Mindy got up early and ventured out for coffee. She came back with croissants (small), and we sat out on the balcony before suiting up for the day. Off to the buffet for something more substantial.
Morning in Maine.
Corned beef hash at the bottom—never tried it before. Mmm.
Then we headed down to the tender for the trip to Bar Harbor. We came down earlier than last time, so we cooled our heels in the theater for a few minutes along with the others. We then were crammed into the clown car of boats. It was foggy, but quickly burned off.
Seen in a shop. “The Larch”.
I came here as a kid, but only remember a) flimsy toy lobster traps and b) going out to the "beach" aka sharp rocks. We wandered about the shops, then had lunch at the Side Street Diner--a haddock sammich and clam chowder.
I guess we were hungry.
More wandering, more purchasing--and then the official walking tour. There was a huge throng of people going on various tours, with guides running around holding up signs. You think they'd have this a little better organized. The guy took our paper ticket, then had to go find a manager to turn them in before we could go. If only everyone had a ship ID with a barcode on it, that could be easily read by a phone app...
Pandemonium!
Otherwise the guide was excellent, and had a wealth of information. In 1908, Mrs. Rockefeller, who was pregnant at the time, learned her doctor was summering in Maine. She and her family followed him there so he could deliver the child, who was Nelson Rockefeller. She cajoled the rest of the 400 to join her there.
Hey, get one of those “starving artists” cranking out stuff for the ship’s art auction out here!
The Bar Harbor Inn—a men’s only club until someone built another place down the road and got Louis Armstrong to play. It become a “motor lodge”, but is now high end at $700/night.
A Nazi U-Boat dropped off some agents here during WW2, but locals spotted them immediately, and they were thrown in the slammer.
A classic “village green” with the start of fall foliage.
A Gilded Age church.
Tiffany stained glass. The cherubs at the edges are the faces of the wealthy families’ kids.
After another line, back to the ship. We ate at a pub for dinner (fish and chips, burger), while enjoying their "sail and sustain cocktails", which utilize leftover ingredients like fruit rinds, etc. We also had dessert cocktails—a mudslide and a grasshopper. Essentially boozy milkshakes.
Back to the room for what was supposed to be a quick nap--we planned to go to a comedy show. Instead, we crashed for the night--hey, we're old!
Tomorrow--O, Canada!
#escapetothegreatwhitenorth