On a New England van road trip this past fall (more about that in a future post), my wife and I and our pup Rapha had a wonderful visit to Portland, Maine. We quickly discovered that Portland deserved well more than the day and a half we had allotted. You could easily spend several days taking in the joy this town has on offer.
We came to sample Portland’s famed craft beer and food scenes. But there is so much more – culture, history, nature. And we had what I like to call a divine appointment, an unexpected encounter with someone or something that moves you, changes you.
Seeing the Sights
Portland is an historic port town on the beautiful Maine coast, officially founded in 1786. It is also a vibrant place with a rich cultural life. The population is roughly 500,000, but it feels much smaller. Green spaces abound, the sea is ever present, and the architecture (and cobblestones) impresses upon you the history of the place.
We focused our limited sight-seeing time on the striking Old Port district. From here you could take a ferry to Peak’s Island, have a blast with the kids on the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad, check out the 20,000 pieces of art on offer at the Portland Museum of Art, and, of course, hit tons of cool bars, restaurants, and shops.
A Foodie and Nature Paradise
Our sampling of the amazing food scene was also limited to the Old Port. It is obvious that many restaurants take immense pride in offering top-quality farm/sea-to-table dishes using local ingredients. Consider stopping in to ZUbakery for a chocolate croissant, hitting The Highroller Lobster Co, and treating yourself to some Beal’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream.
But the crown jewel was Eventide Oyster Co, a James Beard Award-winning spot specializing in oysters and shellfish. Expect a line, but it is oh so worth it! Eventide is a little red brick restaurant with dog-friendly sidewalk tables outside. Every detail reflects a commitment to excellence. The oyster menu is endless, and the oysters so fresh. The Brown Butter Lobster Roll is to die for. And don’t get me started on the craft cocktails and local beer!
Well, after a delicious lunch at Eventide, we needed to get in some walking. There are many worthy trails in or near town. We particularly liked Back Cove trail, a 3.6 mile waterside loop with great views of Portland and the cove itself. This trail also connects to the Eastern Promenade trail, 2.1 miles of harbor and ocean views.
Craft Beer Haven
Suitably inspired by our hike, we were ready to hit the breweries! But once again, we were at something of a loss, because Portland has one of the best craft beer scenes in the country. There are scores of top-notch breweries here.
We decided to sample a cluster of breweries around world famous Allagash Brewing in north Portland and hit a fantastic spot called the Bier Cellar to stock up on other local beers to try later. We spent the most time at Allagash and Foundation Brewing, both of which had excellent beer, served food, and were super dog friendly. Allagash’s facility is large, with a fantastic beer garden and gift store. It reminded me of Dogfish Head in Milton, Delaware (also worth a visit). Foundation was cozier and very nice, with delicious Detroit-style pizza and good pilsner.
So, what were the best beers? Well, the two breweries that wowed me were Allagash and Bissel Brothers, but I never had a bad beer anywhere. These Portland beers struck me as truly exceptional:
- Allagash Tripel (unusual but flavorful Belgian-style triple ale).
- Bissel Brothers Precept (really nice German-style pilsner).
- Mast Landing Gunner’s Daughter (peanut butter stout).
- Allagash Coolship Duet (Maine twist on a lambic-style fruit beer).
- Bunker Brewing Machine (crisp Czech-style pilsner).
The Highlight of Our Visit
And it was thanks to the incredible Portland beer scene that the most amazing thing happened, our divine appointment. We were enjoying pizza and beer at a large bench-style table at Foundation. The other tables were pretty much full. Then an outdoorsy, athletic older gentlemen sat down with us at our bench table.
We were surpised for a second that he had joined us, but then we remembered how much we enjoyed communal tables in Germany. So we engaged him in conversation. What began as an exchange of pleasantries grew into a two-hour baring of souls as the beer flowed and we all grew comfortable.
You see, our new friend was out on an epic road trip of his own. We were heading back south down the Maine coast, and he was heading out up north. He also loved craft beer. We wanted to take in Portland, and so did he. So, by divine appointment at 6PM on September 2, 2024 we all ended up at the same table at Foundation Brewing.
We swapped stories about sights we had seen, hikes we had taken, places we were going, beers we had tried. We laughed and laughed. He enjoyed petting Rapha. What a wonderful time.
But there was one difference between us. We were a couple. He was alone. Over the course of the conversation, our friend began to break down in tears. His wife of many years had passed. She was his co-adventurer in life, as my wife is mine. But his wife was gone, and he was terribly, horribly alone. He was our future, for one of us anyway.
After a period of intense mourning, he had resolved not to let his life die with her passing. He decided to honor her by continuing their adventures, seeing the places of their dreams, carrying her memory with him. And so he was carrying on.
Soon, there were no dry eyes at our table. His mourning was our mourning. We held him, asked God’s favor on him, and lifted a toast to his beloved wife. His smile returned. So did ours. His laughter returned. So did ours. And eventually, we said goodbye and parted ways, our friend to the north, and we to the south.
What a joy and a blessing that divine appointment was. We were so inspired by our new friend’s strength. We were so touched by our new friend’s weakness. We were so thankful he shared both with us.
I pray that he is still out on the road, gaining strength day by day. I pray that we treasure each second we have together as we head down our road.
A Short Meditation
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2
What is the law of Christ? Jesus put it thus: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another” (John 13:34). How did Jesus love us? He bore our burdens, even unto death.
He said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 28:30). He bears our burdens that we might bear our neighbors’. Thus we join in the sacred circle.
Look around. Everyone you see is heavy laden. Share the rest.
Un Petit Aperçu
Ma femme et moi, nous avons visité l'automne dernier la ville historique de Portland, dans le Maine. Nous avons eu un repas incroyable chez Eventide Oyster Co. Les huîtres et le homard étaient exceptionnels. Il y a aussi de nombreuses brasseries artisanales à Portland. Nous avons passé le plus de temps chez Allagash et Foundation Brewing.
Mais le moment le plus marquant du voyage a été de rencontrer un inconnu qui s'est assis à notre table à Foundation. Il était aussi en train de voyager dans le Maine, mais il était tout seul. Il nous a dit que sa femme était décédée. Il était en deuil, mais il avait quand même décidé d'honorer sa mémoire en poursuivant seul leurs aventures. Nous nous sommes sentis bénis d’avoir pu l’aider à porter son fardeau cette nuit-là.
Μία Περίληψη
Η γυναίκα μου και εγώ επισκεφθήκαμε το ιστορικό Πόρτλαντ του Μέιν το περασμένο φθινόπωρο. Είχαμε ένα καταπληκτικό γεύμα στο Eventide Oyster Co. Τα στρείδια και ο αστακός ήταν εξαιρετικά. Υπάρχουν επίσης δεκάδες υπέροχες βιοτεχνικές ζυθοποιίες στο Πόρτλαντ. Περάσαμε τον περισσότερο χρόνο στο Allagash και στο Foundation Brewing, τα οποία είχαν εξαιρετική μπύρα.
Αλλά το αποκορύφωμα του ταξιδιού ήταν μια συνάντηση με έναν άγνωστο που κάθισε στο τραπέζι μας σε ένα από τα ζυθοποιεία. Ταξίδευε όπως εμείς, αλλά ήταν μόνος του. Μας είπε πως η γυναίκα του είχε πεθάνει πρόσφατα. Ήταν σε πένθος, αλλά είχε αποφασίσει να τιμήσει τη μνήμη της συνεχίζοντας μόνος του τις περιπέτειές τους. Νιώσαμε ευλογημένοι που βοηθήσαμε να σηκώσουμε το φορτίο του εκείνο το βράδυ.
I look forward to trying some of the places (and trails) you tried! Adam and I enjoyed Orange Bike brewery in Portland recently.
Thank you for sharing your “appointment” with a fellow adventurer.
This is another really great post, Jeff. Thank you for a bit of peace. #JoieDeVivre