Jim and I started this blog to record our more ‘exotic’ travels. So we generally only covered our trips outside of the U.S.  We didn’t even write about our beloved Puerto Vallarta because it was ‘just’ an R&R vacation. We made an exception for the Costa Rica R&R vacation because we got some great animal and hotel pictures, but we neglected to post from  Lake Tahoe this month – and we certainly have some great pictures from that trip.

So we’re turning over a new leaf. As of tonight, we’ll blog more frequently, even if our adventures aren’t that ‘adventuresome.’ Every place is interesting in some way and worth at least a few words.

Tonight marks my first post after coming to Maine almost every week since May. It just so happens I’m staying in the nicest place I’ve been in over these five months. It’s tough to find a nice, affordable place near Portland, ME from June – October, so I’ve been moving from place to place trying to find a quiet room with a comfortable bed.

I finally found it in Gorham, ME at the Pine Crest Inn. The fact that it’s in Gorham rather than Portland makes it affordable. But in addition to a comfy-seeming bed and quiet-seeming room (I haven’t actually slept here yet), it also has a lovely sitting area where I’m writing this post, and it’s walking distance from a cozy Sebago brewpub. There is also a highly regarded restaurant on-site. Unfortunately, the restaurant isn’t open on Tuesday, but I’ll likely be back to try it out.

Below are photos of the sitting room and my bedroom, The Hamilton.

A nice inn on a quiet street may not seem like a big deal, but given some of the places I’ve stayed during my sojourn in Maine, it’s a real treat. I’ve been rating hotels on TripAdvisor, so hopefully my travels will help other travelers, and I’ll post a few more tidbits here another time. But for now this will kick off a new era of celebrating the lesser roads traveled.