Day 4 Portland June 25, 2021

   For dinner they tell you that you can sit where ever you choose and that is not exactly correct.  When you come into the dining room, they ask how many, so you could come down as a group, but if not they seat you where they want. This way they fill up all of the tables. It is interesting because each meal you eat with different people. The first night we sat with two people who had defected from the Soviet Union with their two daughters and three suitcases. Also was a Jewish lawyer  who lived in California and had nothing good to say about his state. He also quoted the Bible from time to time. Reminded me of my Jewish English professor.  He was funny.  Also was a couple and she was from East Berlin. So it was fascinating talking to them. This way we are meeting most of the people on the ship.

   Yesterday was Portland ME.  Portland is the most populous city in Maine and is famous for its architecture and night life. It is definitely a maritime based economy settled in 1632. During the American Revolution was named Fairmouth. We took a city tour and visited the Portland Head Lighthouse in Fort Williams Park. This is the most photographed lighthouse in America.

   In the afternoon we went on a Brew tour. That was a lot of fun. We first stopped at a brewery and had four different beers. They were certainly not your ordinary beers. Then a rum distillery where we had a refreshing rum punch. They do everything there even bottle their own by hand. Didn’t think that existed any more. Then onto a mead house.  Mead is fermented honey with added fruit. I felt as if I lived in the time of King Arthur and the Round Table.

   For lunch yesterday Tom had a lobster roll and last night was the whole lobster. Today is a lobster bake on the beach. So far it is very foggy out and Maine has been pretty drizzly and damp. Glad I brought a rain coat.

 More to follow,

Tom & Holly