Day 2: Back to Peaks/Dinner with friends
June 7, 2019
Downtown Portland, view from the ferry
We started today with a visit to Peaks Island, one of the many islands off the Maine coast in this area. Peaks is a bit different as we have a history there. We lived there for a while, and were married there. We had visited around 15 years ago and were curious to see how much it had changed......and it had changed quite a bit.
The new ferry dock on Peaks Island
We can start with the ferry. They're larger and nicer than we had back in the day. The ferry terminal was a nice new building with a parking garage, instead of a sketchy office back on a wharf somewhere. The dock on the island has been upgraded as well to a nice and very functional facility. Back in the day it was just a small wooden dock.
Where we used to buy our lobster on the island when we lived there. Not sure if it's still open, but I'm pretty sure that 1 1/4 pound lobsters aren't two bucks anymore either.
When we reach the island, we find several restaurants, stores, lots of things that weren't there back in the day. The old lobster pound was still standing, but had obviously seen better days. We visited the grocery store on the island and found it almost identical to when we lived there 32 years ago! Some things really don't change.
Front porch of our old house on the island
We walk north on the island and locate the house we used to live in. A gentleman we started chatting with was kind enough to take our picture on the front porch. We ended up wandering with him for a while. His name was Bruce and he was a college professor from Texas and was visiting just to check the area out. We chatted with him while we walked about the island and wound up at the place it all started, the 5th Maine Regiment Hall.
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Wedding day 1987/32 years and one day later, 2019
The 5th Maine is special to us as we had our wedding there. It is an old gingerbread style house built in the 1800's. We rented it for our wedding and had family come in from all over. It has an incredibly gorgeous view across the channel to Cushing Island and out into the open ocean. To this day people tell us how memorable our wedding was and how they enjoyed it. Laurie remarked how similar today was to that day, with clear and warm weather.
Out back on Peaks, drone shot from out over the ocean
After this, Bruce headed off on his own and Laurie and I went to one of the rock beaches. We did photography, Laurie explored the tidal pools, and I flew my drone. I've had it for a few months and have been practicing around home. This was the first time that I have flown it somewhere other than where we live. I'm still learning but can see how it can be a wonderful tool to take photos from an entirely different perspective.
Gorgeous vistas abound, drone shot from over the channel looking down the beach
The view from where we got married
We continue to walk the island and explore things and places from our past. We eventually head towards the ferry and catch our ride back into town. When back in downtown Portland, we find a bakery and buy wonderful baked goods to bring to dinner tonight. We are meeting with very old friends for dinner and they are cooking a real treat for dinner.......lobster!
Battery Steele, a WWII shore gun installation that can be explored
Dinner at Julie and Bruce's house
Childhood friends, back together again!
We head south to visit Julie and her husband Bruce (a different Bruce). Laurie has been friends with Julie since childhood and she was quite excited to see Julie again. We had a wonderful dinner and truly thank Bruce and Julie for their hospitality. We sat and talked until much to late, then headed back to Portland. It's always hard to break away from seeing old friends that we haven't seen in a long time. We hope they'll visit us in Tennessee.
Tomorrow we head north, to see another old friend that we haven't seen in way too long. More tomorrow!
Tomorrow we head north, to see another old friend that we haven't seen in way too long. More tomorrow!