Anniversary Getaway

Regency Suite at Portland Regency Hotel & Spa

10 months into our pandemic mandated travel hiatus we cracked - slightly.  Though Adam had already reached the point of being willing to get on a plane to just about anywhere, I surprisingly was not. 

Still, as our 10 year wedding anniversary approached, staying at home seemed just too sad.  Sure we weren't going to be able to do a big trip like I had been dreaming of.  There would be no Europe, New Zealand or Japan in our immediate future - despite me having pages of details for each location worked out on a variety of spreadsheets.  It was time for a Plan B.

Limited by out of state travel restrictions, we decided to get one of the best rooms we could in Portland with the intention of eating great takeout, taking a few nice walks, and generally lounging in our bathrobes.  Relax and recharge was the only missive. 

I read an article once that talked about taking a vacation close to home, but just far enough away to put you in a different frame of mind.  If I recall correctly it argued that sometimes you just need to go "3 train stops" beyond your usual routine to be able to take a break from it.  Pre-pandemic I would have scoffed at this idea.  Why spend money to stay somewhere that I can day trip to from home?  Mid-pandemic, however, it turned out to be a welcome diversion and gift to ourselves.  

While I will always prefer taking a "lay around vacation" somewhere with white sand and turquoise waters, 3 days in Portland still gave us a change of scenery, a mental break, and food that I didn't have to cook or clean up after.  Worth it! Splurge on great room service for our anniversary dinner?  Double worth it. 

Some would argue that spending the better part of 3 days holed up in a hotel room, watching movies, taking turns soaking in the big tub, and snuggling up together is waste.  "But what are your going to DO?" is the frequent question.  I feel a little pity for the people that think they always have to being doing something and can't appreciate just spending time with their partner.  I feel a little jealous of the retirees who can't image going away to do nothing because they happen to have that option all day every day. 

For us, it was an opportunity to appreciate the little things in life, celebrate our 10 year milestone, and be grateful for how well our family had generally weathered the pandemic thus far.  Sometimes a trip to "Big Hannaford", coffee in bed, interesting food, and old movies are more than enough to keep you content - especially when there is no one else in the world you would rather experience it with than the person holding your hand in a swanky hotel room while you cry about Bruce Willis dying at the end of Armageddon for the 100th time.  

Take Out Links:

https://grittys.com/portland-brew-pub

https://hifidonuts.com 

http://bubblemaineia.com 

https://www.cheevitdeeportlandme.com (permanently closed)