When someone thinks about Spring Break vacation, usually Florida, Cancun, warm weather, the sun, the beach or drinking are some words that come to mind. Last Spring Break, instead of fleeing Hopkins to party with other college students from all over the country or spending the duration of break home in Baltimore County with my parents, I spent my time in a place a little bit colder: Maine.
For several days over break last year, I visited my boyfriend's hometown of Yarmouth, met his family for the first time and saw as many sites as we could fit in. After flying into the Portland Jetport - not airport - and stepping out into the brisk Maine air, I thought that it really was not that cold out.
Then I reconsidered, seeing as I was bundled up in my warmest coat, hat and gloves for a day that probably would have been one of the coldest winter days of the year back in Baltimore, and here we were in what was technically springtime at the end of March.
Despite the nippy weather and snowy slush on the ground, I had a great time. I went to the L.L. Bean store in Freeport and, though it sounds absolutely uninteresting next to enjoying the nightlife of Miami, I have to say it was the most amazing store I have ever been to.
The store had a humongous fish tank that was at least as long as my apartment living room, not to mention a hunting lodge complete with a fireplace, leather sofas and chairs, a coffee table shaped like a canoe and authentic stuffed moose and deer heads. Besides, a trout pond, a mini mountain to test out hiking shoes and stuffed wolves, raccoons and moose - and I am not talking about children's toy animals - definitely are not found in your average clothing store.
On the way out, of course we needed to take our picture with the gigantic L.L. Bean hiking boot that was two and a half times taller than me. Even though I'm just over five feet, it was still a sight to see.
That day, we also shopped at the outlets, which generally have much better deals than you would find at the mall, and I admit, I went on a slight shopping spree.
We checked out typical stores like the Gap or J. Crew, but my favorite one was "Cool as a Moose," though I did not purchase anything from there.
My brief trip to southern Maine also included eating dinner out at Flatbread, a great pizza place right on the water in Portland and seeing a spectacularly funny performance of Shakespeare's comedy Much Ado about Nothing, as well as driving and walking around in Cape Elizabeth, the state's wealthiest town.
The mansions, lighthouses and the remains of a fort located on the edge of the rocky coastline in Cape Elizabeth were incredible.
We actually drove from Maine all the way back to Baltimore and stayed in New York City for a night on the way. While strolling through Central Park, visiting the Apple Store and looking at priceless artwork at the Metropolitan Museum of Art also were memorable additions to my spring break trip, the New York part of my vacation just sounds more ordinary for some reason.
