Lord Jim of Dilling - Diplomat Magazine

DESTINATIONS|MaineJessie Reynolds”We paddled one of the most beautiful places we’d ever seen.“fluent families. The most famous – or infamous– is the estate known as “the BushCompound” (or, if you insist, Walker’sPoint), the vacation home of former presidentGeorge Herbert Walker Bush. Thecompound is situated on a highly desirableand highly defendable rock outcroppingin Kennebunkport.The GPS came in handy in Kennebunkportas sightseeing there should mostly bedone from the car both on and just off thetown’s coastal road. A series of cul-de-sacsin the area, just off this route, provided atour of breathtaking homes. After an hourof admiring these abodes, we headed backinto town and walked the narrow, windingstreets of Kennebunkport. Not to beoutdone, Aunt Marie’s, the pre-eminentlocal ice-cream parlour, gave us a taste ofthe ice cream of the aristocracy. Moneymight just buy happiness after all.Leaving for our four-hour journey toMillinocket, a small town in NorthernMaine, was one of the more difficult thingswe had to do. However, once on the road,we discovered that the drive was full offresh air, varied scenery and lovely countryroads. We arrived at the Econo LodgeInn & Suites, a hotel we selected by defaultas the town has a population of perhaps5,000 and no more than a few hotels. Wedid appreciate the complimentary breakfastand indoor pool but the room itselfwas brown, basic and bereft of superfluouspillows.Up early the next morning, we headedto the Trading Post, a meeting-place andsell-all store 30 minutes out of town inBaxter State Park. After asking aroundto determine the best way to explore thepark, we found Katahdin Air, a small outfitwhich provides kayak and canoe rentalsas well as helicopter tours over the parkand Mount Katahdin. We selected a twopersonkayak and, at times not so gracefully,made our way across a fair portionof Ambejejus Lake, a lake of clear, cold jetblackwater. It was one of the most beautifulplaces either of us had ever been.We found our way to a small uninhabitedisland, pulled the kayak ashoreand sat on a giant boulder looking at themountain from a distance. The mountain isthe starting point of the Appalachian Trailand contains the highest peak in Maine.It provided an unparalleled backdrop tothe photos we took from the kayak. Aftera few hours, we returned the kayak tothe rental shop. The staff was surprisedto see us. It turns out that most of theirrentals are for days or weeks, not hours.Exhausted, we headed to town to find arestaurant, settling in at the AppalachianTrail Café.Later that evening, our search for a vibrantnight-life experience led us to EastMillinocket (population: 2,000). We werelucky to find the bar, Pam and Ivy’s, locatedbetween a used-car dealership anda row of dilapidated houses. Donald, oneof the locals, picked up where Bramps hadleft off in Portland and discussed with us,over a few locally-brewed favourites, thefailing economy of the town due to theclosure of a nearby pulp and paper mill.Once a bustling industrial town, East Millinocketwas slowly closing down, resultingin a sudden, sharp drop in population.During the few hours we were at thepub, we could see that the communityremains tightly-knit. Each person whocame in knew every other person. Later inthe evening, the lights were turned on andthe music quieted in memory of a personwho had been murdered in the town someyears ago. Once a year, on the anniversarydate, the crime is solemnly remembered.By chance, we were there for the observance.Feeling enriched, we returned to58SPRING 09 | APR–JUN