36. New Hampshire

Month: September 2017

Location: Manchester

Aah New England!

Every September I do a “Jimmy Fund Boston Marathon Walk” and a couple of years ago I had combined that with a visit to the neighboring Rhode Island.  Last year I went to Massachusetts in September, but that was a separate trip.  This time I decided to combine my walk with a visit to New Hampshire and so for a 3^rd September, and the 2^nd month in a row, I would be back in New England.  My previous visits to New Hampshire had been during my Graduate School days and those were day trips during Fall to see the colors.  One of the places that I considered was ‘Mount Washington’, but in the end stuck to my usual approach of going to a city, which in this case was Manchester.  I booked a rental car for pickup at the airport and then dropping it off in Massachusetts the next day, near my buddy’s place.  Then I thought that I really didn’t need a car when I was in Manchester, and could easily just go to the airport prior to leaving for MA and pick it up, thus saving on one day’s rental charge.  So with that sorted out, I was ready for travel.

Heading towards downtown Manchester

I arrived in Manchester a little before 1 pm and took a cab to my hotel.  It took me all of 2 minutes to drop off my stuff in the room and I called an ‘Uber’ to pick me up.  As we drove into downtown, it reminded me of Pittsburgh, perhaps owing to this place’s history as a “Blue Collar Mill Town”.  I was headed towards an area which used to be a “Millyard”, though now those buildings housed apartments and office spaces.  One such apartment building had a café called ‘Waterworks Café’, and which came recommended for lunch.  It looked like a typical coffee shop where college students and aspiring writers hang out, and they did make a good sandwich.  With late lunch done, I was ready to face Manchester.

The impressive 'Millyard Museum'

I was in an area called ‘Amoskeag Millyard’, and somewhere nearby were 2 museums that I wanted to visit, though it took me going around the building to find the entrance.  Interestingly, both museums were in the same building and I was starting with the one on the 1^st floor called ‘Millyard Museum’.  I had no idea what this museum was about and considering that it was inside a multi-tenant building, had my reservations on its size.  But I was mistaken about that and not only was it considerably bigger than it appeared; it also turned out to be quite interesting.  I soon learned that the primary focus of the museum was the story of the ‘Amoskeag Manufacturing Company’, which in the 19^th Century grew into the largest cotton textile plant in the world, till its demise in early 20^th Century.  The word “Amoskeag” was a derived from the name of the local waterfall and had Native origins, based on the earliest people of this region.  The place looked quite laid back and the gentleman who sold me the ticket looked comfortable in his chair as I started exploring.

Loved the "quilt" idea

The story started with the settlement of the natives and continued with the establishment of the plant.  What impressed me the most was that it weren’t just some pictures on the wall along with text, but they had designed the interior around each era to represent that timeline and also had original artifacts on display.  I had always wondered how a fluffy ball of cotton ends up as the fabric in our clothes, but even with all the information available online, I had never bothered to look it up.  Well, over here they explained that process in detail and also had weaving machines for people to see, as well as samples of cotton in various stages of production, for people to touch.  As good as all of this was, the museum is really a story of Manchester and its people and there were other exhibits such as a full size “Fire Engine” from the 19^th Century, as well as a recreation of the main street in town – ‘Elm Street’ - and the shops around it.  Looking at some of the pictures of ‘Elm Street’ from the 70's reminded me of a scene from “American Graffiti” and if that was how it looked back then, Manchester sure would have been a fun town.  Considering that I would be walking on that street in a few hours, I guess I would find out soon!  There was also an exhibit on “quilts”, which made sense in a museum like this.  One of the best things that I saw was an encouragement for visitors to leave feedback by sticking different colored “post-it notes” on the wall, arranged in the pattern of a multi-colored “quilt”.

Entering the 'SEE Science Center'

I was ready to move to my next museum, which was just couple of floors above this one.  I am always interested in visiting “Science Museums”, and this one was called ‘SEE Science Center’.  As I entered the room, I saw a few kids and what looked like play areas with scientific themes.  So I asked the lady if there was anything of interest to adults and she said that they welcomed “visitors of all ages”.  Okay then, I will take one ticket!  They were actually spread over 2 floors with a staircase in the center of the room leading downstairs and I was told that there was a big “Lego” exhibit down there.  I started walking through some sort of a maze that had been created to teach kids about Water, ranging from where it comes, what happens during its cycle, how it is regenerated, different types of water bodies, all sorts of living creatures therein, household uses etc.  In short, everything one needed to know about water was in here.  I found it to be quite an ingenious educational piece, while making it into a game where kids had to make their way through the maze, explore multiple pathways that led to different items and also had a scavenger game to boot.  I enjoyed wandering through it, being the only adult in there at that time.

Downtown Manchester using "Legos"

Outside the maze there were some science based games, including something that had slides with different slopes and the game was to drop a ball on each slide and guess which one reached bottom the fastest.  But the most interesting demonstration for me was an “Air Cannon” which was nothing but a horizontal drum that you aimed at a screen that was a few meters away.  When you hit the membrane at end of the drum, you could see ripples on the screen after a delay of 2-3 seconds, proving the principles of “fluid dynamics”, because air is still considered a "fluid".  I went downstairs and as promised, there was a huge exhibit where “Legos” had been used to create downtown Manchester.  There were also other puzzles and games to elaborate on theories of “Magnetism”, “Electricity”, “Light and Optics” or just for the brain and the senses.  I really enjoyed the museum and only left since they announced that they were closing.  But it was also time to leave the kids activities behind and proceed to more adult adventures.

Early patron at 'Cotton'

Nearby was a place called ‘Cotton’ that was known for its cocktails.  Well, that goes without saying if it’s on my list.  I went inside to see that the place was empty, well it was early, though the interior looked good and it had a nice bar area.  The drinks did look interesting and I ordered something called “Banana’s for Bourbon” and while I enjoyed that, conducted some business via my phone – a small matter of checking if our Company made $750,000.  If only life were that easy where one could make money while sipping on a fancy cocktail!  The staff was still planning for the evening when I left and walked over to the “famous” ‘Elm Street’.

'Elm Street'

My next stop was in a small alley at a place called ‘Firefly American Bistro & Bar’, which had a few more folks than the earlier place. They also had a drink called “Blueberry Lemon Old Fashioned”, which felt odd and so I just had to try it.  It wasn’t half bad, neither was this place, which reminded me more of a “Mexican” restaurant rather than an “American Bistro”.  Next on my list was a place called ‘The Birch on Elm’ and this did appear to be a popular spot with the locals.  I looked at the menu and ordered one of my favorite cocktails, “Painkiller”.  This set into motion some frenzied activity where they said that they just had enough ingredients to make one more of these and I was ordering the very last of its kind.  Whether they meant the very last of the season, the year or ever, wasn’t very clear.  In any case, I had the cocktail – which was good without being spectacular – and then made my way to what would be the most interesting bar in Manchester.

Secret stairway to heaven?

Finding “speakeasy bars” in different cities is something that I always look forward to and over here that was a place called ‘815’.  I saw a sign with some stairs leading up and arrived to see a passageway without any doors. So I did what anybody would do in this situation, which is “google” how to get it and the answer was knock on the wall and say the password.  Well, I did not have a password, so I just knocked on the wall, which slid open and a lady stepped out.  When she learned that I did not have a password, she encouraged me to tell her a “Knock-Knock joke”.  I mentioned that I had already had a few cocktails this evening and so wasn’t the best equipped for this task.  She said that she would help me out and so she started off and our conversation went a bit like this:

“Knock Knock”

“Whose there”

“Lettus”

“Lettus who”

“Lettus in we’re freezing”

The fantastic '815'

Now that we had that out of our system, she let me in and this looked more like the cocktail bars that I like, with dark interiors and a relaxed ambiance.  Plus, the drinks looked interesting with creative titles like “Chance of Revival” and “Genie of the Lamp”.  I had a great time over here, even discussing with the bartender the staff’s preferred “after shift drinks”, which were displayed on a board and which looked as good as those on the menu.  I enjoyed my time here and before leaving, asked the lady who has let me in what she would say if it was hot outside and “Lettus in we’re freezing” didn’t work.  She said, “Lettus in we’re hot”.  I thought that worked in more ways than one.

This is a parking garage despite the sign!

I still had some time before dinner and so went to a nearby place called ‘Central Ale House’, which as the name suggests was known for its beer.  I wasn’t really in the mood for that, so I ordered something and just stayed for a bit before leaving.  For dinner I was going to a place called ‘The Foundry’ and finding it wasn’t easy.  Manchester has certain streets that are at a lower level – particularly near the river – and this place was on one such street.  I had to enter a parking garage and then go down. When I couldn't find it, I placed a call to the restaurant who guided me to their location.  The place looked nice, the food was excellent and has a friendly staff.  When it was time to head back, I called for an ‘Uber’ and with streets being a different levels, it took some time for us to find each other.  But it wasn’t a big deal and I arrived back at my hotel, ready to call it a night.

Central hall of 'Currier Museum of Art'

It was a nice day and I had some time before my first stop at ‘Currier Museum of Art’ ,and so decided to walk there.  Once again, while the distance wasn’t that bad, I had underestimated the way to get there.  Not every city had sidewalks like Chicago or New York and after a few harrowing crossings and treks across non-paved paths; I arrived at the Museum, which was located in what looked like a residential neighborhood.  I was going on a tour of the ‘Zimmerman House’, which was designed by the legendary Frank Lloyd Wright and was now under the management of the museum.  It was a 90 minute tour, which would start at the museum, followed by a shuttle ride to the house and back.  I still had some time before the tour commenced and so decided to explore.  Now, Manchester is a small town as compared to some of the others that I have visited.  But you wouldn’t know that based on their art museum.  It was nowhere as elaborate as those in the bigger cities.  However, they had done a great job in using the space that they had and in the way the galleries had been arranged; including the paint scheme and the general ambiance.

The model of the 'Zimmerman House'

It was time for the tour and so I went to the meeting point where a group of people had assembled.  We had a full tour and the 2 docents had to turn away a couple who wanted to join.  We started by discussing the model of the house and the story of how the house came to be.  It was built in the 50's for a couple, both of whom were Doctors and so reasonably affluent.  They wanted something unique and so went to Frank Lloyd Wright and essentially offered him a blank check and a blank canvas to design and build the house.  The first challenge was that the ground where the house was supposed to be constructed was uneven, with a natural slope.  Wright, of course, accepted the challenge and designed the house in accordance with the landscape and without ever setting foot on the premises.  His staff oversaw the construction while he instructed from his offices in New York.  It seems that when Mrs. Zimmerman once said to him that he should stop by to see his finished product, he famously responded, “I know your house better than you do”.

And the real thing

We got on the shuttle and took the short ride to the house and our docents continued to tell us stories about the house and its construction.  It looked like any other neighborhood and we were surprised to learn that there was another Flank Lloyd Wright house just down the street, though the owner still lived there and so wasn’t open for any tours.  We arrived at the house and our docents pointed out some of the unique features on the outside, especially the roof and the glass windows, which looked more integrated into the exterior walls than your normal windows.  One of the more charming features was that Wright took inspiration from some of the other houses in the neighborhood so that this one could blend in.  But let’s face it; this was by far the most unique house over there.

Looking onto the gardens

With strict instructions that photography wasn't allowed, we put on protectors on shoes and went inside. Wright was a great believer in symmetry and consistency in geometric shapes and everything in the house – both inside and outside - was precisely designed.  It was a single floor establishment and as we stepped inside, it felt very cozy and welcoming.  Wright had insisted that the Zimmerman’s only bring their clothes with them and as such, every piece of furniture, the upholstery as well as all appliances and even the utensils were selected by Wright and his team.  The only other thing that the Zimmerman’s brought with them was the Grand Piano, but other musical accompaniments were selected for them.  Also selected for them were an expansive “Oriental” art piece and other designer pottery pieces that were displayed all over the house.  Talk about your “bundled offering”.

Its a beautiful house

The layout wasn’t very typical, since it needed to conform to the symmetry, but in that space it worked.  Everything in there was original, and one thing we all noticed was how the furniture seemed to have been designed for shorter people, since Wright wanted to stick to his ratio and proportions.  The Zimmerman’s were a tall couple, but they felt it was a minor inconvenience in exchange for the beautiful house.  Even the garden in the back was integrated into the house through the use of planters in the living room, making it an extension of the landscape.  We went into the 2 bedrooms which were tasteful, especially in the use of the lighting and the design of the closets.  The kitchen was fully functional with all of the modern appliances of that time and every aspect had been carefully planned, including the way natural light came into this space.  There were pictures in all of the rooms, taken by the Zimmerman’s during their long stay and it seemed that they enjoyed living here.  One particular picture that I liked had been taken from outside at night, with the house all lit up and looking resplendent.  I had initially thought 90 minutes would be a long time for a house tour, but we had used all of it and it had been fantastic.

I couldn't get inside

We went outside to gaze upon the house from the garden side and then got back on the shuttle to come back to the museum.  There was going to be a walking tour of some of the galleries and I had thought of going for that.  However, when I saw the docent standing by herself waiting for visitors, I thought it would be better for me to carry on rather than be a solitary tourist.  I walked through the neighborhood and it was now quite hot.  I was going to a nearby cathedral, but when I arrived there, I couldn’t figure out where the entrance was since all the doors were closed.  According to the online information they were supposed to be open, but after making a few futile attempts to get in, I carried on.

A typical diner and it was great

One of the popular attractions was ‘Red Arrow Diner’ and considering it was time for lunch, I headed there.  It looked like a typical diner from the outside as well as from the inside.  I grabbed a seat at the counter, which gave me a direct view into the kitchen and everything coming out looked great.  I placed my order just as an older gentleman took the seat next to me and placed a simple order of eggs and bread.  He seemed in the mood to chat and told me that he had been coming here for years and getting the same thing.  I felt to me that coming here to eat was just an excuse to talk to someone, for he seemed lonely.

The "Butterfly Wall"

He left soon and so did I, but not before going through the kitchen in order to find a washroom.  Never seen that before, where it was located inside the kitchen.  I had some time before I needed to head back and so I went for a walk down the ‘Elm Street’.  It was much quieter than last evening, though people were outside on the patio enjoying the sun.  I went through a mall – which was deserted – and past a few shops before turning back.  I was planning to call an ‘Uber’ but saw some sort of “street festival” going on across one of the bridges on the river.  So I decided to walk across the bridge, since I needed to be on the other side to get to my hotel.  The theme seemed to be “art”, since I saw many stations selling artwork, though there were also some performers playing “rock music”.  But the most interesting thing was a wall made of “butterfly shaped cards”, which had been decorated by kids and had been pasted there to form a giant display. 

A final walk through Manchester

Once on the other side, I saw that the hotel was less than a mile away and so I decided to walk there.  Well, once again, I had overestimated the ability for pedestrians to get around a small town and this was a walk on streets without sidewalks and cars going past me.  Also included in the trek was a walk across really tall and mushy grass, and all sorts of places that were not designed for humans to go through.  Not to mention twice I had to go past exits coming off a speedway.  But I reached my hotel and called an ‘Uber’ to the airport.  On the way there the driver asked me where I was flying to and I said that I was just going to collect a car and drive to Massachusetts.  When he realized that I had just been visiting Manchester for fun, he was surprised, as many are when they see me in their town.  But it had been a fun visit and I had enjoyed my time here, right from the museum's yesterday afternoon to the cocktail places in the evening - especially the one with the bad jokes.  The art museum and the house would have rivaled any big city.  This concluded State number 36 or 3 years since I started.  Bring on Year 4!

35. Maine

Month: August 2017

Location: Portland

The first time that I heard of Maine, was in the Stephen King novel, “IT”.  In fact, “IT” was the first “adult novel” that I ever read.  With the movie coming out soon, I picked up an audio version and listening to it after all these years, I was surprised that I was allowed to borrow it at that young age.  Not only is it dark, it also has several adult themes, not to mention the language.  I am quite sure that I probably did not understand most of what was going on.  However, Stephen King did become one of the authors that I continued to read and through him I was convinced that Maine was one of the most haunted States in the US!  But his descriptions also made it appear enchanting, with its small towns and natural beauty.  That was affirmed when I visited ‘Acadia National Park’ years ago and it remains one of the most beautiful places that I have seen.  I contemplated going back, but Portland was a more intriguing prospect. So on a Friday morning in August, I departed for Maine.  I hadn’t planned for it to be this way, but I was listening to “IT”.  It just seemed like the right choice.

My home for 2 nights

I had seen in the forecast that it would be raining in Portland on Friday and so had packed a light waterproof jacket.  As soon as we had landed, I saw that it was a downpour and my jacket wouldn’t be enough.  I found my way to the taxi stand and when I gave the driver the address, he asked if I was going to Portland or South Portland.  I was staying at a place called ‘Morrill Mansion Bed & Breakfast’ and since it wasn’t a typical hotel, was not familiar to the driver.  I didn’t know where it was either, and so I turned on the directions on my phone and we followed it through the rain.  We arrived at a residential looking neighborhood and in front of a house that did not have any big signs.  I rushed inside and was greeted by a friendly gentleman who introduced himself as David, the owner of this place.

It was cozy on the inside

There’s nothing like a “New England B&B” and this one was as cozy as it gets.  David took me on a tour and it looked great.  There was a nice sitting room downstairs as well as one on the second level, with games and books – lot of Stephen King novels – as well as a bunch of movies that the guests could take to the player in their room.  Each room had a distinct theme and we took a really narrow stairway to mine on the topmost level. It was called “Back Cove Room” and though small, looked comfortable.  Plus, there was a jar of chocolates and David mentioned that there would be cookies downstairs as an afternoon treat.  He asked if I needed any dinner recommendations and I said that all I needed right now was an umbrella.  Fortunately, he had several and I picked up a sturdy one and called an ‘Uber’.

The famous milkshake

It was mid-afternoon and I wasn’t quite ready for eating anything.  However, this was the only time for me to visit one of the popular places in Portland called ‘Duckfat’.  It was known for its fries which they cooked in, well, Duck Fat.  But they had one more thing that I found intriguing, and that was their “Original Milkshake” which had all good things made from Vanilla.  The short distance from the car to the entrance was enough to soak me and once inside it wasn’t better since the place was packed.  It was just after 3 pm and there was over an hour wait.  I guess with the rain outside people were craving fries and milkshake.  I expressed my disappointment and said that while the fries sounded great, I was there for the milkshake.  The hostess suggested that I could get it to go and I hesitated for a second since it was raining outside.  Just for a second.  So a few minutes later I walked out in the rain holding my delicious milkshake in one hand, my phone navigation in another and somehow balancing the umbrella on my shoulder.

Original Cannon from the Pirate Ship

I devoured the milkshake real fast and that made carrying the umbrella a bit easier.  Well, not that it helped much since I was still getting wet and the crosswalks were flooded.  I was going to ‘Portland Science Center’ which was by the waterfront.  As I approached it I saw signs advertising “Pirate Adventure”, which I reckoned was an exhibit at the museum.  Well, it turned out to be the only exhibit that they had but since it was raining outside, not the worse way to spend the afternoon.  I left my umbrella amongst dozens of others, meaning there was a decent turnout.  I entered through a dark passage – to set the mood I suppose – into a room where we were shown a short video on piracy along the New England coast in late 18^th century.  This included a young protagonist who left on a ship to earn money so as to marry his beloved and ended up commandeering a Pirate ship.  The exhibit, which was spread over 2 floors, told story of what happened to him and his crew – spoiler alert; they all perish either at sea or by hanging.  They also had some of the original props from that period, including cannons, making this a popular destination for kids.

At 'Rhum & Grog'

The rain had abated when I left and there was a slight drizzle as I tried to find my way to the next stop.  On the way there, the real charm of Portland was starting to emerge with its cobblestone streets and boutique shops.  After a slight detour where I had to go through a parking lot shrub, I arrived at ‘Rhum & Grog’, which was a classic “Tiki Bar” if there ever was one, with island decorations and colored lights.  I saw something on the menu that was called “Dead On Arrival” and announced itself as being one of the stronger offerings.  I told the bartender that this was my first stop and I needed to last for several hours, but seeing that I was there that early, he said that I could handle it.  My reputation precedes me!  The drink was strong, but not enough to cause a knockout and I was feeling fine when I left.

The rain was dissipating as I continued my evening

The rain had gone and the sun was trying to come out as I went to my next place called ‘Crooners and Cocktails’.  This took me into an area full of restaurants and bars and people had started coming out.  My place wasn’t that full and looked like an old fashioned “jazz bar” without the jazz.  The staff looked like the gentlemen servers from the past and one of them looked like he wanted to chat, which I wasn’t in the mood for at that time.  In any case, I had finished my drink and was ready to move on to the next stop, which was across the street.  It was supposedly a popular spot called ‘Portland Hunt & Alpine Club’.  Now this place was a lot livelier and buzzing as I went in.  I took a seat at the bar and ordered a drink called “Norseman”, which was highly recommended.  While I prefer to have my cocktails in dark and quiet lounges, I did like this place, which had wide open windows and an informal setting.

A "Comic Book Store" at the
end of the hallway

I left and was halfway down the block when I realized that I had forgotten my borrowed umbrella and so rushed back to collect it from the corner where I had dumped it.  As I made my way to the next place I saw a building with shops and one of them was a "Comic Book Store".  I went inside and spent some time browsing.  One thing I love about such stores is that they do not mind if you are just wandering about.  I then went to another signature place in Portland, ‘Vena’s Fizz House’, which besides being a bar, was also an “apothecary” where one could purchase infusions and bitters. They are known for their infusions and had a special menu with drinks made from their homemade concoctions.  I got something called “Blackberry Stinger” and sat at a bar, which unlike the last place was a more classic cocktail lounge.

The interesting 'Glass Lounge'

A beautiful evening had set in and people had come out to enjoy that.  At my next place called ‘Blyth and Burrows’ I barely got a place to sit and consistent with the interesting names of cocktails that I had today, this one was called “Penny Cap”.  But that did not compare to the name of the cocktail that I had at my next place, ‘The Glass Lounge’.  It was called “Why’s the Rum Gone” and based on what I was having, there was certainly enough of it in my glass!  It was now time for dinner and I was going to a place called ‘Street & Company’.  Portland is a town known for its restaurants and this one was on top of several lists.  In fact, I had called them for a reservation while in Boise last month.  The restaurant was nestled in a narrow cobblestone alley and while not “fine dining”, was quite cozy.  Being Maine, I had to get the lobster and also made friends with a couple on next table who didn’t mind when one of the lobster pieces flew and landed near them as I struggled with the shell.  They offered me some of their appetizers, which I turned down since I was full.  However, before leaving I whispered to my server that I wanted to send them a Chocolate dessert and left before it was delivered.  Outside, the narrow street had been closed since it was now party central with a lot of people celebrating Friday evening.  Luckily my ‘Uber’ driver found me and I was soon back in my charming room, exhausted after a fantastic first evening.

A beautiful day for a walk

I came downstairs the next morning and David was wearing his apron and in attendance at breakfast.  There was a small dining room and after finding a table I went to check what was on offer.  This wasn’t like one of your chain hotel breakfasts but fresh, homemade food that would have made any restaurant proud.  I was going on a “Walking Tour of Downtown Portland” and our meeting point was a place called ‘Lobsterman’s Park’.  It was a mile away and since I had enough time, I decided to walk there, which was turned out to be a good decision since it took me through some nice looking areas of the downtown.  I arrived at the meeting point and saw that there would another couple besides me on the tour – Ann and Charlie from Baltimore.  Our tour guide was also the owner of the company and a proud Maine native.  We were in good hands.

The one place that survived
all of the fires

She started off by telling us about the history of Portland and the cultural landscape.  It seems that Portland is second to San Francisco in having most restaurants and bars per capita of the population.  And speaking of the population, while Maine is a big state, most of the population is concentrated in and around Portland.  It is one of the fastest growing cities in the nation and certainly the 2^nd most popular in New England - after Boston - especially amongst youngsters.  It is also very inclusive, welcoming refugees and being tolerant of all communities.  Plus it has a lot of history, starting with the “Revolutionary War”.  We started walking through the streets and our guide mentioned how Portland as a city kept getting burnt down and then rebuilding, having gone through the cycle three times!  On one occasion a British Naval Officer came over to bombard the city, but in a very gentlemanly manner, gave the townspeople advance warning, thus allowing them to go away and save themselves.  He then proceeded to level the city, though we did see one church that survived that attack.

The serene garden behind
  'Longfellow House'

We walked through the main “square”, though it really wasn’t a square, but a place where people could gather around in the evening.  For some reason Portland has a lot of banks and most of the buildings that we passed were affiliated with those.  One of the nation’s best known poets, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, was born in Portland and his residence is now a historic landmark.  The property now bellows to ‘Maine Historical Society’, who had a building next door and which ironically was very modern as compared to this quaint house.  The house itself was only accessible by appointment, but we could walk through the gardens which were outstanding. Our guide mentioned that the gardens are public property and many people who work nearby usually get their lunch and enjoy it in these tranquil settings.  It is a hidden gem in the middle of downtown, similar to a place I had discovered by accident near ‘Columbus Circle’ in NYC years ago.  Before we left the gardens, we were interrupted by a gentleman who was clearly homeless and suffering from mental illness. While he didn’t really ask for anything, he did impart a lengthy discourse which was mostly unintelligible.  Our guide mentioned that we would encounter many such people in Portland, though they were mostly harmless.

John Ford

Portland downtown is not level and being somewhat of a peninsula, slopes on either side of the main street, both ways leading to the waterfront.  We started towards the main harbor and as we walked down the slope, it occurred to me that while these were beautiful streets, they weren’t very conducive to walking in the winter. Plus, based on yesterday's rainfall, it would really not behoove any business being downhill!  Before reaching the waterfront we came across the statue of John Ford - the John Ford.  I had no idea that he was from Portland, always assuming he was a Southerner or from California, at least based on the movies that he made.  Around his statue were plaques of his most well-known films and having enjoyed many of them, it was a nice surprise to see this monument.  We were now near the harbor and being a nice day it was crowded.  We passed by a Donut place called ‘Holy Donut’, which was started by a young woman when she was a student, and which is a popular place with locals and visitors alike.  The reason for that – the donuts contains potatoes!  Yep, never saw that coming.  There was a big line waiting to get in, though I wasn’t sure I would be amongst them.

Lunch with a view at 'Portland Lobster Company'

Our guide left us outside one of the more popular eating establishments called ‘Portland Lobster Company’.  She even told us how to order the famous “Lobster Roll” - buttered and without any mayo.  My fellow travelers and I decided to have lunch together and found a spot outside on the wharf, as we waited for our Lobster shape pager to buzz.  That took a long time, allowing me to chat with Ann and Charlie and I told them about my travels, something that everyone I meet finds interesting.  They were on their way back to Baltimore while I had a couple of places that I wanted to visit this afternoon.  So after lunch we exchanged numbers and went our separate ways.

'Victoria Mansion'

Another historic landmark in Portland is a place called ‘Victoria Mansion’, built in the mid-19^th Century for an affluent couple.  It was a short walk away from downtown and as I approached it, while not quite like the mansions of Newport, it did look grand.  I got a ticket at the “Gift Shop”, where I was also told not to take any pictures inside the house.  There were in middle of restorations on a room, but right away I could see the opulence based on the main room, the dining area as well as the central stairway.  There were volunteer docents in each room to help explain the settings as well as the significance of that place.  Upstairs were the Bedrooms and for once I thought that the “Guest Bedroom” was better than the main one.  But the most intriguing room by far was something called “Turkish Smoking Room”.  I thought that it would make for a great nook to stretch out and read, but smoking when there were drapes, carpets and upholstery around; perhaps not so much.

'Portland Museum of Art' - the one in Maine!

Nearby was the “Portland Museum of Art” and they were supposed to have a tour at 3 pm.  I walked over there and saw that the building itself looked quite modern and artistic.  I purchased my ticket and asked the lady where to assemble for the tour and she said there wasn’t any such thing today.  I said that I begged to differ and that it was mentioned on the website.  After some debate we realized that I had been looking at the website for ‘Portland Art Museum’, which is in Portland all right.  Portland, Oregon! And I had been to that.  Well, guided tour or not, I was still going to explore this place and that was a good thing because this museum is excellent.  Visitors are encouraged to start on the top floor and work their way down through several galleries, which are designed to be very “open” spaces rather than individual rooms.  The art work – which wasn’t just paintings – was interesting and I was impressed by their collection.  The museum extended out to other buildings, including another one of those historic houses, though nowhere close to the mansion I had just visited.  For me, the best thing I saw in the museum was a wall in the area next to the café, where there were inanimate objects such as a toy car, flowers etc. and visitors were encouraged to either draw or write down their impressions on a card and pin it.  I enjoy seeing such displays in museums – and I have seen in several places – and spend several minutes examining some of the cards.

This became my favorite place - 'Bramhall'

There was some sort of street performance going on across the museum and a big crowd had gathered.  But I had other plans, the first of which was visiting a cocktail lounge which was actually located near my “B&B”.  This meant that I would be walking more than a mile away from downtown to where I was staying and then walking back for the rest of the evening and the going back for the night.  The things I do for a good cocktail!  On the way there I came across a “Used Book Store” and of course, I had to go inside for a walkthrough.  I then continued towards my destination, which was called ‘Bramhall’.  It was a bar located in a basement and felt like a dungeon with stone walled dark room and dripping candle wax.  In short, I loved it.  I liked it even more when I saw that they had “Rice Crispy Treats” on the menu.  I told the bartender that I had never seen these as a part of a menu and these ones were topped with “Nutella”.  Yes please.  My evening was off to a great start with these accompanying a cocktail called “Nomad”; and in this setting too.

The whimsical 'Bearded Lady's Jewel Box'

I had been told to go to a curiously titled, ‘Bearded Lady’s Jewel Box’ for a cocktail.  It was on my way back into downtown and as I entered the bar, it looked like a whimsical place.  There were things hanging from the ceiling that looked like shredded “Wedding Dresses”, some creative shrines and all other things that gave this place its own unique character.  This place was the polar opposite of the one that I was coming from and that’s why I love travelling and finding these spots.  The owner was sitting next to me and framing the menus.  Yes, the menus are handed out as picture frames.  I ordered something called “Gnarly Beard” and it was just as original as this place. 

A famous Portland watering hole - 'Lincoln's'

I came into the main part of downtown just as the evening set in and headed to another place that was on everyone’s list – ‘The Armory Lounge’.  It was a part of a hotel and resembled being in a library.  Well, one with a central bar.  There were just a couple of people in there; I suppose it was a nice enough evening to be outside rather than a stuffy lounge.  I got a drink called “Cold Toddy” and then continued to a place nearby called ‘Maps’.  This is a “Dive Bar” known for 2 things – Cheap Beer and Maps on the walls.  It was also full of people and I was lucky to find a chair in the corner to go with my “German Lager”.  Another place that was similar to this was ‘Lincoln’s’.  Any internet search for bars in Portland probably has this place on the top for one reason – all drinks are $5, and its cash only.  As can be imagined, it is extremely popular and boisterous.  But despite the inexpensive drinks, the interior resembles a respectable night club.

Ending the evening at 'Fore Street'

My final stop prior to dinner was at a place called ‘North Point’ which had something like “Christmas Lights”, thus making it a very “warm” place.  For me, it was just a place to spend some time prior to my dinner reservations at a place called ‘Fore Street’.  It looked similar to the place that I had been to last night – not surprising since I learned later that they both has the same owner – though the menu was different.  It had open kitchen and a lively ambiance and the food was good.  I called an ‘Uber’ and seriously contemplated going back to ‘Bramhall’ – it was a minute away from my place – for a nightcap.  Well, more for the “Rice Crispy Treats” really.  But, it had been a long day and I retired back to my room.

I couldn't give this a miss

The next morning I came down to hand over my keys to David and he invited me to have breakfast.  I was going on a “Portland Old Port Culinary Walking Tour” i.e. classy way of saying “food tour”.  Due to that, I wasn’t planning to eat beforehand, but then David told me there were “Baked Eggs with Lobster”, and well so much for arm twisting.  When he meant lobster, he wasn’t kidding since there were chunks of it in there.  I was planning on walking in to the downtown and since I was to leave for the airport directly from there, was carrying my backpack with me.  It was a hot day, I mean really hot and thus not conducive to carrying a load while on an extended walking tour.  I was rushing to get to the meeting stop and in my haste went past the cross street where I was supposed to turn and then had to rush back.  Did I mention that it was hot!

Some fancy dip's at the first stop

I was meeting my group outside a place called ‘Old Port Wine Shop’ and was the last to arrive.  We had a big group, including a family with a baby in a carriage.  Our guide introduced himself as a food enthusiast and on a mission to go to all the restaurants in the city.  We started in the wine shop where he showed us a bottle of “Mead”, which is one of the major products of Maine.  Apparently the law prohibits people from tasting alcohol in a wine shop and so we moved next door to do our actual tasting.  With a baby carriage in our group, it was a challenge getting it in and out of the stores and would be for the rest of the tour.  Besides the mead, we also tasted “Lobster Mac & Cheese”.  Plus we had a variety of “Balsamic Vinegar's” and some flavored salts to try as dips.  It was a good start and the best thing about being in this place was that it was air-conditioned and I could keep my bag down.

The vintage 'Public Market House'

Our guide was constantly giving us pointers about where to eat and fully endorsed my dinner selections over the last couple of evenings. He did mention a place called ‘Grace’, which is a restaurant built inside a church, not unlike ‘Church Brew Works’ in Pittsburgh.  We stopped at a chocolate shop called ‘Dean’s Sweets’ and then proceeded to a place called ‘Public Market House’, which our tour guide said was the oldest “food court”, but not the one found in your typical Mall's.  On the way there we walked past several places that I had seen yesterday as a part of my tour and it was nice to hear his version of those stories.  I also chatted with some of the members in our group and it was interesting to hear what had brought everyone to Portland, and to this tour in particular.  In fact, a couple from Massachusetts had made a trek this morning just for this.

Those 'Wild Blueberries' were outstanding

At the ‘Public Market House’ we went to the second floor, which had a few unique places and we would be tasting things from 2 of those.  The first one was a soup spot called…wait for it…’Kamasouptra’.  Yep, they went there.  They had about 8-10 varieties of soup and we were encouraged to try as many as we liked before picking the one we would like to have as a cup.  I tried a few and all of them were delicious; something that would be perfect during the cold Maine winters.  But I went for the good old fashioned “New England Clam Chowder”, because I was in Maine after all.  Next on the menu was “Wild Blueberry Sticky Rice”, which was from a place run by 2 sisters who had spent some time in Thailand and had fallen in love with the “Sticky Rice” delicacy.  They had returned to open this restaurant and by all accounts have been successful.  Now, I am not a huge fan of Blueberries by themselves – I don’t mind them as a part of other products or dishes – but these were different.  Much smaller than the typical ones found in a grocery store, they were sweeter and a perfect addition to this dish.

The famous 'Stonewall Kitchen'

We continued on and I was feeling the heat and the weight of my bag as we entered the crowded streets.  Our next stop was something that was quite well known amongst purveyors of fine grocery products – ‘Stonewall Kitchen’.  A business started by 2 friends in Maine to sell “preserves” and “chutney’s” at Farmer’s Market has since grown into an empire that comprised of 10 stores on the East Coast as well as shelf space in ‘Whole Foods’.  Entering the store, it felt like a “Gourmet Food Store”, which it was.  We tasted their most famous product which launched all of this, “Wild Maine Blueberry Jam”, and it was on top of a freshly made Biscuit.  This was by far the best thing that had I tasted today and while the jam by itself was outstanding, along with the biscuit it reached an elevated status which would be tough to beat.  They encouraged us to try other products throughout the store and while everything was very good, I kept coming back to that Blueberry Jam.

I was supposed to climb that!

The final stop on the tour was at a “Brewpub” that advertised itself as being “Maine’s Original”.  It was called ‘Gritty’s’ and was just like any other pub in any other city.  We did try some of their house brews alongside some pub appetizers, and then the tour was over.  It had been good without being spectacular, though not the most terrible way to learn about the city and its food scene.  I had a few hours before I had to leave for the airport and despite the heat and my bag, I decided to make the relatively long trek to the ‘Portland Observatory’ – and uphill too.  I had heard about this place during my walking tour yesterday and learned about its unique history, which was an example of entrepreneurship at its finest.  Built in early 19^th Century, this was a privately owned “Maritime Signal Tower”; not a Lighthouse.  People paid a gentleman named Captain Lemuel Moody a subscription fee of $5 to alert them when their ships were approaching the harbor.  The ships couldn’t typically be seen from the harbor and so via this means of communication the ship owners could prepare for the arrival of their goods and crews.  I was definitely interested in learning more, not to mention the view from the top.

One of the levels inside the 'Portland Observatory'

I arrived at the Observatory huffing and puffing and the lady inside said that I could take a tour starting in a few minutes and which comprised of more climbing!  I seemed to be the only visitor at that time and so would have my own personal guide.  Before we reached the top, there would be 5 levels and each one had exhibits telling a part of the story regarding that place.  As we went up I asked my guide how many times she made the trip during the day and she said several.  This was steep and kudos to her for doing that.  I have climbed some towers in the past and most of them lead you on a spiral path before depositing you at the top.  I loved that over here not only were there levels, but each one was significant.  I learned more about the Captain Moody and how he would sit at the top with his powerful telescope and when he saw an approaching ship – as far as 30 miles away – he would hoist a flag so as to inform his subscribers.  On one of the levels I saw the collection of flags and it was brilliant.  Of course, once the radio was invented, this became obsolete. But what an idea.

And the gorgeous view from the top

One of levels told the story of tower over the decades when it wasn’t being used, till the 80’s, when it became a historic landmark.  I saw that in one of the enclosures there was something that looked like a bug and my guide mentioned that it was a “Powder-Post Beetle”, which I guess is similar to termites, just bigger.  They discovered this in the woodwork, leading to massive restoration project and there were photographs of the same.  Finally, it was opened in early 2000’s for tourists and is now over 200 years old.  We had reached the top and the views were stunning.  It was a clear day and I could see across the harbor and also on the other side, where in the distance were the mountains of New Hampshire.  I took some pictures and even sat in the same place where Captain Moody would have been. I must commend his commitment since despite the view, it wouldn’t have been comfortable, especially in the winter.

Last stop before leaving - 'Eastern Promenade'

I came down and proceeded towards something known as the ‘Eastern Promenade’, which was a park on the waterfront.  There was also a beach over there and it was crowded.  It looked like everyone had come out to be in the sun.  There was also a walkway and a small train track which was headed into downtown; and I was hoping that I would be able to get on to a street at some stage.  So I set off and after some time came across ‘Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co & Museum’, which explained the train track.  They were also running some sort of a tour on a train since I saw one pass by with tourists.  I found my exit and came out onto a street which led me to ‘Duckfat’ - as crowded as before.  I contemplated going in and making it a perfect bookend to this weekend, but called an ‘Uber’ instead and left for the airport.  What a town!  I had enjoyed my time here and Portland may actually be my favorite city in New England now.  I can totally see it overtaking Boston as a destination for youngsters, and pretty soon.  As a kid I thought that Maine was a place where all bad things happened, thanks to Stephen King books.  It's anything but.