could it be any hotter?! And Amy will burn even in October...

After a very goodnights sleep we got up at 9A.M and headed over to Denny’s Diner for breakfast. Ollie had let me lie in a little as we arrived in Portland very late last night and we had both been shattered by our extensive walking the day before! We had arrived far later than expected due to the late bus and the fact that the driver got lost along the way and took us 45 minutes the wrong way! Apparently they don’t have GPS! As the taxi driver dropped us off at the Motel 6 he commented that it was the cheapest place in town. In reality it wasn’t that bad apart from the fact we couldn’t breath in the room ‘cos it stunk so bad of stale smoke. Of course we had expected this when we chose a non-smoking room...

Anyway I was very excited for my first Denny’s! Ollie had a ‘Lumber Jack Slam’ and I had something I made up myself. Both of us had pancakes which were so filling I only managed half. The syrup was amazing though! Afterwards we decided to walk into Downtown Portland and from the map it only seemed a half an hour walk. When will we learn?! It was already boiling hot (apparently this is the hottest weather in 60 years!) and by the time we had reached not even quarter of the way we were both drenched in sweat and exhausted. In fact town was a lot, lot further than a 30 minute walk! We saw a bus passing and jumped on.

One thing I am fast learning about America is that everywhere is massive. A short walk is never a short walk. No wonder they have so many buses/trams/trains and subways...they are absolutely essential! When we eventually got into town we were so hot and bothered that we couldn’t really enjoy the little touristy streets on the edge of the sea front or all the delicious restaurants. We hadn’t a clue about what we wanted to see in Portland but on the map (I know, I know) just over the bridge in South Portland there was a lighthouse and a Museum of Portland Harbour history that looked like it might be interesting. Again I suggested we walk as surely this time it wouldn’t be a massive trek. Yes I am that stupid!

In boiling midday heat, the sun beating down on our faces and only half a bottle of water we set off towards our destination. We covered the first street relatively fast and got to see the giant fish factories, processing plants and enormous ferries coming into port. Then I looked up. There above us was a gigantic bridge that stretched for about three miles across the water to the south side of Portland. Sweat pouring from my brow, I turned to Ollie.

‘It only looked like a footbridge on the map?!’

Ollie looked at me and then at the ground, shaking his head. ‘We’ll walk halfway, take some pictures and then head back.’

 And that was that. 

* * *

We found a Starbucks and agreed that after yet another ‘ordeal’ we would treat ourselves and share an iced coffee in the park. However on entering Starbucks a burst of ice cold air conditioning hit us like a giant freezer door opening. Needless to say we spent the next two hours cooling down, drinking coffee, taking full use of the free WiFi and generally taking time to appreciate Portland from our freezing franchise shell!

Emerging from the cavern of cool we felt truly refreshed and ready to take on Portland

...again! This time we loved the shops selling fury lobsters, logo T’s, bongs(?!) and wonderful art. Deciding it was about time we tried out some Lobster and Clam chowder (our main reason for coming to Maine!) we found a little restaurant by the pier. The ‘Portland Lobster Co.’ had a great atmosphere, live bands and the relaxed setting we had been searching for all day. We ordered the ‘Downeast Feast’ which consisted of a whole Lobster, Chowder, Steamers (Clams in their shells) and all sorts of dips and sides. 

I tried everything but the chowder was what really impressed me. It was so wonderfully creamy and so tasty that I ate the whole thing! This seemed only fair as Ollie had the fresh clams; too slimy for me! As for the Lobster? Well Ollie was in heaven cracking, tearing and picking while I watched on unsure about the whole process. Poor Percy (yes I named him) had been alive and kicking only moments before and now Ollie was ripping him apart! I did enjoy the meat but I found it, dare I say, a bit chewy. On the other hand Ollie absolutely adored the Lobster and I had to stop him from ordering another one! When in Maine I suppose...

Town was just starting to come alive for the evening as we walked back to catch our bus. We passed a protest just beginning; men and women playing drums and waving banners. ‘Crash the economy’ and ‘Give our jobs back’ they read. We had seen a similar thing in Boston where a camp had been set up outside the banks. Seeing them brought us back to reality and the realisation that the problems at home are just the same as most other places right now. It also reminded us how fortunate we are to be doing all this.

On the bus Ollie got chatting to the driver who was 67 and had no plans to retire. Truth is he can’t afford to. Like other people we have spoken to he was eager to tell us his ancestors were from England and that he wanted to visit one day. He said he’d seen Prince William’s wedding and thought Camilla was a nice lady. He also said he wanted to buy a London Taxi and bring it back to America. Ollie asked him if he’d seen Stephen Fry’s show in which he’d driven a taxi all across America.

‘Steve who?’ was the reply. I had to laugh. England’s National Treasure was clearly not International!

8/10/11