Photos by MJ Klein and Hui-chen – including FOOD PHOTOS!
Part of the 2010 USA Trip Series
After taking a day off from traveling, Hui-chen and I headed up east to the state of Maine.
We crossed over this bridge into a new state for Hui-chen. I’ve been to Maine several times and all up and down the state, but even though we couldn’t spend much time there, I did want to show her a few things from this lovely state.
We crossed the state line from New Hampshire, and headed into Scarborough.
I’m happy to say, we visited another Cabela’s store!
Naturally we had to pose outside like a couple of tourists!
The inside of the Scarborough Maine store was much like the other one we visited in Wheeling, WV.
We browsed the clothing and I have to say we bought too much stuff – again!
Fortunately, in the same shopping center complex was a Famous Dave’s BBQ! This is my BBQ bean stew! It was awesome.
And this is my plate of BBQ. There is beef brisket on the right, and diced BBQ pork on the left, above the beans. Those are garlic mashed potatoes at the bottom and a corn muffin in the middle. This was one of the best lunches I’ve had yet! Feel free to click on this photo and go to the Flickr site where you may view it in the large size!
This is Hui-chen’s salad. She gave it 2 thumbs up!
This is a shot of the interior. So remember, when you’re shopping at Cabela’s in Scarborough ME, there is a Famous Dave’s BBQ restaurant in the same complex!
We drove up to Freeport Maine, where the next destination awaited us:
I have to tell you – I really like the Desert of Maine.
Since I was here last, they’ve added a butterfly house.
The desert has some activities for people of all ages. You can create your own sand painting from the many colors of sand available.
Visitors ride in this tram for a guided tour of the desert.
The Desert of Maine is a real desert, although some people dispute this. I like to think that it is a real desert and I enjoy visiting it. Click on the link and read about it on Wikipedia.
Here I am, waiting to take the tour. I’ve taken it a few times before but this was Hui-chen’s first visit here.
The trams are pulled by vintage Jeeps.
Here we go!
This is Hui-chen and I at the far end of the desert.
The dunes are caused by wind that blows the sand around the trees and eventually buries them. These trees are very tall but most of their height is buried under the sand.
This sign explains it.
These are branches that have adapted themselves to become roots as the sand mounds up around the tree.
Another example of branches becoming roots.
And another example of the dunes growing up around the trees and burying them.
I like this shot showing the main area of the desert.
In addition to sand, there are some clay mounds.
The desert is constantly changing….
Remains of an old wagon.
The original Tuttle Farm barn is still standing.
This sign speaks for itself.
Inside the old barn….
I always like to check out how old buildings were made. This is post and peg construction. No nails.
Inside the barn are displays showing the types of tools that were used way back when.
This is a sand painting that uses various colors of sand from the desert.
This display depicts a typical household in that era.
Soon it was time for us to leave the Desert of Maine, and visit our next site on our tour.
This is the DeLorme Map Store, in Yarmouth, ME.
Inside the map store is a giant globe.
The globe, named “Eartha” is the world’s largest and really must be seen to be appreciated.
Eartha is 3 floors high!
The map store has an incredible offering of books, maps and software. We spent quite awhile walking around looking at everything in the store.
We went up to the second floor viewing area and just watched Eartha rotate for awhile.
Eventually, our part of the world appeared.
This is how Taiwan looks on Eartha. All the major highways are there.
East Asia.
The Eartha viewing area is three floors high! This is the view from the top floor of the viewing area.
After spending time at the map store, we went to our final stop for the day.
We went down to the harbor area. We were not going to leave Maine without a lobster and seafood dinner!
Freeport harbor is quite picturesque and it was lovely in the late afternoon sun.
These are lobster traps – so we knew we were in the right area!
We went to a place recommended by our friend Jason, called Harraseeket. These are steamer clams and are one of the things we came for. The small cup on the right is for washing the sand out of the clam. The cup on the left rear is melted butter for dipping.
Hui-chen contemplates the lobster. Which one does she want?
Hui-chen starts off with the clams. Good choice! These steamers were so good! It had been years since I had them, and I’d forgotten just how good they really are.
Here is the lobster before me. We’ve eaten our clams and now it’s time to dig into the lobsters!
Hui-chen starts with one of the claws.
Part of the fun is the ordeal of getting the meat out of the shell!
Now she tackles the tail….
And triumphantly displays the beautiful tail meat.
I had a blueberry cobbler for dessert.
Hui-chen had cherry cheesecake. Both these desserts were a fitting end to a fantastic meal.
We had a really great time in Maine. Our only regret was that we didn’t have more time to spend there, due to our tight schedule.
Thanks for reading! Please leave us your comments and recommendations below. Be sure to use the Share This! service immediately following the article, to share with your friends and post retweets.
Articles in series 2010 USA Trip:
- Our 2010 USA Trip
- Getting There Is Half The Fun
- Back In The USA
- New England, Day 1
- New England, Day 2
- New England, Day 3
- New England: The State of Maine
- New England: Back to New Hampshire
- New England: Mount Washington Cog Railway
- Northern New Hampshire
- Back to Massachusetts
- Salem, Massachusetts
- Famous Kelly’s in Revere
- Boston’s North End
- Boston: Last Day in New England
- Back to North Carolina
- Our Visit to Krispy Kreme
- Our Last Day in the USA
- On The Way Back Home
Can I sue you for posting food photos at 9 pm? LOL
Jokes aside fantastic photos and details MJ. That lobster looks terrific 🙂 I ever visit I would probably spend hours watching Eartha.
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hahah Ashish! i should limit access to daylight hours only! thanks for the kind words Ashish. we had a great time and the lobster was better that it looks in the photos. as Mike01905 said, you really have to see it in person. it’s really something to see. thanks.
No trip to Maine would be complete without having some lobster (or should I say lobstah).
I’ve been to DeLorme once… and Eartha is amazing to look at. Even tho the pictures are nice… pictures really don’t do it any justice. You have to see it in person to truly be amazed by it. I’ve been buying their Street Atlas software since the late 90’s (1997 or 1998 I think). I even have their bluetooth GPS (the Earthmate BT-20) that talks to my laptop.
I’ve never been to the Desert of Maine (and to tell you the truth… I never even heard of it). Strange the trees that are somewhat buried.
Now how did I know you would go to the Cabela’s there. I’m surprised you didn’t hit the Kittery outlet stores and the Kittery Trading Post.
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hi Mike. you are so right about the lobstah. Hui-chen was looking forward to that and there was no way i would have missed out on that opportunity.
Eartha is amazing to watch. that’s why they have a multi-level viewing area with seats. some people sit and watch for hours. it’s like orbiting the Earth from space. i don’t own their GPS but i do have an older version of Street Atlas. i would have upgraded when i was there, but i really don’t need a US map set anymore.
we didn’t hit the outlet stores because not only did we not have enough time, but also we planned on going to other outlet stores down south (which we did). thanks Mike!
Very interesting about the desert – I never realized trees could adapt like that! And great pictures as usual.
Thanks for sharing all this with us.
yes Stefan, it is very interesting about the desert. i’ve been there at least 4 times, and i’ve camped out there twice. i wanted Hui-chen to have the experience because there is nothing else like it in New England. thanks.
Really like your pictures. Michael and Peichi took me to Maine several times and I filled up on lobster and shopped at the Kittery outlet stores. Wish I had known about Eartha. Would have sat there for hours watching it rotate. Am anxious to see the rest of your trip.
hi Carolyn. so you can relate to the photos of Hui-chen eating the seafood, because you’ve been there! aren’t those outlet stores in Kittery something? i’ve been there several times in the past, and we had plans to check out some other outlet stores, so on this trip we bypassed Kittery. Eartha is quite something to see in person! but i think a lot of people would consider that a “geeky” destination. i don’t care! i like the place a lot and i hope it’s not my last time there. thanks Carolyn.
Interesting photos. Thanks for sharing.
All the best, Boonie
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thanks for dropping by Boonie. how are things up in Isaan? take care.
Nice pictures, you almost did not need words to go along with them!! They really did tell the story! The lobster nearly jump off the screen, and I wish it had, next time you and your beautiful wife are in my area of the world, like driving through my state, you really must stop for lunch!! Always a fun read MJ!!
hi Danielle. thanks for your kind words. we try to keep the verbiage down and the images high here at TheNHBushman.com. that was a fun story to tell about the lobster and the Desert of Maine, etc. we’ll let you know the next time we’re in the area. thanks!
I’d love to spend some time in the Map Store!
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yes Jim, i’m sure you would have enjoyed it as well. it’s just the place for map geeks!
MJ, what a trip and what a post. There is a shop similar back home I used to love going to called Complete Angler, I was and still am fishing mad and I used to go there and just wander and amaze at all the products available to buy. Spent many hours and lots of money but all worth it and good investments when retirement comes around.
The Desert of Maine was purchased for $300, it must have valued a little since then. It is so strange seeing a desert in such an area, and how the trees have adapted and not died out.
Seeing all the old tools and buildings remind me of Ballarat, where they used to mine for gold during the gold rush days, they have the old buildings, tools and wagons and such for tourism and I really don’t envy how hard life was back then.
Delorme Map Store, the first picture doesn’t do justice of how big it is, but when you see Hui-chen looks so small when she is standing at the base of it.
Fresh seafood, lobster mmmmmmm, living in Australia I was spoilt and took it for granted having seafood so fresh. Buying lobsters off the cray boats just after they dock, or fresh fish off trawlers when they arrive back in port, i do miss that.
Noot had her first lobster a few years ago, she was very happy.
Thanks for sharing mate.
hey Brunty, always a pleasure. we had a great time in Maine, but it was all too short. we were on a tight schedule and had many things to do and places to visit in a limited amount of time. but the lobster and seafood dinner was high on my list and was an absolute “must-do” for Hui-chen. HC didn’t really like the Desert of Maine but it’s not for everyone, i suppose. i’ve camped out there a few times and when you use the campground you can wander around in the desert at night. that’s when it really becomes beautiful IMO. she did like Eartha, and as you mentioned, the photos don’t do it justice. we’ve never seen anything even close to that big and it’s very impressive in person. so although it was a little geeky, going to the map store was also on my list of things that we needed to do that day. thankfully all those things are very close together and don’t require much driving between them. take care Brunty.