23. Maine

      The drive along Route 1 is a mecca for antique shoppers. There are antique shops after antique shops. The other thing we noticed about Maine was how much they demonstrate their patriotism. There are flags everywhere. We can usually spot a Post Office by the flying flag however in Maine just about everyone including businesses fly the American flag. How nice to see such patriotism.

     We stopped in Wells for lunch at the Maine Diner. I had read about their lobster rolls and lobster pie so knew right away what we were ordering. The lobster pie was served with carrots, mashed potatoes, and a corn muffin. The corn muffin was large and sweet which is my favorite. Lobster pie is a casserole of large chunks of lobster meat mixed with crumbled Ritz crackers, butter and then baked. As if there wasn't enough butter already, it is served with drawn butter that you pour over the casserole. Talk about good. I'm going to have to try this recipe with crabmeat or shrimp. The lobster roll was full of succulent lobster meat served in a bun. Not a small amount, each roll has at least 5oz of fresh picked meat. We had ours heated which meant it was served with drawn butter that you can either pour over the meat or use to dunk the roll in. If you pour too much then the bun will be hard to handle so I poured just a little, enough just to flavor the meat. Both dishes were scrumptious. Indian pudding is a New England dish and was on the menu so of course we had to try it. Indian pudding is made with corn meal, molasses, light cream, butter, brown sugar, ginger and cinnamon. It is served warm with vanilla ice cream. The cornmeal gives it a gritty texture and the ice cream actually helps to cut down on the sweetness and grittiness. The ice cream is a must.
     Not far from the diner is Kennebunk and Kennebunkport. There are fantastic Oceanside cottages all along the shore. It would be a treat to stay in one of them, but that’ll be another time. We were able to get to the beach and I was able to stand in the Atlantic Ocean before a storm blew in. The storm, with its 60 mph winds, was quick and fierce. Luckily we were at the southern end of the storm since I was determined to view one of Maine's many lighthouses, the Cape Neddick Light Station near York. It is also known as the Nubble light and was built in 1879. Supposedly it is one of the most photographed lighthouses in Maine and I can understand why.