portland – Zaira Viteria

A recapture of our time together exploring Portland, Maine.

September 30th – Western Promenade

Happy 20th, Cantara!

We left for RDU airport around 6:15AM, connected in LaGuardia at 11:00AM and landed in Portland, Maine just before 1:00PM.

Once settled at the hotel, a nap was in order. We woke with a mean appetite and had our eyes set on Vietnamese cuisine. She ordered pho, and I, a vermicelli noodle bowl (we both tried something new).

As the sun began to set, we headed towards the Western Promenade (it was the only thing we had planned for a short day). The walk was no more than 15 minutes from the hotel and once we got closer, I noticed a couple of (presumably) unhoused people and carts filled with belongings.
I gave pause because I wasn’t sure what to expect from the park (it never hurts to be extra cautious while exploring). Despite a moment of hesitation, we continued onward, up the winding pathway. Little did we know, there was a gift waiting to greet us during our ascension.

The sunset.

It was absolutely beautiful. What’s more, students, families, couples, and solos were enjoying the park watching the same sky show. Seeing people unplugged and enjoying one another is always refreshing… Some were exercising, canoodling, petting their loyal pup and laying out on a blanket. Oh, how I wish I had something like this near my residence!

This is the first sunset my sister and I shared together – the first sunrise was in Kenya. 🙂

We continued along the walkway, took notice of the homes in the area and began pondering their estimated value. We ooo’d and ahhh’d along Carroll Street, criticised some homes and praised the features of others. Each one had character and none looked the same.

October 1st – Old Port and Downtown

Breakfast in our pajamas was how we started our day (which is the right way, in case you were wondering ;). With bellies full, we began our journey to the Victoria Mansion. Now… Had I learned more history behind the original owner, I likely would have been less interested. Our tour guide was okay… she rubbed me the wrong way a couple times, especially when she called the forced labor of the enslaved people “help”. Help is voluntary. I asked a fair share of questions (along with others) throughout the tour. In the last room we visited, I asked her about a “darling egg” and she explained it. Before leaving the room, she asked if the group had any questions and no one said anything. She then turned to me and asked me if I had any to which I responded no… She then said she was surprised which confused me because I already asked my question. But her tone was more taunting than amusing. Someone else chimed in on my behalf, thankfully. I’d give the tour guide a genrous 2.8 out of 5 stars.

Overall, the mansion was one of kind but not the kind I’d fancy (because, I’m obviously in the market). The rooms were ornate and exploding with trims, paintings gold accents and woodwork. My favorite was the Turkish room because of its intimate size and warm colors.

The gift shop had all kinds of fun trinkets and souvenirs . Once we left, we continued on to Downtown and Old Port area looking for the best sweatshirts. Naturally, many books, knickknacks and clothing items caught our attention. I tend to take pictures of books and later check to see if my library has them on the Libby or Hoopla apps. Unfortunately, I suffered greatly from decision fatigue but not Cantara; she found a cute blue sweatshirt and I didn’t get mine until just before the end of the trip.

Our appetites returned to us with a vengeance while we were near the highly popular Duck Fat restaurant. As soon as we received a text our table was ready, we swiftly made our way
inside and took our seats. The sandwiches were tasty but the FRIES were out of this world. “These are the best fries I ever had” – Cantara. And I agree. Was it the duck fat that instilled the rich flavor or a combination of meticulously measured spices? We’ll never know. Here’s what’s known: this restaurant has raised our standard for fries.

With our palates satisfied, we walked along the port and popped into a couple of galleries. One artist in particular made such vibrant paintings which juxtaposed the atrocities experienced and witnessed in his childhood. I asked the shopkeeper (who is also one of the artists with work on display) about the painter. My heart smiled to hear he’s one of the most cheerful people she’s ever met.

A few artists pulled my attention but his story and works changed my brain chemistry for the better.

October 2nd – Eastern Promenade / East Bayside

First thing in the morning was our 9 o’clock appointment for permanent bracelets at LadyFine Jewelry. Opening the solid door on the side of a windowless building felt… a little taboo – glad there was a sign! We took our time deciding which style we wanted to commit to for the rest of our lives. The one I really wanted was $200 steeper than I originally planned. The design I opted for was simple and complemented my other bracelet. Cantara chose a bracelet that reflected any present light – I think it was called sunburst? Naturally, it was eye-catching.

I’ve visited two other permanent jewelry shops and the technician always put a barrier (usually leather) between the bracelet and the skin because a spark is used to weld it. That wasn’t done at this location which was disappointing. I let Cantara know she should expect more safety precautions if she decides to go again elsewhere. Besides that, it was a good experience overall and the owner was patient with us and also had reasonable prices.

With the morning activity crossed out, we set out for a light bite from a nearby recommended coffee shop. Hot beverages and unusual pastries in hand, we sat in the sun at our leisure until it was time to explore more of East Bayside. The street art was a pleasant surprise! I recall reading a post where the author advised against exploring East Bayside but it was missed on me as to why.

Our route this day took us from East Bayside to Bayside to Downtown to East End back to West End. We brunched at Ocotillo before returning to Downtown for the sunset lighthouse tour by Windjammer. IT WAS COLD OUT ON THE WATER and the views were quite nice. We were able to bring beverages and food on board, too. At one moment, while near the Great Diamond Island, we noticed a funky occurrence in the sky: there seemed to be two vertical small rainbows – each on the side of the sun. For dinner, Gilbert’s Chowder House was our pick and this place was packed! We came at a great time because there was a table for two available with our names on it.

October 3rd – Fort Williams Park

This morning was a slow start with leftovers for brekkie. As we approached the Portland Art Museum, there was a crowd of women on the corner promoting peace while playing upbeat music. A little while later, on the same corner, was a man holding a sign expressing ridicule of the current US president. We spent a couple at the museum – naturally, there were a few surprises sprinkled throughout if you looked close enough.

With it being our last day, we saved the iconic lighthouse as the cherry on top. I made every effort to have us dropped off away from the lighthouse but, nope! Our Lyft driver dropped us off right. at. the. lighthouse. Now, if you know a thing or two about large buildings and monuments, you can’t really see it if you’re standing right in front. Nevertheless, I’m sure he meant well. We took in various views of the lighthouse and waves crashing along the rocks. Shortly after, we moseyed along a trail until it led us back to where we started.

Though the park is called “Fort Williams” it didn’t resonate with me that it was created to defend the harbor until I read the plaques about the area (specifically Battery Blair). At the battery, there were two guns built within concrete with the ability to retract and hide from the enemy’s line of sight.

The Goddard Mansion was in the area but we didn’t get a chance to check it out. Here’s a list of a few more things I’d definitely add to my list if I were to return to Portland, Maine:

A few things we missed: