June 29, 2026
We drove further north today, skirting the beautiful Atlantic coast through the eastern states until the afternoon air grew a bit crisper and cooler, finally pulling into a quiet waterfront town near the northern border. It’s quite a bit cooler up here in these northern latitudes than my usual warm tropical latitudes, so I reached into my backpack and borrowed an old hoodie from the bag to keep the evening chill away from my skin.
Sweet Pea and I found a casual, wonderfully simple little hole-in-the-wall place along the busy waterfront that came highly recommended to us by some local commercial fishermen we chatted with at a gas station down the road. They told us the place served the freshest food around, and they certainly didn't lie. They were serving a massive, steaming bowl of hot seafood chowder, packed to the brim with the fresh local catch-of-the-day and paired with warm, fresh-baked rolls.
The restaurant was absolutely packed to the gills with locals and traveling fans alike. Up on the big television screen over the counter, Germany was locked in a fierce knockout battle against Paraguay. The Germans played with their signature clinical precision, moving the ball effortlessly across the pitch, while the Paraguayan side defended with an unbelievable amount of heart and sudden, dangerous counter-attacks. The crowd in the seafood shack was completely divided, shouting and cheering as the dramatic match unfolded. At the end of regular and extra time, the teams were locked in a 1-1 tie, sending the game to a nail-biting penalty shootout where Paraguay pulled off the ultimate upset to win on PKs.
The shack erupted into absolute chaos as the deciding penalty hit the back of the net. As the night finally cleared up and we stepped outside, the heavy clouds parted completely to reveal a beautiful, cloudless sky filled with a million twinkling stars overhead. We walked slowly back down the wooden boardwalk toward our beachside motel, holding hands tightly like newlyweds enjoying a permanent honeymoon. Tomorrow morning, our car tires will undoubtedly carry us to a brand-new destination further along the scenic coast. But for tonight, the serene, repetitive sound of the waves breaking on the shore has completely removed any remaining semblance of tension left in my body. One travel choice keeps me in paradise, and the other choice, well, keeps me in paradise.
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