2,643 Miles - Destinations Ogunquit and Kennebunkport, Maine, Portsmouth, New Hamspshire

Do I ever tire of the ocean?  Never!  You may get tired of looking at pictures of it, but the ocean inspires me.  Buildings are okay and I am not really much of a sightseer, I would rather sit and contemplate the ocean, the waves, it's moods and sounds.  That makes me very happy my friends.  Since, we had not been to the northeast except one other time (and I didn't get to see much of it), I didn't mind visiting a few of the local villages near York Beach, Maine.  Our hosts were ever so kind in touring us around and showing the all the beautiful sights.

This is a picture of Dan and me at the top of the Marginal Way in Ogunquit.  Ogunquit, which means "coastal lagoon" in the indigenous Abenaki language (Wikipedia) is a beautiful tourist town and artist's colony.  Lovely inns, galleries, and restaurants.  But for me, the real attraction was the Marginal Way which is now a paved 1.5 mile path that follows the coastline and can be walked.  Guess where we spent our time?  You guessed it.  


The day was gloriously beautiful, temperature amazing, water and skies azure, and we walked and talked.  Oh, the glories of our country!  

This is a view across a bay at Ogunquit which was founded in the 1600's and was a shipbuilding and fishing town.  

Another view from the Marginal Way.  Looking at the rocky coastline made me think of every novel I have ever read about New England.  I could have spent the entire day in this spot.  

Heading back down the Marginal Way.  You really should consider going there just to walk this amazing historical path.  


We had a delicious lunch at a lovely little place by the ocean where we sat on the porch and enjoyed the view, then headed back to York Beach to spend the afternoon on the porch watching the ocean.  Yes, it never gets old.  Ever.


On day three, we went to Kennebunkport, Maine.  Does that sound familiar to you?  Perhaps it's because the Bush family has a summer residence there that is extraordinarily beautiful.

The compound sits at the tip of a peninsula that juts into the ocean.  The picture does not show the house well, but I can say I would gladly spend my summers there!  


We spent more time in Kennebunkport wandering around the quaint little town.  

Kennebunkport was founded in the early 1600's and was a shipbuilding center where they built 5 masted ships and a special dory that was in demand.  There are large homes that once belonged to ship's captains in the town and they are New England beautiful as only New England homes can be.


Streets are very narrow in the northeast because the towns are so old.  It's hard to get good pictures because everything is so close together.  The town is full of tourist shops and restaurants and Alma said after July 1 it is shoulder to shoulder tourists.  How glad am I we were there when we were?  You have no idea.  

We enjoyed a lunch of New England Clam chowder to die for, walked a little more and headed back to York Beach to sit on the porch and look at the ocean some more.  Never. Gets. Old.


On Sunday afternoon, we headed to Portsmouth, New Hampshire which is just over the Maine state line.  It is a beautiful city which was also a shipbuilding and fishing town established in the 1600s.  Hard to get your head around cities that old when our country just celebrated it's 236th birthday.  This may be the town where I lived in a past life.  It is so beautiful with it's historical buildings and bricked sidewalks.  These buildings speak to me in a way that modern facades do not.

An historic church in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.  Lovely.

Walking the streets of Portsmouth, admiring the architecture.

The interior of Flatbreads where was had some of the best pizza ever.  It was an old industrial building with high ceilings, wooden walls and floors.  That is their huge wood fired oven where they cooked their pizzas.  By the way, it's worth the drive just to have one of their pizzas.  Yes, worth it.  We walked around some more and returned to York Beach to sit on the porch and watch the ocean, drink coffee, talk some more, and watch the ocean.  Tomorrow, we leave (sob) for the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.  


It was such a wonderful visit and we cannot thank Alma and Jack enough for allowing us to stay at their home and look at the ocean for several wonderful days that we will never forget.  Maybe it's not New England where I lived in a past life, maybe I was a mermaid.  That could be it.  I will return to the ocean again as soon as possible.  Bye bye for now.


Everyday Donna


Things to Remember:


love builds up the broken wall

and straightens the crooked path.

love keeps the stars in the firmament

and imposes rhythm on the ocean tides

each of us is created of it

and i suspect

each of us was created for it”

--Maya Angelou