Sunday 1
Happy New Year!
I live in Portland Maine now. Surprise! After completing my 2181 mile long hike I fell into a couple of jobs and an apartment. The city of Portland is one of the three largest in Maine, in my understanding, and the furthest south of the three. As the name suggests, its located on the coast, amid a series of natural bays and harbors. It's a city of brick and cobblestone. The old warehouses and dockside have been converted into shops and restaurants blending the New England of Melville and the modern day East Coast. Over it all the gulls call back and forth, engaged in an eternal conflict with the pigeon population. It's also a city of young people, at least compared to Cincinnati, with several colleges located in and around supporting a vibrant night life.
I had visited Portland once before the hike began, but it was after my Katahdin summit that I truly began to get the feel of the town. I hadn't intended on staying as long as I have, indeed, I hadn't intended on staying beyond the time needed to receive the tickets for my long bus ride back to Ohio, but the town and the prospect of work wooed me. Portland is situated on a peninsula, and rises to the east and west into residential areas known, imaginatively, as the East and West Ends, respectively. On the ends of the Ends are the Eastern and Western Promenades, or Proms, the outermost boundaries of the city, and each bordering a beautiful view of the surrounding countryside. My jobs are located in the East End, while the apartment I eventually settled into is in the West. Between the two the terrain gently slopes down towards the Old Port, the heart of the city.
The people here are a mixed bunch, from the hard Mainers living off of the sea to immigrants from around the world to the young crowds of twenty-somethings and college students who pack the concerts and night spots each evening. I haven't yet had the opportunity to really get to know many here, with work and the move keeping me busy at all hours of the day, but they seem friendly and open, at least on the surface. Along with the people are the establishments which make Portland unique. While they were helping me with the move, I took my mother and brother to Gilbert's down by the water for delicious chowder and seafood. There's the Great Lost Bear, a bar/restaurant which has an exorbitantly large selection of beers on tap, Coffee By Design, the largest local chain of a plethora of cafes and coffee shops, and many many more.
I hope to live here for the next couple of years, although my feet are already beginning to itch a bit. In the meanwhile, Portland offers me a lot to occupy my time and I'm looking forward to getting to know it even better.
I live in Portland Maine now. Surprise! After completing my 2181 mile long hike I fell into a couple of jobs and an apartment. The city of Portland is one of the three largest in Maine, in my understanding, and the furthest south of the three. As the name suggests, its located on the coast, amid a series of natural bays and harbors. It's a city of brick and cobblestone. The old warehouses and dockside have been converted into shops and restaurants blending the New England of Melville and the modern day East Coast. Over it all the gulls call back and forth, engaged in an eternal conflict with the pigeon population. It's also a city of young people, at least compared to Cincinnati, with several colleges located in and around supporting a vibrant night life.
I had visited Portland once before the hike began, but it was after my Katahdin summit that I truly began to get the feel of the town. I hadn't intended on staying as long as I have, indeed, I hadn't intended on staying beyond the time needed to receive the tickets for my long bus ride back to Ohio, but the town and the prospect of work wooed me. Portland is situated on a peninsula, and rises to the east and west into residential areas known, imaginatively, as the East and West Ends, respectively. On the ends of the Ends are the Eastern and Western Promenades, or Proms, the outermost boundaries of the city, and each bordering a beautiful view of the surrounding countryside. My jobs are located in the East End, while the apartment I eventually settled into is in the West. Between the two the terrain gently slopes down towards the Old Port, the heart of the city.
The people here are a mixed bunch, from the hard Mainers living off of the sea to immigrants from around the world to the young crowds of twenty-somethings and college students who pack the concerts and night spots each evening. I haven't yet had the opportunity to really get to know many here, with work and the move keeping me busy at all hours of the day, but they seem friendly and open, at least on the surface. Along with the people are the establishments which make Portland unique. While they were helping me with the move, I took my mother and brother to Gilbert's down by the water for delicious chowder and seafood. There's the Great Lost Bear, a bar/restaurant which has an exorbitantly large selection of beers on tap, Coffee By Design, the largest local chain of a plethora of cafes and coffee shops, and many many more.
I hope to live here for the next couple of years, although my feet are already beginning to itch a bit. In the meanwhile, Portland offers me a lot to occupy my time and I'm looking forward to getting to know it even better.