h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

An excellent guide article and extremely accurate. I would add one thing. What New England lacks in...well...everything else, it makes up for in a serious bowl of Clam Chowder.

Several years ago, my wife and I went on a whirlwind tour of New England and the Canadian Maritime Provinces. We stopped in Boston and visited the obligatory tourist sites. Then we made our way to Acadia National Park and Bar Harbour, Maine. Acadia has to be seen to be believed. It's like Mother Natures gift to people who feel like aliens in Disneyland. We met some lovely people from somewhere near Boston. They fed us mussels collected by their young daughter; and got us drunk on Canadian booze bought in Massachusetts at a fraction of the price of the same thing in Canada. They were horrified when we told them that we planned to drive up US 1 through Northern Maine to Canada. They seemed to think that we would fall prey to cannibals. I confess that I was a little apprehensive when we set off the next day. As it turned out, though, we missed the cannibals. Northern Maine was delightful. We stopped at a tiny, ma and pa type restaurant for breakfast. It happened to be the 4th of July, and the whole place was festooned with bunting and pictures of Presidents. It was a little bit of the Americana people can't seem to resist mocking. But it was a charming occasion; one of the highlights of our holiday.

Stop...you must stop bringing back good New England memories! I left Massachusetts after the usual 7 months of winter so that I was sure I was making the right decision. I went to school there and felt I should move south towards the sun. I knew that if I didn't leave when I did, the fall would roll around and I'd be trapped. Fall in Western Massachusetts makes you feel like the world was designed by Crayola. The colors are unreal and the air smells like it's supposed to. I agree that New England often gets a bad rap, but for several months of the year it deserves it. Then October overcompensates and takes your breath away.

I can't resist mentioning another taste of autumn glory: Bills -vs- Patriots at Foxborough.

I grew up in the glorious Western Mass. growing up in a small suburb of a city that has nothing
for people under the age of 21, and the town live in stamps every person under the age of 25 a
criminal just to be on the safe side, has it's disadvantages. I didn't enjoy it much, but now that I have moved out of there
and grown past the age of 21, I look back on Massachusetts as down right gorgeous. I am lucky to have realuized a few times while livign there
and that made alot of other things worthwhile.
Arcadia- Oh my! I have been there twice and it is indeed a heaven on earth. Bar harbor lobster pounds are a gateway to the kitchen of the gods.
The entire coast is well worth the frigidity of the water.

MAINE - the way life should be, if you've never seen "The Fall" see it one year in Maine, follow it, stop and admire it, there wont be a minute go by without someone shouting from the car, "stop, pull over, just look at that!" Eat lobsters and clams, just sit and watch a sunset, and wish that life could be this slow and simple everyday. But if you crave something of the city, go to Freeport, have a very early, New England breakfast, then just spend the rest of the day in Beans, or for a really fun time go to Beans at 2am and stay til dawn, and then breakfast. Maine, ain't nowhere else like it. If anyone reading this has started singing, F-e-r-n-w-oo-d Boom! Then you'll know what I'm talking about!

Hey, you guys keep leaving out the best part-Vermont.......if you have never been there, you ought to pay a visit. You will understand what I mean once you experience it for yourself.

I must add that I had some terrific Maine blueberry pancakes at the "Maine Diner" in Wells, ME. The coffee was good too. Speaking of blueberries ... isn't Maine famous for them or something? And anyone know a recipe for blueberry soup?

Blueberry Soup

Ingredients:

1 pound blueberries
1 cup water
5 tablespoons sugar
2 x 1/4-inch-thick lemon slices
1 cinnamon stick
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Lemon wedges
vanilla yogurt or frozen vanilla yogurt

Directions:

Bring first 7 ingredients to boil in heavy medium saucepan over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until berries are very tender, about 15 minutes. Discard lemon slices and cinnamon stick. Puree half of the soup in blender or processor. Transfer all of soup to medium bowl and refrigerate until very cold. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead.)

Divide soup between 2 bowls or large goblets. Serve with lemon wedges and dollop of vanilla yogurt.

Servings: 2 large

Nutritional Information:

Per serving: Calories 240 (4% from fat), Fat 1 g, Sodium 69 g, Cholesterol 0 mg
Yummy!!!

Thank you for visiting northern Maine. We in Aroostook County appreciate our tourists as relatively few come all the way up here. But, as you have discovered, we are worth the visit. Buy Maine potatoes!

Perhaps it might be appropriate to wish native son Stephen King a speedy recovery.