Letter from Boston Weekend in Maine By MASAKO YAMADA	フレームで見る  英文をプリントする  脚注をプリントする
メーン州で過ごす週末 日頃の疲れを癒そうと、雅子さんは、週末を使ってボーイフレンドとメイン州に出かけました。ドライブをしながら、途中で特産のロブスターに舌つづみを打ったり、「メイン州で一番美しい海辺」を訪れたり、湖でカヌーに乗ったり…。大自然の中、つかの間の休日を満喫しました。

I know there are days that officially mark the beginning and the end of summer. But I think for most Americans, summer is sandwiched between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend. These are holidays on which people want to embrace summer, whether it is to welcome it or to bid it farewell.

I was certainly ready to enjoy the pleasures of summer this Memorial Day weekend. I'd been feeling a bit claustrophobic at work, and I think I'd even been feeling a bit trapped being in Boston all the time. So, my boyfriend and I decided to take a road trip to Maine to enjoy the great outdoors.

Maine is famous for its lakes, rivers and evergreen trees and it is a popular travel destination for weary city folk. As a matter of fact, the state nickname is "Vacationland." There is a large, popular national park in Maine called Acadia. That park was our final destination. We even brought a tent and sleeping bags so we could set up camp there.

Unfortunately, Acadia proved too far for us. Although the southernmost part of Maine is only about an hour away from Boston, the rest of the state is very large. We decided not to waste half a day just driving to Acadia. Instead, we stopped in different cities and towns along Route 1 in the southern part of Maine.

Maine is famous for its shopping outlets in Kittery and Freeport. We stopped by these cities but didn't buy anything. That was not what we were looking for in Maine. Nevertheless, the outlets are considered a treat for many, and there seemed to be plenty of people spending a happy weekend shopping in the air-conditioned malls.

We stopped often along the highway to enjoy the most famous of Maine delicacies — lobster. We saw many signs along the highway advertising lobster markets. I saw many homes in residential areas with lobster traps stacked up in the backyard.

Lobster exists in Boston (even in supermarkets) but it tends to be expensive. In Maine, lobster dishes are served even in the most modest diners and roadside shacks. The lobster dish that impressed me most was the lobster roll. This is nothing more than a hot dog bun filled with lobster and mayonnaise, but I liked it because it was simple and easy to eat.

We tried some creamy lobster chowder filled with large chunks of lobster. We also ordered a whole lobster, which looked dramatic on the plate, but we weren't able to get all the meat out. The people who get the meat out for sandwiches and soup are real pros.

Of course we weren't about to let our vacation pass us by without enjoying the natural beauty of Maine. We went to what one guidebook described as the best beach in Maine. We had to drive about 30 minutes off Route 1, but the detour was definitely worth it. We happened to arrive at exactly the right time. The tide was about to hit its lowest point, and we were able to walk straight from the shore to an island that is inaccessible when the tide is high. When we got to the island, we saw a memorial for a boy who had drowned while trying to reach the shore when the tide was high.

We also rented a canoe and canoed across a lake. It was a lot of fun going to the sports shop and having the big, red canoe tied to the top of the car. We picked up some sandwiches, drinks and snacks and drove to the lake.

Our route had lots of twists and turns, and the lake was full of little islands, but fortunately, we had a map. It took us a few hours to row across. We ate a leisurely lunch on the other side and then started paddling back. Unfortunately, we had to paddle against a strong wind on the way back. We couldn't even rest our arms, since the wind would push the boat back whenever we stopped. In addition, the time to return the canoe was rapidly approaching.

I could barely enjoy the beautiful scenery during that return trip and I was able to relax only after the boat was returned — on time. Then I recalled what fun we had rowing. It kept me happy during the entire trip back to Boston.

Shukan ST: June 18, 1999

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