Saturday 7th - Portsmouth NH, Kittery, MN.

The Executive Summary

I'd picked Portsmouth because, according to the map, it is the closest point on the Atlantic Ocean from Montreal - i.e. shortest drive time. Also, it looked like a tiny, quiet fishing village. Big mistake. Portsmouth is dead-centre of The Hamptons. There's money here. Buttloads of money. No quiet fishing village here. It is quite a happening town - very, very funky. We see the town on foot. Much like Provincetown - except Breeders only.

And then, we have fresh-boiled lobster for dinner, sitting on a wharf in a fishing village. We meditate on the wharf to the sounds of the wind in the rigging and the smell of salt in our heads. This is why we came.

The Picturebook

First thing we do on Saturday morning is secure our room at the Wren's Nest Inn. It is a very nice stay, certainly compared to our previous night's stay at the Best Western.

Tugboats. Don't get them in Toronto harbours...

Hampton Beach. It's not a trip to the coast if you don't dip your toes in the ocean.

What is this? Methinks and artist has come along ahread of me and arranged these boats just do for my postcard-viewing pleasure!

Fresh cooked lobster and an ocean view. Yes, this is why we came. And why we'll keep coming back.

Sunday 8th - New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York

We come home. 11 hours, 1000 km.

A wonderful vacation, hilit with the best of low-stress leisurely pace, serendipitous discoveries, spontaneity, and the best vacation spot you can reach without wings.