Monthly Archives: September 2019

B&B to Bar Harbor

We enjoyed our B&B nite in the turret with the windows open and a great cool, clean breeze flowing thru the room.  Up for coffee on the back veranda at 7:00 and then breakfast was served at 8:00.  We are joined by an older couple from Rhode Island and one we weren’t sure were husband and wife or son and mother.  The RI couple were cute – having been up for the Common Ground festival of vegetarian  hippy-dippy types who seem to have some prevalence here in Maine.  One last walk down to the waters edge in Belfast and then we returned, cleaned up, and out on Route 1 headed for Bar Harbor.  A even prettier drive than yesterday we amble along trying to take in all the sites.

 

Our desitnation is the County Office for Bar Harbor where we hope to complete our wedding license.   We meet the Town Clerk Sharon and she was most pleasant and helpful thru the process.  Our required paperwork In hand, we sat outside and completed the necessary forms.  It will take her 15-20 minutes to enter the information so we head out for a beer and walk about Bar Harbor.  Returning to the County Office, Sharon completes our marriage documents by witnessing our signatures, collecting the appropriate fee, and bundling everything up for us to give to Reverend Sorenson.  We find the beautiful Bar Harbor Inn where we’re staying – it is a wonderful old hotel out on a point overlooking Frenchman’s Bay.  Our room in the main facility has a cute back deck with Adirondack chairs looking out onto the bay – it is beautiful.  Back out on foot we find the lobster roll restaurant the locals, according to the Town Clerk, dine out.  Although Sharon did clarify her suggestion in saying that she doesn’t eat lobster out – which struck me as odd because it was apparent that our new friend Sharon didn’t exactly say no to any caloric consumption.  Afterwards we lay in the grass at the park overlooking the harbor – colorful lobster boats and a few sailboats rest beside their respective moorings with the backdrop unfortunately disturbed by the huge Princess Cruise Line ship anchored just offshore.

Yes, sadly, Bar Harbor is a cruise ship destination explaining all the ice cream eating, doddering old cocoonians wandering the streets along with an assortment of Euro’s.

Our coffee and continental breakfast enjoyed on our back deck, we prepare for our adventure in Acadia National Park.

It’s another spectacular weather day as we drive up to the top of Cadillac Mountain and then hike the 0.5 mile trail around the summit.  The vistas are stunning from this elevated vantage as we look out over Bar Harbor and are able to see many of the small islands that comprise this area.  Taking the Park Loop Road, we weave along the waters edge and into the forest on a beautiful drive.  A roadside stop along the outer loop, we hike out on the rocks and enjoy the crashing waves, views of Sand Beach, and rumbling echos from Thunder Hole.  Thirsty from our adventure, we continue our journey to Northeast Harbor where we enjoy a couple of lagers before heading back to the hotel.

A seat at the fire pit, we decide our evening dinner plans in accordance with our weather predictions.  We make reservations in the Reading Room at the hotel and then retire for a well earned nap.  Rejuvenated, we enjoy the sounds of the pouring rain and feel the fresh cool breezes blowing thru our windows – a great evening to dine in as the rain, accompanied by lightning, continues to fall.  We are seated along side the window overlooking the Bay and share a wonderful surf and turf fare.  With the rain subsiding, we go for a nighttime stroll along the streets of Bar Harbor.  Fudge caps off our excursion adventures this day.

The March to Martimony

The 5:30 alarm was set to begin our journey.  Needless to say, I turned it off well before its scheduled awakening klaxon and turned on the coffee pot.  Up and at ’em, loaded up, one more stop for McDonald’s coffee and we’re off to the ATL.  Smooth drive over and we found our usual Spots parking garage.  As always, the shuttle pulled up behind us as we entered our parking space – which means – grab everything quick, no time to organize, and hope everything made it onboard.  Packed to the hilt, we lumber along to the terminal – all of course heading for Delta.  We weaved our way thru the check-in line and smoothed thru security and get to our gate with plenty of time to spare.  A quick scan of our probable flight companions reveals a further deterioration in attire acceptable for public transportation.  Gym shorts and t shirt guy with his family was the prime example.  Hurry up and wait and we’re finally seated, Stevie properly sedated with my flight cocktail concoction and down the runway we go.  A great 2 hour flight and we’re able to watch live college football.  Approaching into Boston, the Bay is full of sailboats on a spectacular Saturday afternoon.  Luggage pickup is smooth, a few bumps at the Enterprise operation, and we’re off to Maine in our Ford Fusion.  Shannon’s navigating gets us out on I-95 and we cut thru New Hampshire and on into Maine.  First stop – Freeport, home of the LL Bean flagship store.  The Hampton Inn provides us with our first night accommodations and we head out for a much needed beer at Gritty McDuff’s Brewery and then head into town and find Jameson Tavern for a night cap.  Needing a really good night’s sleep, we make a stop at the CVS for pharmaceutical sleep aids to accompany our infusion of ale, and we’re out by 10pm.  9 hours later, we arise refreshed and ready for a full day – first stop – LL Bean.  When we first put Freeport on our destination list, we were a little concerned about the “over 100 outlet stores” that populate the famous town – fortunately, the town planners got it right and the quaint little town retains its charm.  The Bean store was super fun – helpful folks, bright smiles and small crowd – A couple of jackets, monogrammed toiletry case, and red duck boot shoelaces and we decided a beer was necessary to close out our stay in Freeport.  Our thirst was quenched at Azure out on the patio.  It is a spectacular sunny cool day.  Coordinates set for Belfast, we’re off again to the small port village.  A cute as crap downtown, we park and shop along Main Street.  At the Meadow,  I asked the store owner where we should go for our first ever lobster roll and he quickly called a place to make sure they did serve the tourist favorite.  Indeed they did, and with a description of what a lobster pound is (where the boats unload the daily catch!) and a west facing porch on the water, we made course for Young’s Lobster Pound.  After running back to the gas station for beer and wine, we placed our order for lobster roll in a working lobster pound!  There were crustaceans everywhere!  We settled on a table near the water looking out at all the boats moored in the Bay.  When our number was called and meal delivered, we nervously bit into the fare.  Wow, there’s fresh lobster and then there’s fresh, just off the boat, Maine lobster – no comparison.  That will definitely not be our last lobster roll.  Time to find our B&B, the Jeweled Turret Inn.  Kathy, the innkeeper greets us and gives us the tour and shows us the Amethyst Room, where we’ll lay our heads for the evening.  A bite of pizza is called for and we head back downtown and find Meanwhile in Belfast and it turned out to be delightful.  Our waiter, Steve (of course), also works in Camden and said he’ll be at Natalies Thursday nite and would love to have us for our wedding celebration.  Time for the first B & the second B starts at 8am.  Good nite.