We decided to make a mini-trip out of our run up to UMaine. We spent the night in Biddeford. On Friday, we hit the Banded Brewing Company. They had some great vegetarian options and a wide variety of interesting beers (maibock, English style stock ale, IPA with turpenes). The flight option allowed us to sample a few. The next morning we discovered Maine's oldest diner was in Biddeford! We headed over to the Palace Diner which opened on 1927! It is one of the only two remaining Pollard Company cars (built in Lowell, MA). It has 15 seats--counter only. The breakfast was a definite step up from regular diner fare, especially the potatoes. Having never stopped off at Biddeford in past years, we were amazed to learn of its mill history! The Industrial Revolution's influence was apparent by the astounding number of mill buildings! We rambled along the Riverwalk taking in all the sights. Clearly, Biddeford is going through a lot of revitalization. Our final stop was to see the One Blue Sky mural featuring a boy talking on the phone. There is a partner mural in Iraq which has a girl on the other end of the call. (https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/one-blue-sky-mural) We popped down to Biddeford Pool and traveled along the coast to Portland. The southern Maine coast is pretty, but I still prefer the mid-coast and regions east for the stunning beauty.
This is the second week in a row we have been adventuring. Last week we had a staycation in Boston where we always find new and interesting things to do. We had many outings to great hangouts and restaurants (Bartaco, Trillium, The Bell in Hand, Spin, Trade). These two weeks have been a great way to welcome spring and get out exploring!
