ME II: SF > ... > Peaks

· Maine Event

This was a multi-day travel extravaganza. We left SF early and arrived pretty late in Boston took the Silver Line to our hotel and which was a lovely residential inn that was super hip white subway tile that was old and a bit worn and dirty. A strange coincidence: Matt had stayed at this same hotel for work years earlier but we didn't plan ahead to stay at this particular place. He only realized it once we arrived. It was an old building they had converted into something super hip and cool for traveling techies I would guess. We got in too late for dinner and ate something akin to food from their vending machine area and had a beer because the bar was open. We didn't have the energy to wander out into the world and seek food by that time it was quite late. The following morning we took the train to Portland and walked to the hotel which was right downtown in the midst of everything - it was incredibly hot and a long walk so after we cleaned up we reached out to our friend RJ who met us for dinner at Mami for a spectacularly good meal we had a beautiful welcome sunset and slept deeply in an old fashioned hotel. This morning we kicked around Portland for a few hours waiting until we could go to our island vacation home. Mostly we sat in a shady park, because it was hot, identifying trees and birds. Then we caught the ferry to Peaks where we are staying for the next week. You will hear more about the island this week. Currently, it is very dark and wonderous with the ocean out the front and a cattail marsh out the back. The sounds of the crickets are the loudest and it's cool enough that we don't need the air conditioner. It's a perfect tiny cottage.

A few pictures of what we left and what we arrived at.

On the day we left, in our little Quane alley, a cactus that I've long admired decided to bloom and it is simply magnificent. Also, look at that sky, I promise it is not spruced up with any filters.

Organpipe Cactus in bloom with a house behind
An Organpipe Cactus in Bloom

The city was really putting on a show the days before leaving just so we would remember to come back.

Fog rolling over twin peaks and down over Noe Valley on our evening walk.
Mama's Spirit Market (our corner bodega), the Sutro Tower, and pinkish clouds.
SF skyline with Salesforce building dominating
The view of SF downtown from near our house

At long last, we arrived in Portland, Maine

Giant purple bus that says "ROCK CATS RESCUE"
This is really a cat town!
beautiful sunset over the atlantic reflecting the pink
This was the show on the first night we arrived on a walk along the Eastern Prom
dock with boats and reflection in the water
On our way to catch the ferry this afternoon. Beautiful light and cooler by the water.
banana boxes on pallets
Islanders can order their food from Whole Foods and the ferry requires them to pack all food in banana boxes that can resist the salt spray and wear and tear. Islanders meet the ferry unpack and fold the boxes down for reuse. They don't actually eat that many bananas on the islands.

That's all for today. We are tired little people that are so grateful to be out of hotels and in a little cottage for the seashore.

Sending love,

Tawnia

p.s. In case you are wondering ME II is "Maine Event Year 2".