I checked out of the hostel today and was picked up by Ella and Andy to go to Maine. They were set on hitting two states in their US tour (New Hampshire en route to Maine) and I was set on having the best the lobsters in the world.

We had lobster steamers and oysters from Robert's Maine Grille and Market. I was in total heaven. My lobster was fat, juicy and had the tastiest roe I have ever had. I was tearing through my giant meal with my hands with juices dripping down my wrist. There was something gruesomely erotic about mopping up the lobster roe with it's own flesh and licking your fingers trying to get every last bit of it in your mouth.

Kittery, the town we were in, was littered with outlet shops and Ella and I couldn't resist dropping by the gap outlet to see what we could find. We both got a couple of items before heading back on the road.


We drove up to York Harbor to take photos by the water and saw a lighthouse nearby, which we later visited. I kept telling Ella I needed to buy a new lens because I can't keep changing lenses all the time (I bring the 18-55mm kit lens and a 28-105mm) I need both for taking wide and close shots and I can't not bring both on travels. I had the kit lens on when I was taking photos of the lighthouse, which was perched on a high rocky islet by the water's edge. We were standing on low boulder cliffs and I made my way down near the water to take better photos. The rocks were wet from the waves but I slowly padded my way down to take my shot. When I was done, I turned, took a step and fell, slamming and sliding down the rock. My right arm and my CAMERA broke my fall. When I lifted myself up and looked down, the UV filter of my lens was shattered and zoom barrel was bent, rendering it unusable. I was in pain, shock and dirty. My camera seemed fine and unharmed but the lens was a goner. I had to laugh. I kept saying I need to get a new lens and never buy one and here is the universe telling me, "Now there, now you REALLY have to get one now."

Ella and Andy are taking me to the bus station tomorrow for my bus back to New York. I'm a little worried about my arm though, I'm not sure if I can work properly if it's sore like this. It's bad enough that I feel like I need an arm sling because it hurts when my arm hangs off my shoulders without support. My wound is bandaged up but sore. I hope this gets better tomorrow, otherwise I don't know how I'm supposed to carry plates of food on Friday.

I'm in MARTHA'S VINEYARD!!!

The trip was faster than I thought. I slept mostly through the 6 hour bus ride. I had my trusty air cushion travel pillow which has been with me since Sagada days. The ferry ride was short and scenic as we entered through "preppy white people" territory. I stuck out like a sore thumb on the ferry ride over, being one of the small minority of non-caucasians in summery clothes, fancy shades and summer hats. I had on jeans, chucks, thin jacket over cardigan over vest over shirt because Mica told me to bring cold weather clothes since it was supposed to be chilly. The sun was high and VERY hot and my armpits were steaming *mental picture!* I stripped off my outerlayers, stuffed them in my backpack and de-boarded the ferry to be met by Mica at the pier. We headed over to The Yard, where she's staying and where I will be crashing for the next 4 days. I was very, very hungry having only eaten a sausage, egg and cheese sammie from Au Bon Pain on my way to the bus terminal. I was on an island and demanded one thing and one thing only. I wanted SEAFOOD! FRESH SEAFOOD!


We dropped off my luggage and we borrowed two bikes and huffed, puffed and panted our way to Menensha Beach. The last time I rode a bike, I must've been 10 years old and despite having retained the skill of bike riding, I however, lost the stamina to pedal even slight inclines. I wanted to CRY. My knees felt like jelly later in the night and I had to walk the bike during several stretches of low inclined roads. I was pathetic.

I took some photos before we decided to skip over to the seafood shack by the docks where we ordered a dozen oysters on the half-shell, a bag of steamed mussels, clam chowder and steamed lobster. I was feeling pretty generous so I payed for our feast. It was I who insisted on seafood anyway.

more pictures here

We were pretty full after our meal (we left no edible part of that lobster undigested) but we headed to the beach and the pier for sunset photos and pedaled back to the yard.

There was a show going on in the yard's theater when we got there and we snuck in to watch it. It was a one man show titled Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory: From Douglas to Deliverance by Andre De Sheilds. It was a pretty awesome show of the history of African Americans in America.

Tomorrow we'll have an early start beginning with Mica's dance class (the one she teaching) at 9am followed by a (hopefully) trip to the beach while the sun is still high in the sky. She was right, the cool wind that creeps in around 5pm starts turning into a horrible chill (think upper 50s) as soon as the sun starts to set. There will not be any swimming on this trip as I had previously hoped. Mica just reminded me that the movie JAWS was filmed here and nantucket. Also, shark season has begun as well. Only summer of last year, one was found near one of coastal beaches of the island and another one the previous year (click for video). Knowing this, the waters of MV will not be seeing me this year. I'll have to settle to just sunning myself in their powdery sands. If we have the energy and time, we will hit the towns of Oak Bluffs of Vineyard Haven (the fancy areas with the fancy houses, the fancy shops and the fancy people)