Vacation in Maine

Well, we're back in Rochester after a great vacation in Maine. It was great to see my parents and their surroundings for the first time up there. Portland is such a cool city. I love how old it is, its location, and its small-big city feel. Portland is 2nd in the country for microbreweries, so we had a lot of great beer. I tried cask-conditioned ale for the first time. Without a doubt it's the best way to have a beer.

It seemed like everyday there was something to see. We went to Camden (a mountain right next to the coast with a spectacular view), Colonial Pemaquid, Boothbay, Little Sebago Lake, Portland Headlight, and Kennebunkport (where Bush met with Putin at Walker Point). I've read so much about the region in my history books, so it was great to see the rivers and areas in person.

For the drive back to NY, we decided to stop by the famous Fort Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain for a day. The drive through the Green Mountains of NH & VT was beautiful on the way. When we got to the end of VT, we took our car on a ferry over Lake Champlain to get to the NY side. My time at Fort Ticonderoga was a blast. Last weekend was their annual Grand Encampment, a festival with reenactments, colonial merchants, and stuff. It was awesome. The Fort is in a beautiful spot overlooking Lake Champlain. It was chilling to be on the very ground of the battles there during the French & Indian and Revolutionary Wars.

After Ticonderoga, we drove by Lake George to Fort William Henry. For a while now, I've heard it said that Lake George is the most beautiful lake in America; now I know why. It was unreal. Fort William Henry is another fort from the French & Indian War. It's the fort depicted in The Last of the Mohicans, one of my favorite movies. Once again, great view of the lake, and neat to be where all the history happened.

It's nice to be back home though. Sarah starts work tomorrow, which'll be tough for her after having a couple months off for Aidan. But we're looking forward to getting back into the swing of things.