These days I live in an apt. dedicated to seniors, away from the bustle of our largest city, Portland, Maine. For many years I lived in Portland a half block up from a scenic area known as the Eastern Promenade. Its a lovely place and busy, busy on the Fourth. Thousands came to see the fireworks propelled from a barge in the bay. Lovely site and worth the trip. Luckily for us, we did not have to find a parking spot, but we always planned to stay home that day because we would no doubt be blocked in our driveway from the cars of strangers, trying to find a place to park. We allowed it because we know the parking problem for others. Our friends enjoyed safe parking in our driveway for the duration.
Anyway, I miss those lovely days, the walks, the swimming at the beach, the little league games and watching the tennis players. On Thursday nites we had a band that played in the gazebo. Many came to listen and enjoy.
Here is a birds' eye view of the great expanse of the Promenade. Green from left to right, spanning many blocks. That wider street about in the center of the photo is our main street, Congress St. It runs for many miles thru the middle of the city. The train tracks along the ocean edge used to run the Canadian RR line from Portland to Canada, but recently it runs a small scenic train that especially enjoy it in winter when Santa Claus is seen to ride the train.
The above hi-rise is known as The Portland House and has views not only of the bay but also the harbor where ships and fishing vessels and boats of all kinds enter and leave. You can see the train tracks below the cliff and the walking paths along the shoreline.
The Prom is a great place to walk or just lay about on blankets on a sunny day.
This view shows the gazebo where the band plays. There is a great parking area for those that want to look out into the bay and its many island and boats coming and going. It was a great place in my youth for necking in the evenings with my guy. Its ok, I married him, the great love of my life who I miss after 45 years of marriage.
There is even a white sand beach below the cliffs where I spent many an hour during my youth and even with the kids.
That beach brought me many hours of pleasure thru the years. I used to bike up the hill from our lower city apt. when I first moved here when I was 10 years old. That beach is where I enjoyed many hours of my youth.
Its named the East End Bathing Beach and was the highlight for many youths growing up.
For many of my adult years I lived a few houses up from that white house on the corner (the 5th I think) so was never far from a great view or a great walk. And the fireworks displays.
Another view from the parking area is that of Fort Gorges out in Casco Bay and beyond that the islands.
On the Fourth of July thousands of people converged on The Prom. With blankets and chairs and picnics, they made a day of it. There were boat races in the bay and a little league game and bands playing and other things to keep everyone busy and content thru the day.
Come evening on the Fourth, it was fireworks from about nine at night when it got dark enough, til they ran out of them maybe 15 minutes later.
I miss the bright spectacle of the evening. I am just lucky to be one that could enjoy this area and the displays for so many years for which I am thankful.
I just wanted to share this with my friends and others. I hope you had a good Fourth of July.
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