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(more pics of the weekend here)
Saturday, September 1, 2007:
So I went to Bar Harbor with friends MPK and TK and TK's friend SG. We got off a bit late on early saturday morning. I did get early and on time to make chocolate scones to eat on the ride to Maine. Our drive was pretty relaxed with minima traffic and we got there in six hours. We did a few pit stops and whilst in New Hampshire I got some Hershey's ice cream.
We left around 8:45am and arrived to our hotel around almost 2pm. (We did do a pit stop into SHAWS for snacks, fruit and water. MPK got a great deal and there is a free shuttle from the hotel (route #2 EDEN) into the town of Bar Harbor. By the time we got in, dropped off our luggage we were famished. We are told to eat the the Chart Room. In no time we eat our late dinner under an hour. We had fried clams, lobster dinner (1 1/4 lb boiled lobster with choice of 2 out of 3 sides (cole slaw, potato salad and french fries) early bird special of $17.95, and drank blue berry ale.
According to our tourist info, over 95% of blue berry production is from the state of Maine for all of the United States! We did enjoy the fried clams, the lobster was a bit watery and messy (I love the tomalley) and our dessert --pumpkin cheesecake hit the spot. We decided to take pics the pier outside of the restaurant. We found the water to be very clear and it was getting a little nippy.
We drove back to drop off the car to take the shuttle into town (I recommended nixing mini golf to going into town earlier as the last shuttle returns at 8:15pm). We got into town around 5:45pm. We wander around the downtown area meandering in and out of shops, I take a few pics and ask alot of questions when we get to the Chamber of Commerce. There we ask for food suggestions as well as the best route to explore Acadia National Park (with only one day to drive around). MPK and I snuck in the tiny Whale Museum ($2 suggested donation) and took tons of pics there of the whale bone and exhibits.
It is getting dark and we check out other places and I am on the hunt for souvenirs and postcards. The last mini shuttle is full but we get back with no problems. Now is it almost 9pm and our late lunch is history, we want dinner. After having to stand (due to a full shuttle) we get to sit for a little bit before being dropped off. We wander next to our motel and realize we do not want a steak and bar place to eat. We get the car to go back to downtown (only a few minutes drive).
Though now it is almost 9pm, parking is not fun. We decide to drive to the restaurants and check out menus. We check out Chowdas Restaurant but decide on Poor Boy Gourmet (due to the crowds) on a Saturday night. (we were lucky to get a table without a reservation-we learn on the next dasy). We were seated within 15 minutes out on the front porch area. (Later it does prove to be a bit chilly.) I decide to get lobster again (freshlobster meat, crab meat and shrimp with breadcrumbs) served with clam chowder, pasta marinara and I got the "blue berry pie" for $2 extra. All my food save for the chowder was delicious! (The broth was too thin for my taste.). The Lobster Brandino was flavorful and a right mix of seafood and breadcrumbs without being too salty. The pie (made in house) was exquisite with a delicate crumb crust with nuts even charmed my sweets avoiding dinner companions to help finish it up. Others got crab legs (you cannot mess it up as you boil it) and steak caesar salad (with anchovies and enjoyed by my friend). The tiramisu we got was a big LET DOWN! It was a mess on a plate that was not appetizing and ended up not being finished (despite having three tirimisu aficionados at the table.).
I write some post cards as my friends all turn in by 11pm and midnight respectively. I am not that far behind as I had gotten up at 6am just to bake the scones.
Sunday, September 2, 2007 (sunny, much cooler and not as warm)
I get up at 8am. We are all ready to go and out by 9:30am. We decide on the 27 mile Park Road Loop (recommended the day before). We eat the blueberry muffins, granola bars and fruit that we bought the day before for breakfast and our snacks (nectarine, banans and apples). First we drive into town and start with the Abbe Museum (another original location actually is within Acadia National Park). This location is very new with native Indian art (some beautiful basket weaving) and one area was built by the Rockafeller Family. We spent a good hour here ($6 entrance and also gets you into the other Abbe museum which is much smaller).
We head to out to find the side entrance for Acadia National Park and miss it. (Story of our life missing a few signs along the way that day as well needing to back track). We pay the $20 car entrance fee and there are alot of people out at Acadia on this lovely Labor Day weekend Sunday.
(source: www.nationalgeographic.com)
Begin at the Hulls Cove Visitor Center (+1 207 288 3338. May-Oct.) near Frenchman Bay, first explored by Samuelde Champlain in 1604. After 5 miles [8 kilometers], turn off for Sieur De Monts to visit the Nature Center (Phone for hours) and the Robert Abbe Museum of Stone Age Antiquities (+1 207 288 3519.Mid-May–mid-Oct.; Adm. fee).
Continue for 1 mile [1.6 kilometers] to the Champlain Mountain Overlook, offering a magnificent panorama of the Gouldsboro Hills, Frenchman Bay, and the tip of Schoodic Peninsula. As you leave, look back to the left toward Thrumcap Island, a rookery for gulls and cormorants. Four miles [6.4 kilometers] farther is Sand Beach, consisting mostly of crushed marine shells.
Stop a half mile [0.8 kilometer] past the beach at Thunder Hole. When seas run high, huge waves rush into a narrow slot in the rocks, forcing air trapped at the back of the chasm to compress and make a thundering sound. A mile [1.6 kilometers] past Thunder Hole, near the pink granite Otter Cliffs, explore the tidal pools an hour or two before low tide at Otter Point. Just beyond, the road enters a spruce-fir forest. Wildwood Stables (+1 207 276 3622. Late May–early Oct.; Fee), 4.5 miles [7.2 kilometers] past Otter Point, offers wagon rides on some of the 57 miles [91.7 kilometers] of wide, gravel Carriage Roads begun by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., in 1917; they’re also open to horseback riders, hikers, bikers, and cross-country skiers.
A mile past the stables, stop at Jordan Pond House (+1 207 276 3316. Mid-May–mid-Oct.) for a meal or the century-old tradition of tea on the lawn. Four miles [6.4 kilometers] beyond, turn right off the main road to ascend the 3.5 miles [5.6 kilometers] to the top of Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the eastern seaboard north of Brazil. To return to the Visit or Center, follow the signs.
Robert Abbe Museum of Stone Age Antiquities
Nature Center---gardens----showing the different types of shrubbery growing around
Champlain Mountain Overlook
Sand Beach (all the "sand" is pulverized sea shells broken down by nature over a LONG TIME)
(it was here we had to hover to get parking!)
Otter Cliff---the pink rocks are very pretty
Jordan Pond House----for lunch (crabcakes, popovers, lobster stew)
Jordan Pond and the Bubbles--two mountains
Cadillac Mountain Summit
We are done after the Cadillac Summit around 3:00ish. It has breath taking views of the Bar Harbor area!
While traveling, there is always some one missing from the photos. We met a very nice lady by the "boobs" aka Bubbles who told us it was her 41st bday and she was from Minnesota. She was a great photographer, in exchange for our taking one pic for her she took 6 (2 on each of our cameras and she was a photo expert knowing how to zoom and take the shots). We were very happy and thankful for her help.
Before leaving the National Park, we drive by the exit and have to back track. We get back to take an hour nap as we are all pooped. We all get up in time to have the Early Bird dinner special at the Parkside Restaurant. Some of us get lobster and the other gets the salmon. Since we loved the blue berry pie we get it there (but it proves to be lackluster incomparison the "elevated" and superior piece of pie we had the previous night. I then lost my Red Sox cap here at the restaurant (luckily I got it back the following morning.).
We decide to walk around and get more souvenirs and visit Poor Boy Gourmet to get more pie or try to order it on Monday. Told they are not open for lunch and the baker will be making pies on Monday night (not good for us as we plan to be back into Boston by then). We make off with two pieces of pie. (We are all very happy!). It is an early night 10 pm . We have our pie and just chitchat. I write more post cards.
Monday, September 3, 2007
We wake up because we want to play mini golf. We head over the Pirates Cove and play the 18 holes original course for only $8 a person. We have fun and it is a warm morning (warmest day of the weekend and it is on the way back too!). MPK wins , then SG, then myself and TK. I had one max strokes hole and one HOLE in one! MPK had three and TK had one. SG the golfer had no hole in ones. (par for course was 42) MPK got 41 and I got 54.
We drive back into town for breakfast at Jennie's. I get the blueberry pancakes which are delicious and a side of corned beef hash (which hits the spot). Then we squeeze in some blueberry ice cream at Ben and Bill's we were told to have the best ICE CREAM. The blue berry is excellent and I had to try the lobster ice cream. (Yes you read correctly!). It is sweet buttery ice cream then you have frozen bits of lobster (finish) which made it a bit weird but edible. You either like it or hate it! (They invented this ice cream back in the 1990's to dispel any naysayers their ice cream is not homemade).
We meander around one last time around downtown and head off around 1pm. We get stuck in traffic due to one lane in Maine but overall our return trip was relatively smooth. We get back into Boston by 7pm to grab dinner at Xinh Xinh in Chinatown. I have my first bowl of Bun Reiu (crab noodle soup) which I found to be very good! I get back to my apartment by 8:50pm. *(Where did the weekend go?)
MEMORIES
1)"Deee licious" MPK favorite word after an excellent food item
2)"Boobs" after seeing the Bubbles as TK dubbed them
3)Poor Boy Gourmet's Blue Berry Pie ---worth a second try and then some!
4)Abbe Museum----very strict employee---chastised us for standing by the info, watched me with an eagle eye thinking I would try to flee with $1 worth of post cards (after I told her I wanted to pay and could not find the cashier!!!!)
5)Packed #2 shuttle back to Bar Harbor Motel
6)Early Bird Dinner Specials---the way to go to save on meals!
7)27 Park Road Loop in Acadia National Park
8)Ben and Bill's lobster ice cream---weird
9) Red Sox cap----got it back from Park Side (thank goodness!)
10) Tons of travel plans and ideas thrown around---Iceland, Europe, Asia-Japan, South East Region, China etc...
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