Part 16 here
Not far from Portland there is a huge rotating globe, the largest in the world, named Eartha. Its diameter is 42 feet and it is a 1:1,000,000 scale model of Earth. If a model of the Sun was constructed at the same scale, it would be 4,560 feet in diameter and located 93 miles away, somewhere near Boston. If a model of our Solar System was constructed at 1:1,000,000 scale, the planets orbit would stretch across all of North America. For example, Saturn would be in Chicago, Neptune in Los Angeles and Pluto, ex 9th-planet, would be in Zurich, Switzerland. Space shuttle orbit would be 14 inches above Eartha. Isn’t that incredible?
Eartha’s continents
Observing Eartha’s slow rotation is quite relaxing. But we need to move on. While going through Portland, we tried to find a Welcome to Portland sign, but didn’t see any. So we just drove through and made some photos.
So close, yet so far
Portland city line
Near the post office
Right after border line between Maine and Hew Hampshire there is another point of interest – the Albacore Submarine. It is a museum, but we could walk inside, press buttons, toggle switches, and even look through the periscope! And we did that for a good half an hour.
We are waiting for the bridge to be lowered. The state border is in the middle of the river
Entrance that was used when the submarine was docked
Kate is exploring the fridge
The shower
Bathroom break 🙂
Control rudders. Ira is looking into the periscope
The rudders can be turned and tilted
“Hey, are you hearing me OK?”
Here sailors played games in their free time
Another exit
However it was a very hot day, the air inside the submarine didn’t move much. Fans that stood here and there didn’t really help, so we decided to go out for some fresh air.
Inside the museum near the Submarine
Close to evening we came to see the lake with a very difficult name to pronounce. From Algonian language it means “Fishing place at the boundaries – Neutral Meeting Grounds”. Locals are joking that it should be translated as “You fish on your side, I’ll fish on my side, and nobody fishes in the middle”.
Still water doesn’t look pretty
That lake lays not far from the Rhode Island so we decided to go there and make a photo of the road sign.
The 84th highway that starts in Portland, Oregon
City in Connecticut that has similar pink buildings to those in Portland
Part 18 here