Lambert!)

Off to our puffin tour. We arrived early because on our sunset cruise we just watched people line up early and thought they were crazy, BUT they weren’t. Lesson learned! We were dressed warm, as we were told to do and it was a warm morning, but we sat on top anyway and hoped we made the right choice. Turns out we did! As soon as we got out of the bay it was cold! We had a 9 mile trip out to the island where the Puffins come to mate each year. It was an Audubon tour and the guide was fun and informative. I won’t go into the story, but if you want to learn more…PUFFINS! I will tell you that the researchers LIVE on Seal Island for 4 months each summer. NO RUNNING WATER. A supply boat comes once a week, Hard Pass.

Birds, Birds, Birds!

We learned so much about the birds in the area. Did you know there is no such thing as a Seagull? There are many types of Gulls, but not one is called a Seagull! We saw so many birds on Eastern Egg Rock. We circled it a couple of times. It was a sight to see for sure. I am not a fan of birds (at all), but it was amazing! I was so happy we stayed and did the tour! The way back was choppy as hell. We were nine miles out and went back against the current, unlike the way out which was lovely. Poor Lambert was not happy, (got sick).Thankfully he doesn’t eat in the morning, so it was just a little bile. (I am sure he was looking right at Maddy, giving her the evil eye! HAHA).

Portland Bound, First stop – A brewery!

Next stop Portland! Shout out to Maddy who planned this whole adventure! She traveled to Portland a couple of years ago, solo, and had such a great time; she knew all the places she wanted to show me, and some that she didn’t get to last time! Our first stop was a brewery. (Is there a trend happening here?) Allagash Brewing Company, it has been a staple Maine beer since 1995 and has a fun history to read about, if interested! AND we enjoyed another lobster roll from the food truck, Bite into Maine. I liked this one better, bread to lobster ratio was much better!

Party Time in the City!!

To Portland Harbor Hotel we go!Let’s hope for no parking issues! And there is not! Phew. The hotel is in the heart of the area and very quaint! We get settled and head out to wander. There are a few places we ‘need to go’ according to the tour guide, Madeleine! One place she is DETERMINED to take me to is Duck Fat… does not sound like my cup of tea (or animal, or fat)! We make our way through some quaint streets, stop at a cool speakeasy then to ‘Duck Fat‘ we go! First we get Lambert (the restaurant has a patio)! Once we’re seated we notice a couple we spoke to at the brewery on our way into town. We say hi, laugh about the coincidence and enjoy our ‘duck fat poutine’. Yep, I ate it. Back to the hotel, drop the dog, and out for a drink. Our hotel room looks right over the cutest street in the city with all the little outdoor bars and people. Awesome day!

WOO HOO – Someone is 30 TODAY!

We wake early; 6:30am. I ask Maddy; want me to go get you an espresso? Nah, she says. Room service? Sounds good! Okay, coffee or mimosas? Mimosas! Oh Oh, this may be a long day! It was a fabulous day! First stop after room service was coffee, then some shopping, lunch at Eventide martinis, oysters and another lobster roll – -last one! I think the second one, from the brewery, was my favorite. But I don’t ever need to eat another one!

More shopping after lunch! Walking back to get Lambert and who do we see near the speakeasy? Our friends from the brewery and Duck Fat. Too Funny! We probably should’ve had a drink with them, but we needed to get Lambert! Also, I am not as good at drinking as I was when I left. Not a lot of social activity alone in a van, with a dog! More book stores, Italian for dinner, then back to the cute street, after we got Lambert again, of course! (I probably did not need this last cocktail!) I was really grateful Maddy came out to meet me and spend her 30th with me and Lambert!

The next morning, before leaving Portland, we walk to The Holy Donut; donuts made from potatoes. I am not a huge donut fan, but they were dense, like a donut SHOULD BE, so maybe a good one. Though I am not a donut expert! We took them back to the hotel and enjoyed them with diet coke, good hangover breakfast! 

All good things must come to an end

One last night before Maddy’s flight back to Seattle, so we headed closer to Boston. An RV park. Hopefully a clean one so we can get organized. I reserve one with a patio, so at least I know it won’t be on gravel or dirt…wrong. The patio is there, but the RV spot is still on gravelly dirt, and then it starts to rain. So we can’t use the space to set things out. Oh well… We have a leisurely morning and I run a few errands while I have someone with me (makes it easier with the dog). Then we head to the airport.

I was nervous about the airport being that the van is so tall. I pulled in and pretty much dropped her off because I was so nervous. As soon as she left I saw a sign that I needed to go left, and what do you know, THAT was the Alaska terminal. HAHA. I called after I got out and Maddy had seen me, tried to wave from the window. Bad mom moment!

I know I need to go west, so I think I go the right way to my next stop, but I went SW and needed to go NW. Oh well! Another adventure awaits!

Observations and Thoughts

• The ocean was amazing
• Loved all the little shops, junk stores and small towns on the drive
• Again, cemeteries! 
• Skeletons
  • Not sure if I have mentioned these before but they are everywhere. Halloween is long past and far from now!
• Turnpikes – YUCK
• Waffle Houses are now Dunkin Donuts
  • There is no longer a cake donut in this world (they are the only kind I like)
  • Potato donuts don’t cut it