Edition #9, 28 January 2008
Updated, 28 July 2009

Hello, my name is Cynthia. I am a mermaid from the waters of New England. Thank you for visiting my website. A new article is posted here every two weeks.

Links to my articles on other New England areas can be found here.

Welcome to what they call, "The west coast of New England". For those that love the water, the lake offers kayaking (see photo below), fishing, swimming, and sailing. The nearby hills and mountains offer hiking, mountain biking, and skiing.

Vermont will celebrate its 400th anniversary in 2009. Samuel de Champlain first visited the region in 1609.

During the summer, North Beach is a great place to be. Amenities include a picnic area with grills, picnic tables, full service snack bar, playground, and restrooms. Groups of up to 80 can enjoy the new picnic shelter. The water at the beach is tested twice a week for safety during the summer months. North Beach is located at the end of Institute Road off of North Avenue.

During the winter, the focus is on winter sports. Several city parks offer ice skating, and the ski slopes are not far away. Ski Vermont is the place to check on available slopes and their current conditions.

A short drive down Route 7 brings you to the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory in Shelburne. Be sure to take the factory tour to learn how these high quality bears are made. You will also learn why each bear is shipped with a gourmet candy treat.

With all this activity, you're bound to get hungry. Tilley's Cafe on lower Church Street provides dining with an authentic nautical theme. The salt water aquariums are a nice touch. I can say from experience that the Chicken Caesar Salad is very tasty indeed.

Several other dining establishments are worth mentioning. May I suggest Sakura Japanese Restaurant on Church Street, when you're ready for a break from the usual menu? American Flatbread Burlington Hearth on St. Paul is more than pizza: Flatbread topped with local and organic ingredients cooked in a wood-fired oven. A Single Pebble, located on Bank Street, serves Classic Chinese cuisine. A Single Pebble was named the best restaurant in Vermont in 2004. There are so many more, too many to list here. You may wish to do some research in this area.

For more information on Burlington, visit www.vermont.org and www.vermontvacation.com and also www.burlingtonfreepress.com.

Until next time, I wish you peace, love, and calm seas. Please share these articles with family and friends.

All best wishes,
Critt

Hello Critt,
Thank you so much for your letter and photographs. I will share a few of the photos with my readers. Do keep in touch.

Hugs,
Cynthia

If you own a business and would like to sponsor a future article, please write to me for details.

Occasionally, people see me in the water. I will use this space to share some of those encounters as I remember them.

Cynthia: Hello.
Woman: Hey!
Woman: Wow, you're beautiful.
Cynthia: Thank you.
Woman: I love mermaids.
Woman: Wow!
Woman: Ahaa I got a little excited when I first saw you, and fell right into the ocean.