Oriental

Oriental is a quaint little town that seems to be in the process of restoration. There are a few Victorian homes and many single story southern bungalows, some badly in need of paint and others appear to have been recently restored. The marinas are quite nice, as are the few upscale artsy, gourmet food and wine shops. The town is centered around two areas; Broad Street which follows the main highway through the middle of town and the harbor area.

We spent the morning walking around the town and browsing in the shops. One particularly interesting store was the Inland Waterway Provisioning Company. Had a great lunch at the M&M Café. I had their special of the day: a quesadilla filled with crab meat, shrimp, spinach, mozzarella cheese, and tomatoes. Delicious!

Southern hospitality abounds here. Russ, the dock master loaned the boat across from us his truck to go to the grocery store, which is just outside town. Late in the afternoon I decided to walk the mile back to the wine store. I hadn't walked far when a car pulled up beside me, stopped, and a friendly woman rolled the window down. Her name was Kathy, a reporter for the Pamlico News. She offered me a ride, which I gladly accepted, and was quite happy to share information about Oriental and its shops.

This is the 4th time someone has stopped and offered me a ride since Norfolk.