Dear England, why is your country so pretty?

[Suu]

If I moved back to Narragansett and went to the main campus, my neighborhood would look like this:

[AFK]

Sorry, I know you have hometown pride and all, but Boston is LIGHT YEARS better in every way than Providence.

Or New York, which is actually a filthy scumhole whose only purpose is to keep New Yorkers from infesting the rest of the country.

ECH's Ranking of east coast cities, from best to worst:

1) Boston

2) Savannah, GA

3) Charleston, SC

4) Portland, ME

5) Everywhere else

102369) New York City.

I'd rank Portland ahead of Boston, but I'm biased as a born-n-raised Mainer.  And I've had some bad traffic experiences in Boston. 

But Maine, in general, has some very pretty scenery.  We've got a little bit of everything.  Old forests.  Hilly plains.  A couple of scenic mountains.  Mt. Katahdin and Mt. Cadillac.  Tons of high, rocky cliffs along the ocean.  Tons of remote islands.  There's the whole mountain region of Western Maine. 

I've traveled quite a bit throughout the U.S>  I've been to quite a few cities.  But, there's nothing quite like Maine.  We have our problems for sure, but, I can't imagine living anywhere else.   

[Jenne]

RWHN, I say that alot about CA.  I can move up and down the coast, but away and not IN CA, I could not envision it.  But then I visited places like Lyons, France and Vancouver, BC...and I could imagine it all of a sudden.  I think I just need to be near water.

[East Coast Hustle]

Sorry, I know you have hometown pride and all, but Boston is LIGHT YEARS better in every way than Providence.

Or New York, which is actually a filthy scumhole whose only purpose is to keep New Yorkers from infesting the rest of the country.

ECH's Ranking of east coast cities, from best to worst:

1) Boston

2) Savannah, GA

3) Charleston, SC

4) Portland, ME

5) Everywhere else

102369) New York City.

I'd rank Portland ahead of Boston, but I'm biased as a born-n-raised Mainer.  And I've had some bad traffic experiences in Boston. 

But Maine, in general, has some very pretty scenery.  We've got a little bit of everything.  Old forests.  Hilly plains.  A couple of scenic mountains.  Mt. Katahdin and Mt. Cadillac.  Tons of high, rocky cliffs along the ocean.  Tons of remote islands.  There's the whole mountain region of Western Maine. 

I've traveled quite a bit throughout the U.S>  I've been to quite a few cities.  But, there's nothing quite like Maine.  We have our problems for sure, but, I can't imagine living anywhere else.   

I'd rank Portland higher if it were on the correct side of the Kennebec River, but it loses points for being in Northern Mass.

but I agree, when it comes to REAL Maine, there's really nowhere else quite like it. The only place in America that I think is as good or a little better is Washington State, the western half of which shares alot of similarities with Maine but with much bigger mountains and milder winters. But the people in Maine are top-notch. I wish I could make even close to enough money there, I'd probably give serious consideration to moving back.

[AFK]

RWHN, I say that alot about CA.  I can move up and down the coast, but away and not IN CA, I could not envision it.  But then I visited places like Lyons, France and Vancouver, BC...and I could imagine it all of a sudden.  I think I just need to be near water.

Yep.  Once you've lived near the ocean, it is kind of weird to not live near the ocean.  The first 18 years of my life was way up in the Northern Wastes of Maine.  Pretty far from the ocean.  But then I did my undergrad and grad studies in parts of Maine just a short drive away from the ocean.  Dunno what it is about it, but I like knowing it isn't far away.  

[AFK]

but I agree, when it comes to REAL Maine, there's really nowhere else quite like it. The only place in America that I think is as good or a little better is Washington State, the western half of which shares alot of similarities with Maine but with much bigger mountains and milder winters. But the people in Maine are top-notch. I wish I could make even close to enough money there, I'd probably give serious consideration to moving back.

That is definitely one of the negatives of Maine.  Earning a living.  I've managed to carve out for myself a good little niche thanks to getting to know the right people.  But many others end up doing as you've had to do and find work elsewhere.  If LePage and the new GOP State House can find a way to attract more industry and jobs to Maine, I'll tip my hat to them.  But somehow, I don't think it's going to happen. 

[Sir Squid Diddimus]

My whole state looks like this


YAAAAAAAAAAAAAWN-UH!

[AFK]

I dunno, I thought Key West was pretty cool when I was there for my Honeymoon.  There was a neat bird/wildlife sanctuary there.  Have a picture of my wife holding a tiny owl.   

[Jenne]

My whole state looks like this


YAAAAAAAAAAAAAWN-UH!

That's actually very pretty.  And there's parts of the Keys that make me sorta wet.

Har har.  I giggled and gagged while typing that.  But I really do like me some awesome beach-type scenery.

[Suu]

My whole state looks like this


YAAAAAAAAAAAAAWN-UH!

Except for when it looks like this...

That's Caladesi Island, near where my parents live. You can only get there by boat, so it's just about untouched. It's rated one of the nation's top beaches because of it.

Also Caladesi. My brother fishes for reds in the creek mouths.

[Jenne]

THAT is some awesome stuff.  But then I loved midstate Louisiana, too.  It stunk to high heaven, all that swampland, but damn it was beautiful to behold.

[Suu]

The only issue is that you have little guys like this that can cause the occasional problem. Which actually isn't so bad, because they keep the tourists away.

                                                          HEBBO!
                                                         /


Especially when they get this big in the Intracoastal:

This pic is actually from Thailand, but we've seen them get 6' in diameter. Easy.

[East Coast Hustle]

Tourists in FL are scared of stingrays?



In STT they sell snorkeling packages where the draw is the opportunity to swim with and feed the rays.

[Suu]

I think they're adorable.

As you know, they're just sea kitties, really. They like to brush against you and be touched...just, ya know, don't step on them.

[Phox]

I think they're adorable.

As you know, they're just sea kitties, really. They like to brush against you and be touched...just, ya know, don't step on them.

Or get stabbed in the heart by them?