Maine sleepyheads on a Tuesday

Quite a late start this morning ... 11:00 a.m. Eastern and we have just showered and dressed. But that's the beauty of a vacation in a small fishing village in coastal Maine ... it's laid back and relaxed. And we have wonderful hosts who warned us about that before we came out. Not sure what is planned for the day. Definitely a low key day.

I'm amazed at the red welt of a mosquito bite on the back of my right leg (nope, i didn't scratch!). I was told that the young mosquitoes don't know how to control their venom, or whatever it is, so the welts mean a young one got ya.



















1,503 steps Monday

Bangor, bridges, forts and Acadia Nat'l Park ...

Time to cover the weekend's activities ...

Saturday began with a trip to Bangor to the Bangor State Fair. We had seen it all after an hour and a half ... and that's because the last half hour, we watched the Swampmaster from Florida's alligator wrangling show. Or was it a crocodile? I wonder what they would think of our "county" fair, which is way larger. While in Bangor, we drove past (after stopping on the street to take pictures) one of Stephen King's Bangor homes.

Then we drove to the Fort Knox (not the one with the gold) and Penobscot Narrows Bridge State Park. In 2006, the older bridge was replaced with a more modern designed bridge with two towers, one of the towers having an observation floor. As you enter the park and pay the day use fee, if you want to go up into the observation tower, you are given a "tour" time. We had photo ops at the Fort Knox sign, then headed to the elevator which would take us to the observation area. Some great views from up there! After our time in the observation area, we returned to Fort Knox to play and explore the fort. Saturday evening, although we couldn't stay for it but I would have liked to, "Romeo and Juliet" was being presented inside the fort. That would have been something to see!

Instead, we had Girls Night Out and the boys had Boys Night Out. The boys went to the Down East Deli in Prospect Harbor for a meat pizza and then to see Inception at the Milbridge Theater. We gals went to Nautica, which was also in Prospect Harbor. We got back before the boys.

Today, Sunday, we went to Acadia Nat'l Park and left our cars in the Visitors Center parking lot. L.L. Bean sponsors or helps support the Island Hopper buses which go all over the park, Bar Harbor, and into outlying villages or communities, and the fare is free. We took the Island Hopper to two of the busiest, most popular stops on the Park Loop drive: Sand Beach and Thunderhole. Acadia is beautiful. But I think I've been saying that every day about Maine and whatever we see on a given day.

We made a laundry stop in Ellsworth, our last one before Boston and home, followed by a pizza dinner at Pat's. Except that Michael and I split a spaghetti and meatball dinner. We were told we had to try a whoopie pie, so I bought a peanut butter one (I'm hoping it will be like a Reese's peanut butter cup) for later, just so we could say we had tried it.

Strange things are afoot at the Stinson house. Details in a later blog ...

5,007 steps Saturday
4,844 steps Sunday

Reminder about the photos ...

You can view more photos here.
Part 2 is here.

O Canada, and a rainbow

Today we went to Canada, to explore Campobello Island. We visited FDR's summer home ... very beautiful, well maintained, both the "cottage" and the grounds. We followed a trail to Friar's Head, through trees and meadows, with a breath taking view of the bay. We drove to the end of the island and, although we didn't tour it, I took a picture of East Quoddy Head Light. Our friends had been there previously and said it wasn't worth the admission.

Instead, we drove back over the border and when we were in Lebec, we followed the signs to West Quoddy Head Light, which is the easternmost spot in the U.S. The light is still maintained by the Coast Guard (yay!), which comes out twice a year to service the light. Hooray for the ATON guys!

Heading back in, we stopped at Blue Berry World, a kitschy, Route 66-type of place, which sold everything you can imagine blueberry related: ice cream, pies, muffins, candles, soap, recipe books, etc., along with touristy stuff. We had tried to stop there on the way to Lebec and Canada, but it hadn't opened yet.

We returned to the Stinson house about 4:30 p.m. I took a nap and I heard there was a bocce ball game played before the Maine state bird, the mosquitos, won. There was a brief sprinkling of rain that brought a gorgeous rainbow to the harbor.

Tonight there has been a refreshing breeze. Maybe there is a storm on its way. As I write, there is a music fest down the road, so I hear faint music. This is really a great area. I'm thankful for this experience, this vacation, these friends, their home, and this area. It almost feels like the rest of the world is far away.

10,023 steps

Playtime at Bar Harbor and Pirate's Cove

This was the sunrise at 5:30 this morning.

Went to Bar Harbor for window shopping, lunch at Geddy's, then miniature golf at Pirate's Cove. Was a drizzly day, but that's seacoast weather. Enjoyed the cooler temperature.

6,860 steps

Introduction to the area

Last night after we arrived at the house, the rain came. It rained off and on throughout the late night and early morning, with thunderstorms. So nice to hear the rain.

Woke up this morning and saw the beautiful view of the harbor out the window of the bedroom we were in. Was so nice, I opened the drapes and crawled back into bed to look at the view.

We were shown the free part of Acadia National Park, the exclusive area of Grindstone Neck, Tidal Falls where fresh water and salt water meet to create rapids. We also ate lunch at a local burger place called Jordan's (described as Ellsworth's version on In-n-out Burger) - yummy! We did laundry and some grocery shopping. I bought *another* reusable bag, which had a picture of Adriondack chairs on a beach with an umbrella. I think reusable bags are my new fetish. Perhaps I should join RBBA (Reusable Bag Buyers Anonymous), but I don't think there's such an organization ... yet.

Michael played frisbee before dinner and Wii with the boys after dinner.

11 p.m. now. Bed time soon. I hear we're headed to Bar Harbor tomorrow. :-)

1,004 steps

In Prospect Harbor at last!

Arrived at the Stinson house in Prospect Harbor about an hour ago.

Started the road trip about 9:30 a.m., leaving Boston with a stop for an hour or two in Salem. Had breakfast at Reds - very yummy! Saw the old burial ground and the town square where the alleged witches were hanged. Photo ops with the Bewitched statue.

Continued on to Freeport, Maine (passed quickly through New Hampshire) to experience the L.L. Bean complex in the outlet mall. Spent too much, but found the comfy zip up sweatshirt I'd been hankering for - among other things.

8:00 p.m. dinner stop at Hollywood Slots in Bangor. That was an awesome and delicious buffet dinner. Last chance for Mexican and Chinese food.

About an hour and a half in the dark before we arrived in Prospect Harbor. Love the house. Had only seen pictures of it. It is totally awesome. Now listening to a gentle rain. Glad we made it here before it started raining.

9,360 steps

Schools and Freedom Trail ...

Our last night in Boston ... bittersweet ... I've enjoyed Boston so much. Actually, I'm a bit surprised at how much I like it. I really value having a car to go places in and I wasn't sure how I'd like the walking and the T. It's wonderful not driving, worrying about other drivers and pedestrians! You can get virtually anywhere in the city by foot or T.

We started out the day headed back to M.I.T. via the T Red Line - again for Michael and I, first time for our friends, the Stinsons. We placed scavenger hunt "checkpoints"/clues for our nephew Adam who will be arriving in Boston later this week. And, we bought M.I.T. wear! T-shirts, hoodies, shorts - even a reusable bag with bottle pockets!

Back on the T to Harvard. Wow! So old. Seemed smaller than M.I.T., a little more intimate. We didn't spend much time in the "square" but walked through and to the Harvard store, for Harvard wear this time. I can now say that I've "been to" M.I.T. and Harvard. Can we soak up "smarts" from the ground???

We had a lunch reservation at noon at the historical Union Bay Oyster House near the harbor. And had about 20 minutes to get there! We made it - only 2-3 minutes late. We were seated in the back, across from J.F.K.'s table. It was very dark and I used my flashlight to help read the menu, but during the meal, eyes adjusted to the darkness.

After lunch, we went to Emerson College because one of the boys wants to attend Emerson. Yep, went to the bookstore and bought the T-shirt!

The Freedom Trail was next on the schedule and we got to 13 of the 17 stops. Lots of pictures and lots of walking.

I think I will miss Boston. I definitely want to come back. There is still so much left to see!

18,139 steps

More explorations of Boston

We started the day with a recommendation by the hotel concierge of the Paramount at 44 Charles Street for breakfast with our friends. He said there are very few breakfast places in this part of Boston; 10 years ago, we could throw a stone and hit one, but the demographics have changed and it is more of a college area. He expected a 20 minute wait for us, and that was about correct. It was a stand-in-line place, order your food, then find a table with help from the staff. The food was really good!

Afterwards, we walked through Boston Common to reach the T station. Our friends were going to Fenway Park for a Red Sox - Tigers game, and we (okay, me) wanted to go to the Skywalk at the Prudential Center. It was Michael's and my first ride on the T. Except for the undergroundness, it was very like the San Diego Trolley.

We saw M.I.T. from the Skywalk and decided we could walk there. We walked over the Harvard bridge and, bam, there we were! It was awesome being on campus and seeing the Great Dome and the chapel. We're going to go back tomorrow with our friends who also want to see M.I.T. and Harvard - I want to get M.I.T. wear! The T was not operating from the M.I.T. stop but they had buses running back over to the Boston side of the Charles River.

We rested for a bit, then met our friends at Long Wharf for the sunset harbor cruise. That was a lot of fun! We heard the cannon shot from the USS Constitution, marking sunset, and saw a lighted Boston skyline, along with some of the Boston Harbor islands.

Finding some place was a bit of a challenge, as it seems family friendly restaurants close early on Sundays. It seems the area we were in was very much like the Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego. We ended up at the Hard Rock Cafe for the second night in a row. Mmmmm ... good food, good music.

Tomorrow, M.I.T. for a second round, Harvard, Emerson College, and the Freedom Trail.

18,791 steps (that's 9 miles!!!)

Meandering in Beantown ...

Since we arrived at our hotel at 2:30 a.m., we let our bodies tell us when it was time to get up and get started. Turns out the magic time was 11:00 a.m.

Had breakfast at Kinsale Irish Restaurant and Pub, and planned to make a plan for the day. Instead, we just ... walked. Everywhere you walk, you're bound to see a historical building of some sort. We ended up at Long Wharf, after passing the Custom House (which is now a Marriott hotel), and walked along the harbor. Saw the seals at the New England Aquarium - one side of the seal habitat is a glass/plexiglass wall so the seals can swim right up to you. Passed the Coast Guard base and discovered a three "lane"/"alley" bocce ball area. Just followed the street passed Charlestown and Zakim/Bunker Hill bridges; the Freedom Trail crosses the Charles River via the Charlestown Bridge. Also saw the Old West Church, which is a United Methodist church, before sharing a 6 inch Subway Club sandwich and returning to the hotel.

We had a rest break of about three hours before we headed to the Hard Rock Cafe to meet our arriving friends. Awesome dinner, great company, good shopping.

Eric's comment at dinner: "I haven't seen you guys this relaxed in a while." Of course, that was after half a glass of a Fruitapalooza from the Hard Rock Cafe bar! LOL

Now it's time for bed. I think I'm still on California time because it doesn't feel late to me.

12,114 steps

Photos

Photos are here.

In Milwaukee airport

Sitting in the Italian restaurant in terminal D. Our flight was cancelled, but they put us on the next flight out a couple hours later. Had Bread Knots as appetizer (yummy with the marinara sauce), and now moving on to a chicken pannini. I think our eating schedule is off. Looks like we'll get into Boston 2 hours later than scheduled.

On our way!!!

Off on a new adventure real soon ... and new cities! Shouldn't have worried - everything DID get done by departure time. Uhhh, there kinda was no choice. :-D