Oct 13, 2022
昨晚到達緬因州。今晨，大霧彌漫，不是賞秋的好天氣。故而變更遊戲主題，改去觀看麋鹿(moose watching)。
從緬因州首府Augusta北上，沿州道201，驅車百餘邁，直抵與加拿大交界的Moose mountain。此地是麋鹿之鄉，麋鹿成群出沒，據說是觀賞麋鹿的好去處。
一路上，除了見到幾群野山雞外，並未遇到任何麋鹿，大惑不解！心裏浮出種種猜疑：或許麋鹿不在家，組團去加拿大旅遊了？或許被本地人當野味，夾在漢堡裏吃光了？去年在科羅拉多Aspen賞秋，就曾品嚐過當地的鹿肉漢堡，好吃！
無奈之下，去Moose Watching Tour Center，打算購票乘專車去觀鹿。到門前一看，有張貼士：We are closed for the season, see you in the spring。我一邊讀，一邊捂著臉，生怕鼻子被氣歪了，回去羞於見人。
揮散心頭疑雲，振作精神。驅車返回旅店，走95號州際高速，忽見路標上顯示China Road。毅然拐下高速，轉上中國路，看能否順道回國一趟。不多久，果然來到一座建築，臨街立著一個醒目的招牌，上麵寫著China，不禁怦然心動！不遠處，是China Schools。又見到一條街，名曰Peking Street。往南一箭之地，有條河，叫China Lake。再往南，又來到South China。
棄車步行，徜徉在南中國的街頭巷尾，一股親切之情，油然而生。恰似思鄉遊子，意外歸來。感慨萬千，不可言喻。
回頭浪子偶歸來 信步閑庭中國街
未解寒喧鄉土味 幡然醒悟陡傷懷
Oct 14
Raining all day today, torrentially sometimes. We had to re-schedule today's activities, and figured that the only thing doable for this type of weather was to take a quick look at the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse.
Turned out that the lighthouse itself was not worth driving more than an hour in the rain with a poor visibility of less than 10 meters periodically. The break-water (防波堤), however, looked extraordinary, which convinced me that the effort was worthwhile, indeed.
There are quite a few lighthouses along the Atlantic coastline in Maine. The reason why I (as a professional engineer) picked this one to see was because this lighthouse was built on top of and at the very tip of the breakwater which runs into the sea about a mile long. The project was completed in 1891, and it is really a great piece of engineering work, even in today’s time. It’s particularly impressive in that the breakwater was pieced together using huge granite blocks with every one of them weighing tons, being carved exactly in shape as needed, and placed precisely in position as appropriate.
Nice job back in 130 years ago.
Oct 15, 2022
昨晚抵達此行的最後一站：Portland, ME。
雨過天晴，秋高氣爽。晴好天氣，加上周末休閑，Portland海岸線的眾多景點，今天迎來遊人如織。趕在晌午前，我們也來到著名的Portland Head Lighthouse，參觀遊覽。
不遠處，海岸邊停靠著一艘大型遊輪，來自世界各地的遊客，乘坐一輛輛豪華大巴，也蜂湧而至，前來參觀這座建於1790年，由喬治•華盛頓親自宣布啟用的Head Lighthouse。1982年，為紀念Portland建市350周年，聯邦政府對這座地標性建築，進行了一次全麵維修。喬治•布什以副總統身份，為此撰寫了紀念銘文: In observance of Greater Portland’s 350th anniversary, we rededicate this unique landmark to the aspirations and achievements of those who came before us and to present and future generations who will continue its proud heritage。
由此上溯幾個世紀，燈塔——這種當時造福於一方民生的大型公用基礎設施，或者營建在風高浪急的沿海之濱，或者聳立於人跡罕至的港灣之嶼，肩負著為過往舟楫領航導向的重要使命。如今，絕大多數燈塔，雖然不再具有開埠通商的實用功能，逐漸退出了曆史舞台，但其建築學上的獨特魅力，和工程意義上的艱巨卓越，往往讓我由衷地景仰和著迷。多少年來，無論走到哪裏，隻要看到燈塔，我總是懷著一種“走過路過不可錯過”的執著，躬身前往，實地觀摩。
今日，一家人再度相聚，慕名來到Portland Head Lighthouse；沐浴著金秋的暖陽，沉浸於親情的溫馨，共遊這座兩百多年來飽經風浪，至今仍英姿煥發，巍然屹立在大西洋之濱的燈塔，心情格外舒暢。今次北國金秋之旅，至此也劃上了一個圓滿的句號。
南加飛北囯 萬裏賞金秋
上下翻三嶽 縱橫越四州
晴隨高處冷 詩和遠方悠
行止謁燈塔 歸來飲莫愁
